Blue Panther

Claude Chabrol directed this 1965 Franco-Italian spy comedy, distributed in English as Blue Panther. Marie Laforêt stars as Marie-Chantal, a young woman pulled into an espionage intrigue after the undercover operative Bruno Kerrien leaves a precious stone known as the Blue Panther in her care. A spy network answering to the mysterious Dr. Kha pursues the gem, whose owner does not realize it hides a lethal virus that could destroy humanity. The film exemplifies the flood of European spy pictures made to capitalize on the James Bond phenomenon of the decade, and it reflects Chabrol's mid-sixties turn away from his French New Wave beginnings toward commercially minded entertainment such as Le Tigre aime la chair fraiche. The supporting ensemble includes Francisco Rabal, Serge Reggiani, Charles Denner, Akim Tamiroff, Roger Hanin and Stéphane Audran.