Modesty Blaise.
Modesty Blaise is a spicy mod fem spy spoof character that I recommend. The 1966 film is based on a comic strip character that English author Peter O'Donnell first penned in 1963. He published the Modesty Blaise action adventure novel in 1965. He retired from the series in 2001.
The movie stars Monica Vitti who is perfect as Modesty. Modesty is smart, agile, sexy and creative. (Often described as a female James Bond.) She effortlessly has men available to her for work and play. She changes her outfits instantaneously to adjust to situations, oh and what fab outfits! (I especially want her accessories and think I might have to make them.) She draws on her network of connections around the world whenever she needs assistance, and most of all, she has a fearlessly fab good time. She's like a lot of the women I know.
The movie is definitely on the light side (what movies like Austin Powers draws inspiration from) but has very dark humor in moments, and it runs long (two hours), but it's worth reviving for it's psychedelic sets, Vitti's self-possessed performance and the concept's whole dominant fem edge.
Also, visit the official Modesty Blaise, Ltd. website.
