Seeing this heist film made me yearn for the no-nonsense efficiency of Kubrick's classic The Killing (1956). I can't recall any other heist film that generated absolutely no tension or suspense the way this one does. Instead the screenplay is cluttered with parts that fit together about as well as a bombed-out house. Writer Girard treats connecting threads as a needless distraction, which I guess we're supposed to take as the mark of European sophistication, 1960's style. Instead, we're treated to the wolfish Coburn's irresistible way with women, something about a Soviet premier on a visit, nameless guys who sort of appear and reappear leaving few tracks, and something about getting money from a bank after it's closed. The idea is to toss them all into the air and see how they come down.Now, it might be argued that the movie is not really a heist film at all. That it's really not a genre film despite superficial appearances. Rather, the robbery and its planning are merely events leading up to some kind ironic point in the end about Eli outsmarting himself. Or some such more general point than merely a heist film. Okay. But the same general problem remains—the movie's just too slow and disjointed to hold interest regardless how it's defined.Despite all, there are several redeeming features. There's ditzy Nina Wayne (Frieda) looking and sounding like her sexy sister Carol doing one of her hilarious bits on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. Then there's the LA airport looking like a giant spider that's decide to squat on the city. And for old movie fans, it's an easy gig for Aldo Ray who gets marquee billing and about three lines of dialog. And finally, there's the neat twist ending—too bad this flash of inspiration is so slow in coming. In my book, it's one of the disappointing crime films of its time.

All the ingredients for a fun, slick caper film are here, but somehow it just never comes off as well as one might like. Coburn plays a parolee who never thinks for a minute about living a lawful life. He's not even out of the clink before he's planning to rob the Los Angeles Airport Bank, on a day when the Premier of Russia is due to arrive nonetheless. Coburn uses female after female to attain his goals, leaving each one befuddled and confused after he's done with them. One, however, Sparv, manages to hold his attention a bit longer than the rest, especially when she is so easily duped into continuing to do his bidding. He amasses a small team and sets out to pilfer all the ready cash out of the bank as US government agent Webber frantically attempts to secure the grounds for the Premier's safe arrival. Coburn uses all sorts of tactics such as accents and assumed identities in order to get what he wants, but in the end, even though he has it, he may have lost even more than he had ever dreamed of. Coburn is okay in the film. His ability to bed down every conceivable lady in sight will seem more realistic the more one finds his unique looks attractive. His accents in the film are truly rotten and come and go with ease. Sparv is exceedingly lovely to look at and isn't bad acting-wise. She and Coburn try to ignite some chemistry, but don't really succeed as a couple. Ray, as one of Coburn's associates, doesn't show up until over an hour in and isn't given much to do. Webber is appropriately harried and aggravated as Coburn's robbery plans thwart his ability to keep the airport secure. "Sword and sandal" actor Armstrong appears as one of his associates. Among Coburn's conquests are Wayne, amusingly dippy, McCargo, classy and attractive and, of all people, Marie, who is difficult to recognize right at first, but turns in a mildly amusing cameo. This type of film should be light as a feather and slick as can be, but this one has many dull spots and lack the zest it needs to really sing. Coburn's character isn't nearly as ingratiating as, say, Steve McQueen's in "The Thomas Crown Affair" and the film isn't remotely as stylish as that one either. It's a nicely photographed movie that depicts an era of clean, smartly-dressed people in attractive settings, but it just isn't captivating or charming enough to come out a winner. Look for young Ford in a small role as a hotel bellman.

"Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round" is probably mostly of interest to us nowadays due to Harrison Ford's bit part as a bellhop. Apparently, after the movie bombed, a producer told Ford: "Kid, you ain't got it." Of course, Ford went on to star in the "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" trilogies, so he clearly had lots of "it".Anyway, the movie casts James Coburn as ex-con Eli Kotch, plotting a heist in LAX while the Russian prime minister is visiting. Coburn seems to be mirroring his Derek Flint character, right down to being surrounded by hot babes (specifically Camilla Sparv and Nina Wayne). The good ol' Cold War, when the US and USSR could play all sorts of tricks on each other, and there were plenty of beauties to go around.Overall, "DHOAMGR" isn't a great movie, but it's worth seeing. You may notice that playing Mrs. Kirby is Rose Marie, better known as Sally on "The Dick Van Dyke Show".Nina Wayne. Hubba hubba...

This crime movie was only "fair," not worth owning if you are a collector, but worth checking out if you are a James Coburn fan. The title is a lot better than the story.This is another of those mid-60s films that was Hollywood-in-transition, meaning it was just a year or so away from abolishing any moral codes. Here, we see casual sex accepted as okay and the bank robbers portrayed as the good guys, even though they are anything but good.The female lead, Camilla Sparv, was a strange-looking lady who never really made it as a star. One can see why. It's also interesting to hear the language of the period with the police being called "the fuzz," etc.James Coburn is fun to watch, but the rest of the cast is unmemorable, except that it marked the film debut of Harrison Ford, who plays a messenger boy in one quick scene. Other than that, the film provides few noteworthy memories which is probably one reason why there are so few reviews of this here.