The Million Eyes of Sumuru


The Million Eyes of Sumuru is a 1967 British spy film produced by Harry Alan Towers, directed by Lindsay Shonteff and filmed at the Shaw Brothers studios in Hong Kong. It stars Frankie Avalon and George Nader, with Shirley Eaton as the title character Sumuru. It was based on a series of novels by Sax Rohmer about a megalomaniacal femme fatale.
The film was released in the U.S. by American International Pictures on 17 May 1967. In the U.K., it was released through Warner-Pathé on 3 December, titled simply Sumuru. Terry Bourke was production manager.

Plot

Sumuru is a beautiful and evil woman who plans world domination by having her sexy all-female army eliminate male leaders and replace them with her female agents.
The Chief of Security for President Boong of Sinonesia is killed. Two Americans in Hong Kong, Nick West and his friend Tommy Carter, are persuaded by the head of British intelligence, Colonel Baisbrook, to investigate. They discover the organisation headed by Sumuru, which claims to be interested in peaceful activities.
A dead girl winds up in Nick's bed and he ends up being framed for murder. They go to Hong Kong to stop an assassination.

Cast

Shirley Eaton reprised her role as Sumuru in Jess Franco's The Girl from Rio. Eaton later said "I did enjoy being the wicked lady Sumuru in two rather bad films, which I had not had the chance to be before." However, she retired from acting shortly afterwards.

In popular culture

The Million Eyes of Sumuru inspired riot grrrl musician Lois Maffeo to adopt Bikini Kill as a band name. She and her friend Margaret Doherty used the name for a one-off performance where they donned faux fur punk cave girl costumes. Tobi Vail liked the name and appropriated it for the iconic punk group after Maffeo settled on the band name Cradle Robbers.
This film was featured in the KTMA season of Mystery Science Theater 3000.