Murderers' Row Reviews

One of Dean Martin's more successful film projects was the "Matt Helm" movies, a sort of poor man's James Bond series. In MURDERERS' ROW, secret agent Matt Helm (Martin) sets about rescuing Dr. Norman Solaris (Eastham), the kidnaped inventor of an ultradestructive "helio beam" capable of destroying Washington, DC. Bad guy Julian Wall (Malden), who holds Dr. Solaris captive, believes that he has eliminated every last agent of ICE (Intelligence and Counter-Espionage). Ah, how wrong he is, and Helm sees to it that he never forgets it. Ann-Margret, who plays Solaris' daughter, dances through the film garbed in go-go outfits. Martin croons "I'm Not the Marrying Kind" (Lalo Schifrin, Howard Greenfield), and there is also an appearance by the then-popular rock combo, Dino, Desi, and Billy, comprised of the sons of Martin, Desi Arnaz, and Lucille Ball, and Jerry Lewis. MURDERERS' ROW is dumb enough that it's amusing if you're in the right state of mind. Three other "Matt Helm" films were made: the original, THE SILENCERS (1965); THE AMBUSHERS (1967); and THE WRECKING CREW (1968).