MovieChat Forums > The Silencers (1966) Discussion > Wonder what Donald Hamilton (writer of s...

Wonder what Donald Hamilton (writer of series) Thought...

posted 16 years ago by the_expeditersd
6 replies | jump to latest

Of the movie versions of Matt Helm. I've read The Silencers many years ago and it was done seriously...I like his writing syle.

[–] rbownds1 16 years ago

Rickeybobby..... I read it as well and only bits and pieces resemble the movie. For example Helm takes out the stripper via a thrown knife, not the bad guys. If you watch for it, I can't remember if it's at the end of the movie or in the beginning credits, it says [ based on the books the "the silencers and "death of a citizen"]I have not read "death of a citizen" but I would bet a lot of the quirky little scenes in "The Silencers" movie were a take off of events in the latter novel. Another words it's got a mix of the two.

[–] scotbpens 15 years ago

The silly, spoofy Matt Helm movies with Dean Martin were about as far from Donald Hamilton's gritty, realistic novels as champagne is from piss. Still, I'm sure the author didn't complain when he received his royalty checks in the mail.

All the universe . . . or nothingness. Which shall it be, Passworthy? Which shall it be?

[–] rbownds1 15 years ago

Rickeybobby---------- I have to agree with you there! In the novel "The Silencers", Helm doesn't just try to avoid McDonald. He gets in a real fight with him, where he bust him with his belt buckle and literaly threatens his life. Contrast that with dinos comedy version. Version ? Some how it's hard for me to even use that word "version". I still watched it for all the pretty girls, gismos, jokes, etc.

[–] pjwoodall1 14 years ago

I saw Hamilton interviewed on BOOK BEAT years ago. The interviewed said "Dean Martin is not my idea of Matt Helm." Hamilton's reply? "I agree." The only other DH book I can remember making it to the screen was THE BIG COUNTRY which has a great flub re Heston's hair during the fight scene with Peck. Apparently Wyler needed another shot of Heston and had to go to Rome to get it.

TBC also has a tremendous score.

[–] rbownds1 14 years ago

Rickeybobby ---Great story!

[–] Bilwick1 10 years ago

The credits say that the movie is based on two Matt Helm novels, THE SILENCERS and the first Matt Helm movel, DEATH OF A CITIZEN. I was looking forward to a scene from the latter novel, in which Helm uses a knife to torture a woman to a bloody death to get her to reveal information. Probably would have spoiled the modd of this movie.