Incannerax What a waste of my time!!!

Dorathen Better Late Then Never

GarnettTeenage The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.

Walter Sloane Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

JohnHowardReid One of the main interests in films of this sort is the game of star-spotting, and it is to the scriptwriters' credit that they have found good spots for each of the many, many stars at their disposal, from Amedeo Nazzari and Barry Sullivan through to Trini Lopez and Yul Brynner! I particularly liked Gilbert Roland's performance as the villain!Terence Young's direction is not always at his most inventive (I strongly disliked all the tedious close-ups of E.G. Marshall), but Young generally keeps the story moving and makes good use of his actual Iranian locations.

mark.waltz Curiosity is defiantly there for this all-star fiasco that means well but pushes its message so much into your face that it feels like bees attacking. The narration at the beginning indicates that this was promoted by the United Nations which gives a hint of its political backing. It would be great if the film took its mission seriously, but when leading characters spend time playing paper/rock/scissors, it becomes difficult to believe in the message. Everything starts off on the right mark with the introduction of the narcotics agents making their infiltration on the opium smugglers, and with major stars like Yul Brynnur and Omar Sharif, attention is made. Some stars are on and off so fast that their cameos are forgotten by the time the movie is over. Somewhat memorable, but probably not for the right reason is the lengthy cameo by Rita Hayworth as an obviously addicted mob wife and Angie Dickinson as a double agent. Toss in a few songs including "Lemon Tree" and "La Bamba" for a distraction from the silliness (as well as cameos from a few musical oddities) and a plot that goes all over the map, literally.

gridoon2018 "The Poppy Is Also A Flower" AKA "Operation Opium" AKA "The Opium Connection" AKA....well, it goes by many names, is a rather forgotten film today, despite its once-in-a-lifetime cast and the participation of three James Bond veterans (author Ian Fleming, director Terence Young, and Harold "Oddjob" Sakata as - what else? - a brutal henchman). Leonard Maltin dismisses it as a BOMB, but I wouldn't go quite that far. It's true that the film is mostly unexciting, and possibly frustrating when the curiosity value wears off and you realize that many of the big names in the cast either pop up only for extended cameos (Omar Sharif, Marcello Mastroyanni, etc.), or are wasted - sometimes in both senses of the term (Rita Hayworth). But the script does take a daring and unexpected turn in the middle, and near the end Terence Young stages not one, but two hand-to-hand fights on a speeding train, recalling his own "From Russia With Love". The best character in the film is Angie Dickinson's strong and mysterious "widow", but like many others, she is underused. And a sign of how much times have changed: this US co-production ends with a "Thank You" credit to the government and the people of Iran - you could hardly imagine that happening today! ** out of 4.

bkoganbing Poppies Are Also Flowers is an all star amalgamation of two previous films on the narcotics trade. Sharp eyed fans of the cinema will spot plot elements from those two Forties era films, To The Ends Of The Earth and Port of New York. Of course both those films were infinitely better.Still a whole bunch of international stars lent their names and got a fat paycheck for this muddled episodic film which tries to make E.G. Marshall an action star. Talk about ridiculous.Best in the film by far are Yul Brynner as an Iranian general and Rita Hayworth as the dope addicted wife of Gilbert Roland who is one of the villains. Roland plays it rather straight and that ever present twinkle that I love in him is missing. The filming was done on actual locations including some of the harder to reach regions of Iran. Of course that was back in the day of the Shah's pro-western government and you can see photographs of the Shah in some of the shots. I also liked Hugh Griffith as I always do with those wild eyes of his, the wildest this side of Jack Elam. Griffith just dusts off his Sheik Ilderim portrayal from Ben-Hur and hams it up to beat the band. There wasn't much else the man could do, he knew he was in a Thanksgiving special.