Stoney (1969)

With a bank holiday coming up,I looked for DVDs/Videos to watch,that I could then hopefully sell. Whilst getting other DVDs in order,I found (what has become) an ultra-rare Code Red double bill,one of which co-stars Barbara Bouchet,which led to me meeting Stoney.View on the film:Featuring some spots of dirt and lines that show signs of its Grindhouse origins, Code Red present a good transfer, with the soundtrack being clean and "rougher" moments of the picture quality appearing to be re-inserted footage in the otherwise smooth transfer. Done during a challenging (to put it mildly)time in the Philippines, the screenplay by Walter Anton White is surprisingly direct in the troubles of the time when adapting James M. Fox,as all plans for the heist have to be made,with the trigger-happy military in mind.Whilst she is placed to be the main focus, White disappointing gives little spark to the characteristics of Stone,that leaves the heist and danger of dealing with the army lacking much sense of excitement. Greatly helped by the leading lady, director Wray Davis finds zest lacking in the script with a peculiar directing style matching the blinking of eyes (!) and a moody freeze-frame final. Looking very sexy in chic costumes, Barbara Bouchet gives a very good performance as Stoney,whose flirting Bouchet twirls into calculating ways to get hold of Stoney's stones.

STONEY is a low rent little thriller that was shot in the Philippines and has a few local faces in the supporting cast, including Vic Diaz. An early cameo from Michael Rennie is utilised to set up the plot, which involves the hunt for some priceless gold at a remote location. Various competing factions then head off to get their hands on it. Chief of these is the female protagonist, Barbara Bouchet, who is reduced to being shown either showering or stripping to her underwear for nearly the entire running time. She's pretty good, actually, a sort of female version of James Bond, but they could have made better use of her than mere window dressing. The film's idea of action is a series of noisy shoot-outs in which various extras come in to be gunned down, but it's not very exciting and all of this only just barely hangs together as a proper movie.

"Harvey Ward" (Michael Rennie) is an international businessman who is involved in an illegal scheme to smuggle guns from Manila to Surabaya. His main rival, "Steven Blessing" (Michael Preston) learns of his plan and after an intense shootout captures the boat and takes the valuable cargo for himself. Not long afterward, Harvey invites Steve to a dinner on his boat and while there Steve's men secretly discover that Harvey has information concerning the location of $40 million in gold, diamonds and jewelry obtained by the Japanese during World War 2 and hidden in Surabaya. To assist in the movement of the gold Harvey sends his female companion "Irene Stone" (Barbara Bouchet) to carry out his plan. Naturally, Steve has other ideas and--as it just so happens--takes the same flight to Surabaya as she does. What follows is a game of intrigue involving several different players who don't follow any given set of rules. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was an okay film which could have been better if it had a bit more character development and more time and attention spent on the overall plot. As it was it seemed that some of the scenes were a bit too rushed which caused me some confusion here and there. Likewise, I didn't especially care for the ending either. Be that as it may, I thought that this was an adequate movie for the time spent and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

Interesting cast, professionals such as Michael Rennie, Richard Jaeckel and Barbara Bouchet, mix them with some locals, Mike Preston, Vic Diaz, Leopoldo Salcedo and some amateurs in a film where you think the "alleged" good guy will come out on top,but doesn't. To put it in a few words....nobody wins.