The Cobra

Original title: Il cobra

1967
1h 38m

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Peter Martell stars as a disgraced treasury agent Mike Rand, who teams with his boss to halt a Red Chinese plot to destroy the free world by flooding the market opium and turning everyone in... Read allPeter Martell stars as a disgraced treasury agent Mike Rand, who teams with his boss to halt a Red Chinese plot to destroy the free world by flooding the market opium and turning everyone into addicts.Peter Martell stars as a disgraced treasury agent Mike Rand, who teams with his boss to halt a Red Chinese plot to destroy the free world by flooding the market opium and turning everyone into addicts.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

4.5/10

125

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

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Storyline

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Quotes
Capt. Kelly: Gentlemen, will you find yourselves seats. They have already been briefed on the situation, Sir.
Hullinger: Which, I might say, sounds rather grave.
Capt. Kelly: Tragic would be more accurate. In past years, quantities of opium have been smuggled into the United States. But we've just learned that an incredible amount of the drug is being prepared for shipment. As you may know, 150 pounds of pure opium has a market value of a hundred million dollars - the price of a squadron of fighter-bombers. In other words, Sir, we're up against a gigantic operation.
Hullinger: Serious enough to call me to Istanbul?
Capt. Kelly: It would be impossible to exaggerate the danger, Sir. The future of our country and the whole Free World is at stake. Oh, King...
[he gestures]
Capt. Kelly: . Won't you sit down, Sir?
Capt. Kelly: And now, Mr Hullinger, let's have a look at some of the facts. OK, King.
[the video projector begins to show a drug documentary]
Capt. Kelly: Opium and drugs in such quantity, means an increase in the plagues of society; in delinquency, in mental disease, in social disorder. It's like the spreading of some dreadful leprosy. it'd destroy the moral fibre of the youth of our nation.
Capt. Kelly: Our backs are to the wall, Gentlemen. There are 200,000 drug addicts in New York alone. And the Narcotics Bureau considers only those on record.
Mr stewart: That's right, unfortunately. To try and eliminate the evil by bearing down on the addicts is like attempting to destroy a giant oak tree by tearing off the leaves, one at a time.
Capt. Kelly: That's why the Government has ordered that the problem be solved at the roots. We know that the opium comes from Chinese plantations in Kian Sie and Wei Chong, A timebomb from Peking to destroy the very foundations of American society.
Hullinger: Pattern for conquest. It's perfect.
Capt. Kelly: Our job is not to analyse the historical or moral aspects of the phenomenon but to liquidate the organisation at any cost.
Hullinger: How?
Capt. Kelly: The FBI, the Bureau of Narcotics and the CIA and the police forces of friendly nations are all collaborating. The physical forces at my disposal have a free hand.
Sadek: Carte blanche, Mr Kelly?
Capt. Kelly: Carte blanche, Captain Sadek. The threat is so great, all rules are off.

Connections
Featured in Legends of World Cinema: Anita Ekberg

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Review

Featured review

4/10

Euro-Spy Entry Fumbles with Amateurish Execution and Predictable Plot

This Italian spy film is ludicrous yet amusingly preposterous. The plot kicks off with the US Government calling back Mike Rand, described as "their best Middle East agent," to hunt down "The Cobra." Initially, G-man Dana Andrews mistakenly believes The Cobra to be either a drug cartel or a crime lord. Rand's mission weaves through a maze involving oil magnates, drug enforcement bodies, and even the United Nations, all in a bid by the US Treasury to halt opium trafficking to America. As Rand edges closer to his goal, the body count rises alarmingly.

THE COBRA is a peculiar Euro-spy flick that struggles with the motions of a thriller. The film suffers from occasionally amateurish editing and staging. While Istanbul's scenery adds interest, the film overall offers little in terms of engagement. The narrative is predictable with minimal twists and lacks ingenuity. The excessively prolonged finale, featuring endless sneaking around with minimal action, further detracts from its appeal.

Pietro Martellanza (Peter Martell), portraying Rand, displays a limited range of emotions, primarily looking gloomy, which undermines the film's impact from the start. Anita Ekberg manages to shine in a limited role, whereas Dana Andrews, in a significant part, delivers a notably poor performance, especially during a scene where he drives while clearly impaired, struggling with his lines. Elisa Montes appears briefly as a potential double agent, and her presence is a welcome, albeit small, addition.

The film's dialogue often borders on the ridiculous, highlighted by a scene where a Japanese drug lord dramatically declares, "We will send you tons of drugs! DRUGS will spread!" In another moment, Rand's request for whiskey from a waiter, followed by his demand for a funnel instead of ice and soda, exemplifies the movie's attempt at humor amidst its purported "serious" espionage theme.