Search - The Opium Connection on DVD

Great for film / trivia buffs, not entertainment.

R. Christenson | Pine, CO USA | 08/17/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The Poppy Is Also A Flower is an odd movie of great interest to film and trivia buffs primarily for having the coolest, if not largest, international all-star cast, including Yul Brynner, Omar Sharif, Trevor Howard, Gilbert Roland, Angie Dickinson, Rita Hayworth, E.G. Marshall, Stephen Boyd, Anthony Quayle, Marcello Mastroianni, Eli Wallach, Trini Lopez, and Grace Kelly, just to name those I can recall. The film concerns UN investigators tracing irradiated drugs from the poppy fields in Iran through the entire process of smuggling, refining, and sale. E.G. Marshall and Trevor Howard are the main protagonists on the trail of the drugs, which leads through the Mediterranean to Italy and Monte Carlo. Gilbert Roland is interestingly cast as a Mafia boss.

Unfortunately the film isn't very effective, almost dull, in spite of super stars in exotic locations, in the first half, until one of the protagonists is caught by the bad guys. It does get a bit suspenseful at the end, if you're still with it by then.

Sometimes it seems as if the dialog is dubbed or the soundtrack misaligned, or the acting just a bit stilted, though some is very good, especially Anthony Quayle as a cockney sea captain - he sounds like Cary Grant and looks like Victor McLaglen. The film has a few sights you wouldn't expect to find in any movie: E.G. Marshall hiding under Angie Dickinson's bed; Gilbert Roland watching Trini Lopez sing La Bomba; and Rita Hayworth playing a drug addict. So I'd recommend it if you're interested in the trivia aspects, but not for escapist entertainment."

A curiosity, nothing more.

NoWireHangers | Sweden | 06/13/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

""The Opium Connection", better known as "The Poppy Is Also a Flower", aka "Poppies Are Also Flowers", is an oddity, produced by the United Nations from a story by James Bond creator Ian Fleming, directed by Terence Young and full of stars who allegedly only received $1 for their work.

Leading the cast are Trevor Howard and EG Marshall as two UN narcotics agents tracking a shipment of opium. Their mission takes them from Iran to Geva, Naples and Monte Carlo, and along the way they meet all sorts of people, played by stars including Yul Brynner, Omar Sharif, Angie Dickinson, Marcello Mastroianni, Rita Hayworth, Eli Wallach, Harold "Oddjob" Sakata and Anthony Quayle. Princess Grace (Kelly) appears as herself, presenting the movie.

The cast list and the unusual history of the movie is more interesting than the movie itself. The story is rather dull and despite the all-star cast the acting is only average. The few action scenes are not very good. The picture and sound quality of the DVD leave much to be desired. Recommended only as a curiosity to collectors, but try to find a cheap copy."

Not Good

Barbara Hodge | 09/19/2009

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I ordered this because my two favorite actors are Yul and Stephen Boyd. Well, they were in the first 10 minutes and then the rest of the movie dragged on and on.
Storyline was disjointed and I would have just walked away but hoped Yul might return. The stars you might have wanted to see were gone in a wink. It wasn't worth the small amount I paid."