FATHOM is a frothy, silly spy adventure clearly taking advantage of the spy craze of the 1960s. It follows the misadventures of Raquel Welch's Fathom, a female agent sent in to recover a secret atomic device that has the power to destroy the world in the wrong hands. Treachery, adventure and battle ensue. Sadly, it's all a bit of a bore, and not a patch on the two Bulldog Drummond movies that Richard Johnson knocked out at around the same time.The problem with this film is the script. It's listless and inconsequential, focusing on unengaging characters and throwing in enough twists, turns and betrayals to bore even the most ardent viewer of thrillers. It's a succession of sunny locales and overacting characters, with bizarre scientists and outlandish fellow agents.Raquel Welch, bless her, is extremely limited as the main attraction and simply required to parade a series of form-fitting outfits on her admittedly impressive frame. For the most part I found her airhead character to be vacuous and irritating, almost unwatchable in places. There's a stalwart cast of British dependables, including, bizarrely, Richard Briers as a key ally, but that doesn't save this from being a pointless and plodding movie.

Spunky and enticing dental hygienist turned expert skydiver Fathom Harvill (the one and only Raquel Welch at her most gorgeous, radiant, and appealing) is assigned by a top secret government agency to parachute into Spain in order to find elusive war defector Peter Mertiwether (a smooth and engaging portrayal by Anthony Franciosa) and a missing H-bomb detonator he might have in his possession. Director Leslie H. Martinson, working from a witty script by Lorenzo Semple Jr., relates the fun premise at a snappy pace and maintains a likable easy'n'breezy lightweight tone throughout. Of course, this picture makes for a great showcase of the delectable Mrs. Welch's charming personality and jaw-dropping spectacular figure (the latter in particular looks absolutely smashing in a lime-green bikini!). Moreover, the cute and funny dialogue contains a nice running gag about Fathom's unusual first name. Clive Revill contributes a sharp comic performance as Sergi Serapkin, an eccentric villainous millionaire with an extreme aversion to the cold. Douglas Slocombe's vibrant cinematography provides an attractive bright look. John Dankworth's bouncy score hits the jaunty'n'jazzy spot. Hugely enjoyable.

This movie starts with it's strongest part, Raqual Welch in her prime at every possible camera angle packing her parachute. They even use what was still rare in 1967, a classic shot of her back side. I doubt that anyone complained about that.Once this opening sequence is over, the film settles into a light plot involving a stolen Chinese Artifact which everyone is after though the good people versus the bads ones are very hard to sort out.Tony Franciosa is the other name actor in the cast but this movie is mostly Raquel. The rest of the supporting cast makes out alright but the action is slight and the style of photography is much in evidence in this film. Welch gets a 10 for effort but the script is a little lame so over all the movie is not that good. Still, there are worse ways to spend a couple of hours.Raquel & Tony face down a bull in one sequence. There are times when everyone around her seem to be part of a load of bull. Raquel is Fathom, the lead character who gets involved with a lot of people but manages somehow to come out whole.

I'd never seen or even heard of this offering in the 60's comedy spy genre until Film 4 padded out their evening schedule with it. How dated it all looked, understandably. But it was a jolly romp, great locations and with pretty good enthusiastically staged stunts. Ms Welch was very decorative as usual and the Britsh character actors excellent in support. Good to see Tom Adams in a solid supporting role, Clive Revill was always good value in this sort of movie too. Amazingly the two aircraft flown in this movie, a Cessna 172 and a Piper Cherokee 180, are still active and licenced in the UK, wearing their original registrations, forty years after the film was made.