The Million Eyes of Su-Muru

Directed by: Lindsay Shonteff 

Starring:  Frankie Avalon,

George Nader,

Shirley Eaton,

Wilfred Hyde White,

Klaus Kinski,

Maria Rohm 

Released: 1967 

Language: English 

Length: 95 minutes

In seeking movies to review with Femdom themes, one thing that caught my attention was how many science fiction and spy movies from the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s that had the plot of diabolical women attempting to take over the world (and of course the brave and daring men who ultimately foiled their plans). Films such as “In Like Flint” (1967) where James Coburn finds that a group of women have banded together to take over the world through subliminal brainwashing in beauty salons they own. 

Even television had the series “Planet Earth” (1974) where a man awakens from suspended animation and finds himself in the 22nd century, where he finds that women rule the world and that men are slaves called Dinks. He is captured and sold as a slave, but escapes and hooks up with a male rebel movement. 

Finally, the movie I settled on for this review was the 1967 spy movie “The Million Eyes of Su-Muru”. In doing my research for the film, I read about a popular scene where a half-naked George Nader is whipped by Shirley Eaton. You remember Shirley Eaton, don’t you? She was the Golden Girl from “Goldfinger” and her image covered in gold paint is indelibly burnt into the minds of sixties spy fans.

 

 

 

 

 

The movie also has a memorable thigh-crushing scene (referenced in Elise Sutton’s book, “Searching for Wanda”) where witnessing a male’s demise is nothing more than entertainment for a group of sadistic women. I decided to review the film, however, finding a copy was about as simple as finding a bathroom when driving across the desert between southern Utah and Las Vegas. The only thing I could get on Amazon was the movie poster. Even old vintage movie sites had nothing. The only DVD I could find with this movie was from a 1989 episode of “Mystery Science Theater 3000”.  
 

You remember that show don’t you? It ran on the Comedy Channel. It was a series where a man and his robot sidekicks are trapped on a space station by an evil scientist and forced to watch a selection of bad movies, initially (but not especially limited to) science fiction B-movies. To keep sane, the man and his robots provide a running commentary on each film, making fun of its flaws and wisecracking their way through each reel. Each film is presented with a superimposition of the man and robots' silhouettes along the bottom of the screen.

 

 

 

 

Sadly, this was the version of “The Million Eyes of Su-Muru” that I was forced to watch, and it made it very difficult to review the film. Fortunately, I also found some clips of this movie on the internet, including the beginning, the infamous drowning scene, the thigh crushing scene, the whipping scene and the gun shooting, island exploding ending. So between the “Mystery Science Theater 3000” version and the clips I got off the Internet, I was able to watch and review “The Million Eyes of Su-Muru”. 
 

Sumuru was originally created for an eight part radio serial on the B.B.C. Sax Rohmer (creator of the famous Fu Manchu novels), rewrote the serial as a novel titled “The Sins of Sumuru”. The American paperback publisher, Fawcett, which was looking for material for first edition paperbacks saw great possibilities for the character and published it as “Nude in Mink” in May, 1950. It sold so well they had a second printing the same month and they wanted more. Another series was born. There are nine titles, but only five novels.

 

 

 

Who was Sumuru? It was said that she was an ice-cold, fascinating genius whose hypnotic powers impelled all men to do her bidding. It was said she was a fanatic who ruled her followers with oriental despots. But what was the truth? Nobody really knew although two men knew part of it -- Sir Miles Tristram and Dr. Steel Maitland of the Secret Service. But Tristram died by the hand of a beautiful woman and his secret died with him. That left Maitland alone to follow the trail through Sumuru's shadowy underworld. 
 

Sumuru spent most of the novels lolling around nude on mink rugs smoking endless cigarettes or stalking around in high heels sipping liqueur and pondering how ugliness was the root of all that was wrong with the modern world. 
 

American International Pictures brought the character of Sumuru (spelled Su-Muru for the movie) to the big screen in 1967. Shirley Eaton starred as Su-Muru. The film also starred Frankie Avalon and George Nader as a couple of wise-cracking secret agents. The plot involved Su-Muru planning to remove all of the men who are currently in power and replace them with her army of women, most of whom are shown in skimpy (for 1967) bikinis or tight mini-skirts. 
 

American International bragged that for the film they assembled the most gorgeous cross-section of feminine glamour ever gathered together in a single locale (the film was primarily shot in Hong Kong). Each woman came from practically every major city in the world. 
 

The romantic city of Vienna was represented by Marie Rohm, an exciting blonde who was a full-fledged member of Su-Muru's top guard. 
 

From Rome came Krista Nell, truly a Roman beauty who in recent years had been considered one of the Continental cinema's big discoveries. She frequently worked in French and German studios in addition to her native Italy. 
 

The beautiful belle from Berlin was the striking Ursula Rank, a former television model who became a most popular cinema attraction in Europe. She portrays the chief executioner in "The Million Eyes of Su-Muru."  
 

From Belgium came the vivacious Denise Davreaux, who ranked among the most beautiful Eurasian girls in the world. Her father was a Belgian business executive and her mother Chinese.

 

Representing Hong Kong was the exciting Mary Cheng, who took time off from her regular job of staff supervisor at the Hong Kong Hilton, to portray a part in the film. 
 

Blonde Jill Hamilton hailed from Australia's harbor city of Sydney while Lisa Gray, one of the most-acclaimed show dancers to tour the Far East, came from far off Puerto Rico. 
 

To complete the assemblage of world beauty were Christine Lok, Margaret Cheung and Louise Lee, who claimed Shanghai as their birthplace. 
 

The film opens with a Chinese funeral procession. A group of young men march along behind the coffin, while on the side of the road, a girl watches on. Then we hear a voice-over from Sumuru herself (Shirley Eaton): 
 

’This is the funeral of the richest man in the world…

These are his seventeen sons…

Soon they will share his fate…

Along with all other men who oppose my will…

The eyes of this girl are watching them…

As maybe, some other girl’s eyes are watching you…

I have a million eyes…

For I am Sumuru!’

 

A bomb goes off as the procession crosses a bridge and the seventeen sons are killed, and the titles roll. 
 

The blonde assassin, Erno (Ursula Rank), returns by boat to her oriental headquarters. Outside are armed female guards. She walks into a room full of beautiful women. The women are seated comfortably, sipping champagne, smoking cigarettes, and they are obviously enthralled by something as they stare intently downward toward the middle of the room. As Ursula Rank gets her own glimpse, we see an oriental man with his mouth taped shut, struggling as an attractive brunette (played by Denise Davreaux with an amused and devious look on her face) has her legs wrapped around the man’s neck, squeezing her thighs tightly around the sides of the struggling man’s face.
 

 

 

 

The brunette looks toward Erno and asks; “Mercy?” Erno shakes her head ‘No’ and with that, the brunette snaps the man’s neck with her thighs, instantly killing him.

 

 

From what I gather, this scene has become a favorite among submissive men who have seen this film. I guess it is kind of a masochist’s ultimate fantasy, to be toyed with and tormented by a dominant female while other dominant women look on with amusement. The fact that it ends in death makes it the ultimate sacrifice for the cause. Even the gang at “Mystery Science Theater 3000” commented that it wasn’t such a bad way to go.  
 

Next, we meet Su-Muru in the flesh. She lives on the island with her own private army of women. But there is a problem with one of her disciples. One girl, operating out of Rome, has done the unthinkable - she has fallen in love! Su-Muru decides to travel to Italy and ‘take care’ of the traitor personally. A voice over provides another piece of Su-Muru’s manifesto:  
 

‘In the war against mankind, to achieve our aim, a world of peace and beauty ruled by women, we have but one weakness, which must be rooted out and destroyed…Love!’ 
 

We see these words put into action, when three women in black bikinis, drown a woman in a white bikini in the ocean. It is a rather intense and disturbing scene by 1967 standards.

 

 

Still in Rome, next we meet C.I.A. agent Nick West (George Nader). He is greeted by Sir Anthony Baisbrook (Wilfred Hyde-White), who works for ‘Her Majesty’s Government’. It appears that the girl who was killed, is the secretary for the made-up Syronesian Chief Of Security, Colonel Medika (Jon Fong). Sir Anthony asks West to find out who the killer is. Along for the ride is Tommy Carter (Frankie Avalon).  
 

West meets with Medika and they plan how the investigation will take place. But soon after the meeting, Medika is kidnapped by Su-Muru’s agents, and West is left to solve the remainder of the puzzle, along with a little help from Carter. 
 

They discover that behind the killing is a world-wide organization of women plotting the enslavement of mankind. Led by the beautiful and sadistic Su-Muru, the women plan to become the Mistresses to the eleven most powerful men in the world. Once in place, they will enslave these men. However, one man, Syronesian President Boong (Klaus Kinsky), cannot be brainwashed by female power because he is a homosexual and prefers men. Therefore, Su-Muru plans to assassinate President Boong.
 

After finding a dead woman in his hotel bed, Nick, suspecting a frame-up, flees with Carter to Hong Kong to warn President Boong. Su-Muru's assistants follow them, however, and Nick is abducted and taken to the organization's island headquarters. 
 

Su-Muru shows Nick around, showing him her male victims and how they are being tortured. She uses men as guinea pigs for science experiments. When Nick asks why a certain man is not screaming from the obvious painful experiment, she explains that they cut out his tongue. Su-Muru makes no bones about the fact that she likes to torture and kill men. One method is with a special gun that turns men into stone. She shows Nick how it works by shooting a man they have caged. The man happens to be President Boong’s security agent.  
 

Su-Muru makes a deal with Nick. Since he has the same facial profile as the man she just turned into stone, she can use him in her plot against the President. Should he refuse, he too will be tortured and killed. If he accepts, she will free him. Su-Muru explains that her organization is exclusively female but they still use many men to advance their cause. It’s just that most men don’t realize it.  
 

Naturally, Su-Muru finds Nick to be attractive, telling him that deep down, no matter how strong and self efficient she may be, she is still a woman with certain needs. She kisses him and he returns her kiss (and it is implied that she uses him for sex). 
 

Nick accepts Su-Muru’s offer, figuring it will buy him some time. She has him pose as Boong's new security chief and introduces the president to Helga (Maria Rohm), one of Su-Muru's agents, whose job is to carry out the assassination. Nick does not know this.  
 

When face to face with the President, Helga has a change of heart, but when Boong calls for his guards to apprehend Helga, one of them is in fact an agent for Su-Muru. The oriental woman grabs Helga’s gun and shots Boong, turning him to stone. However, it turns out that she in fact killed his double. Boong appears from the next room unharmed.  
 

Nick takes Helga into custody but on the way down the elevator, she tells him how she couldn’t go through with the assassination and wants to leave Su-Muru’s organization. Nick knows that her life is in danger, so he tells her to find Tommy Carter and gives her the name of the hotel where he is staying. Su-Muru shows up with her female guards and recaptures Nick. Helga escapes and runs to Tommy’s hotel. Helga appeals to Tommy for help, while Nick is taken back to Su-Muru's torture chambers.  
 

While Tommy is flirting with Helga in his hotel room, we see Nick chained up and being whipped with a bullwhip by Su-Muru.
 

 

 

 

The cocky Nick (talking with ease, showing no ill-effects that would befall a man who was being severely whipped) begins with the wise-cracks.  
 

“It’s a privilege, oh Leader of the World, to be on the receiving end of your generosity.” 
 

“I was saving it up until you were ready for it… like a ripe apple on a tree. The only thing is how (should I torture you)? The method? It could be something of Ingrid’s. She has assets, electrical equipment, all kinds of devices, as there are ancient, tradition arts known in these parts that have been used for centuries with unfailing success.” 
 

“Why don’t you keep talking and you’ll save yourself a lot of trouble. You’ll bore me to death.” 
 

At which Shirley Eaton punches George Nader in the gut.  
 

“We’ll leave you now, Mr. West, and I’ll be thinking of the most exquisite tortures, and so will you.”
 

 

 

Tommy and Helga win the aid of the Hong Kong police against Su-Muru's army. They invade the island and during the ensuing battle, Tommy rescues Nick just before Su-Muru's island is destroyed by a huge explosion. Nick is still alive because just prior to the invasion, Su-Muru has had enough of Nick’s wise-cracking and orders one of her guards (Denise Davreaux - the same brunette that crushed the man to death with her thighs early in the film) to kill him. The guard decides that before she kills Nick, she might as well enjoy the hunk. She shoots his chain free from the wall and by the chain she drags him into a cell where she begins to kiss him passionately. She is still kissing him when a Hong Kong policeman reaches Nick to free him. Nick is having so much fun making out with the sadistic female guard that he hadn’t even noticed all the shooting going on around him. In fact, he brings Denise Davreaux along with him when he is rescued. 
 

Su-Muru escapes into a secret cave prior to the island exploding. On the boat, Tommy, Nick, the men’s new love interests, and Sir Anthony Baisbrook watch the explosion. Sir Anthony Baisbrook makes the observation “No human being could have survived that.” To which Nick remarks, “whoever said she was human?”  
 

Obviously she didn’t die in the explosion since Shirley Eaton returned as Su-Muru in the 1969 sequel “The Seven Secrets of Su-Muru” (also called “Rio 70” for the US release in 1970 and later renamed "The Girl from Rio" for the DVD).  
 

Harry Alan Towers produced “The Million Eyes of Su-Muru”. Harry Allan Towers was kind of the UK's answer to Russ Meyers with his cult-like films that featured beautiful, dominant women. Maria Rohm was Towers girlfriend and often appeared in his films.  
 

Just like the “Our Man Flint” movies and others, “The Million Eyes of Su-Muru” was made as a parody of the 60's spy movies. It is campy with lots of humor, thus it is not to be taken seriously, although both Avalon and Nader complained that their funniest lines were cut as Harry Allan Towers ended up making the end product much differently (more serious) than the male lead actors were led to believe. That is why both of them turned down doing the sequel.  
 

There is plenty of Femdom imagery in this movie to thrill the readers of my blog. The Denise Davreaux thigh crushing scene and the scene where Shirley Eaton whips George Nader are at the top of the list. Shirley Eaton is wonderful in this movie with her dominant facial expressions.  
 

Eaton gets fantastic dramatic mileage out of her cigarette holder and many of her femme fatales smoke during this movie. The smoking adds to their dominant and sadistic personas.
 

 

 

 

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars