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There a number of websites chronicling the creation of Modesty Blaise (see the links page). Briefly writer Peter O'Donnell was asked to do a James Bond type newspaper strip for the Daily Express. O'Donnell decided to create a female heroine, a retired master criminal, partly inspired by a real refugee girl he encountered briefly during the war. In the strip Modesty Blaise escaped as a 12 year old from a displaced person camp in Karylos, Greece. She wandered as a sort of feral child until she met another refugee, a Hungarian scholar named Lob who gave her an education and named her Modesty Blaise (her previous past and name she had either forgotten or deliberately erased from her mind. Lob died and she joined, then later took control of a criminal gang in Tangier. This she expanded to international status as "The Network". It was when she was about 20 that he spotted Willie Garvin, an ex legionnaire and jailbird. She saw a potential and offered him a job. Within a short time he became her devoted right hand man. Garvin always refers to her as "Princess". Eventually they made enough money to retire. They settled in England, Garvin to a pub called the Treadmill, Modesty to a penthouse and a servant named Weng. But they missed the excitement of their old life, something Sir Gerald Tarrant, a high-ranking official of the British secret service, exploited to persuade them to come out of retirement, this time to help the British Government. Thus Modesty Blaise was born and was to continue in one format or another from 1963 to 2001. The newspaper strip
This was Modesty’s original incarnation. The Daily Express baulked at a female criminal so the Evening Standard ran the strip. Jim Holdaway did the original artwork and continued to do the strip until he died in 1970, age 43. After that Modesty had a number of artists, notably Enric Badia Romero. The character as designed by Holdaway was a classy cross between the Avenger’s Cathy Gale with just a hint of Hepburn’s Holly Golightly. This was complemented by the scripts provided by O'Donnell. Modesty began as a somewhat voguish strip reflecting both the swinging sixties and the demand for glamorous spy stories but O'Donnell managed to put enough originality into the creation for it to survive into the 21st century. In part this was due to the plotting of the stories, which were of a high standard. This was especially true of the strip because the concision and pacing of the storylines served to mask any absurdities in the plot. You just didn't have time to think about any inconsistencies. But as important were the characterisatons of Modesty and Willie, something that was developed in both the strips and the later novels. Both are professionals who only kill when necessary but with deadly efficiency. In keeping with the times both are sexually promiscuous, though never with each other (it would ruin a good relationship) in relationships that are casual and guilt free. Money is no object as they jet about the world righting wrongs. As always when visiting foreign places and peoples there is a mild (and not so mild) racism about many of the stories. Modesty is skillful wth a variety of weapons but favours the Kongo (yawara stick) or the bow. Willie, being an ex legionnaire and veteran of Dien Bien Phu can use a rifle but is hopeless with a hand gun and instead prefers the two throwing knives strapped to his chest. He is also an expert at designing gadgets, something which also fits in with the James Bond style of the stories. Often after a job is over and the killing is done Modesty likes to have a good old cry on Willie's shoulder before she is ready for another adventure. Willie often quotes from the psalms, which he learned by heart during a spell in prison. The early strips (Holdaway and Badia Romero) have been reprinted by Titan books. They are:
The Puppet Master features the story The Stone Age Caper, where Modesty appeared topless. This caused something of a stir at the time. The strips are as follows: 1. La Machine , artist Jim Holdaway (13 May -- 21 Sep 1963) Sir Gerald Tarrant destroys a document that puts Modesty Blaise under an obligation to him. He calls it in, getting her to break up an assassination ring. 2. The Long Lever , artist Jim Holdaway (23 Sep 1963 -- 15 Jan 1964) Modesty sets out to recover a defecting scientist, but then she discovers just why he is defecting. 3. The Gabriel Set-Up , artist Jim Holdaway (16 Jan -- 18 June 1964) Modesty investigates an exclusive clinic that may be linked with blackmail, and discovers it is a Gabriel operation. Then Gabriel convinces Willie he has killed Modesty... 4. Mister Sun , artist Jim Holdaway (19 June -- 5 Dec 1964) Weng, Modesty's houseboy, is blackmailed into drug-running for Mr Sun 5. The Mind of Mrs Drake , artist Jim Holdaway (7 Dec 1964 -- 19 Apr 1965) Modesty helps out when the investigation into psychic spy Mrs Drake goes wrong and endangers her friend. 6. Uncle Happy , artist Jim Holdaway (20 Apr -- 18 Sep 1965) Modesty and Willie investigate a supposed philanthropist, and Willie has to fight to the death with Modesty's boyfriend. 7. Top Traitor , artist Jim Holdaway (20 Sep 1965 -- 19 Feb 1966) Tarrant is set up as a defector, but Fraser doesn't believe it, and asks Modesty and Willie for help. 8. The Vikings , artist Jim Holdaway (21 Feb -- 9 July 1966) One of the old Network crew is involved with a new gang -- the psychopathic Vikings. 8a. In the Beginning, artist Jim Holdaway (1966) Modesty's early life before she formed The Network. 9. The Head Girls , artist Jim Holdaway (11 July -- 10 Dec 1966) A bunch of superior secretaries appear to be linked to several shady deals. 10. The Black Pearl , artist Jim Holdaway (12 Dec 1966 -- 22 Apr 1967) Modesty pays off a debt of karma by agreeing to rescue the Black Pearl from the Chinese. It seems straightforward, until she discovers just what the Black Pearl is. 11. The Magnified Man , artist Jim Holdaway (24 Apr -- 2 Sep 1967) Willie accidentally blows a French agent's cover, and must help prevent the crime she was investigating. 12. The Jericho Caper , artist Jim Holdaway (4 Sep 1967 -- 13 Jan 1968) A group of bandits raid the village where Modesty is staying, so she sets out to rescue the captives, against the wishes of her blind boyfriend. 13. Bad Suki , artist Jim Holdaway (15 Jan -- 25 May 1968) Modesty and Willie track down a drug pusher in hippy London. 14. The Galley Slaves , artist Jim Holdaway (27 May -- 29 July, 10 Sep -- 16 Nov 1968) A crew filming on a replica Roman galley find themselves slaves for real when they are hijacked. 14a. The Killing Ground , artist Jim Holdaway (1968) Bellman sets up a revenge killing, dumping Modesty and Willie on a remote island to be tracked down by three paid hunters. 15. The Red Gryphon , artist Jim Holdaway (18 Nov 1968 -- 22 Mar 1969) A mobster wants the old treasure hidden under the statue of the Red Gryphon. Modesty gets involved when he kills her boyfriend. 16. The Hell-Makers , artist Jim Holdaway (24 Mar 1969 -- 16 Aug 1969) Willie is kidnapped and drugged to try to force Modesty into framing two important scientists. Her way of burning the drugs out of his brain is uniquely her own. 17. Takeover , artist Jim Holdaway (18 Aug 1969 -- 10 Jan 1970) The Cosa Nostra try to take over British crime gangs. 18. The Warlords of Phoenix , artist Jim Holdaway / Enrique Badia Romero (12 Jan 1970 -- 30 May 1970) Modesty and Willie set out to break up a Japanese apocalyptic cult after the daughter of a friend is nearly killed. 19. Willie the Djinn , artist Enrique Badia Romero (1 June 1970 -- 17 Oct 1970) Willie finds himself masquerading as a Djinn to save the young daughter of a sheik from his brother, who is trying to depose him. 20. The Green Eyed Monster , artist Enrique Badia Romero (19 Oct 1970 -- 20 Feb 1971) Willie and Modesty have to rescue to spoilt daughter of a diplomat, kidnapped by jungle rebels. 21. Death of a Jester , artist Enrique Badia Romero (22 Feb -- 10 July 1971) A gang of ex-soldiers are living a wild life, and may be involved in the theft of a secret missile. 22. The Stone Age Caper , artist Enrique Badia Romero (12 July -- 27 Nov 1971) Willie finds a young woman nearly dead in the Australian outback, and needs help from his Aborigine friends when her attackers return. Modesty appeared topless. 23. The Puppet Master , artist Enrique Badia Romero (29 Nov 1971 -- 8 Apr 1972) Modesty is kidnapped, and Willie sets out to track her down, helped by Maude Tiller (her debut). But Modesty has been brainwashed so that she will kill Willie the second she next sees him. 24. With Love from Rufus , artist Enrique Badia Romero (10 Apr -- 12 Aug 1972) Modesty has a young criminal admirer, Inspector Brooke's nephew. 25. The Bluebeard Affair , artist Enrique Badia Romero (14 Aug 1972 -- 6 Jan 1973) Rene Vaubois asks for Modesty's help -- he think's his rich niece's new husband is up to no good. 26. The Gallows Bird , artist Enrique Badia Romero (8 Jan 1973 -- 12 May 1973) 27. The Wicked Gnomes , artist Enrique Badia Romero (14 May -- 29 Sep 1973) 27. The Wicked Gnomes , artist Enrique Badia Romero (14 May -- 29 Sep 1973) Salamander Four kidnap Maude Tiller and offer her in exchange for a spy -- but Tarrant can't make the deal. 28. The Iron God , artist Enrique Badia Romero (1 Oct 1973 -- 9 Feb 1974) Crashed in the jungle, Modesty and Willie are captured by O'Mara, and given the task of opening a huge safe full of diamonds. 29. "Take Me To Your Leader...", artist Enrique Badia Romero (11 Feb 1974 -- 1 July 1974) Modesty and Willie investigate an alien landing. 30. Highland Witch, artist Enrique Badia Romero (2 July 1974 -- 16 Nov 1974) Modesty rescues a young woman from the river, then must persuade her attempted killers she is a ghost, to rescue her uncle. 31. Cry Wolf, artist Enrique Badia Romero (18 Nov 1974 -- 25 March 1975) Tarrant fakes a kidnapping in Lapland, but it turns real. 32. The Reluctant Chaperone, artist Enrique Badia Romero 38. Death Trap, artist Enrique Badia Romero (22 Aug 1977 -- 20 Jan 1978) To humiliate Tarrant, Brosni wants to set up Modesty on a false charge of spying, so lures her to his country by having her boyfriend murdered in front of her. 39. Idaho George, artist Enrique Badia Romero (23 Jan 1978 -- 16 Jun 1978) A gang kidnap the con artist Idaho George, and accidentally kidnap Modesty, too. 40. The Golden Frog 41. Yellowstone Booty, artist John Burns (1 Nov 1978 -- 30 Mar 1979) Lucy and Brad save Willie's life, then Modesty and Willie must save them from Lucy's lawyer. 42. Green Cobra, artist John Burns (2 Apr 1979 -- 10 Aug 1979) Fraser is resisting interrogation using Modesty as his "anchor", so, to break him, the gang set out to kill her in a spectacular way. 43. Eve and Adam, artist John Burns / Pat Wright (13 Aug 1979 -- 4 Jan 1980) A dotty philanthropist thinks the world is ending, so strands Modesty and Willie in the remote primitive Paradise Valley to "repopulate the Earth". 44. Brethren of Blaise, artist Pat Wright (7 Jan 1980 -- 24 May 1980) Modesty and Willie are forced to dive for treasure, for a gang masquerading as a cult trying to raise Merlin. 45. Dossier on Pluto, artist Neville Colvin (27 May 1980 -- 14 Oct 1980) Modesty helps Steve Taylor when his dolphin research is stolen. 46. The Lady Killers , artist Neville Colvin (15 Oct 1980 -- 2 Mar 1981) A group of female terrorists kidnap the daughter of a friend. 47. Garvin's Travels , artist Neville Colvin (3 Mar -- 27 July 1981) Willie and Maude set off for a romantic holiday, but end up in Brobdingnag 48. The Scarlet Maiden , artist Neville Colvin (28 July -- 16 Dec 1981) Modesty and Willie discover an old wreck, then are "kidnapped" by divers who believe they have found their treasure 49. The Moon Man , artist Neville Colvin (17 Dec 1981 -- 7 June 1982) Modesty is blackmailed into supplying a list of British secret agents. 50. A Few Flowers for the Colonel , artist Neville Colvin (11 June -- 21 Sep 1982) Modesty recalls an adventure with a stuffy British Colonel 51. The Balloonatic , artist Neville Colvin (22 Sep 1982 -- 17 Feb 1983) Modesty, in a hot air balloon with a whacky Italian journalist, sees a killing. 52. Death in Slow Motion , artist Neville Colvin (21 Feb -- 16 July 1983) Inspector Brook and his daughter are kidnapped and left to die slowly in the desert 53. The Alternative Man , artist Neville Colvin (19 July -- 28 Nov 1983) Modesty's current boyfriend has a less pleasant other side. 54. Sweet Caroline , artist Neville Colvin (29 Nov 1983 -- 19 Apr 1984) "Sweet Caroline" runs an extortion racket, setting up gruesome murders of those who refuse to pay. 55. The Return of the Mammoth , artist Neville Colvin (24 Apr -- 13 Sep 1984) Willie must rescue his kidnapped elephant from Russia 56. Plato's Republic , artist Neville Colvin (14 Sep 1984 -- 6 Feb 1985) Salamader Four kidnap Krolli and Modesty, the ransom is the old Network files. 57. The Sword of the Bruce , artist Neville Colvin (7 Feb -- 2 July 1985) Modesty and Willie help a young Scottish woman gain her inheritance. 58. Wild Boar, artist Neville Colvin (3 July 1985 -- 20 Nov 1985) Modesty and Willie must rescue Rene Vaubois from a Corsican gangster. 59. Kali's Disciples, artist Neville Colvin (21 Nov 1985 -- 16 April 1986) Modesty and Willie carry out their guru Sivaji's last request, hampered by a gang of Thugees. 60. The Double Agent, artist Neville Colvin (17 April 1986 -- 15 Sep 1986) Hakil has a doppelganger agent primed to kill Tarrant, with Modesty set to take the blame. 61. Butch Cassidy Rides Again , artist Enrique Badia Romero (1986) Modesty and Willie discover that The Wild Banch are riding again, trying to terrorise a couple out of their ranch. 62. The Million Dollar Game, artist Enrique Badia Romero 63. The Vampire of Malvesco, artist Enrique Badia Romero (1987) Modesty and Willie visit their Network friend Hans Braun, but Modesty is attacked by a vampire. 64. Samantha and the Cherub, artist Enrique Badia Romero 67. The Girl from the Future, artist Enrique Badia Romero (1989) John Dall, Modesty and Willie get involved with a visitor from the future and a large quantity of gold. 68. The Big Mole, artist Enrique Badia Romero (1989) Modesty and Willie visit Sir Gerald, and get involved with an operation to recover an escaped mole. Willie gets to play a Roundhead in a Civil War re-enactment. 69. Lady in the Dark, artist Enrique Badia Romero (1989) Willie and Dinah Collier run into problems when searching for old treasure, and Dinah's abilities to navigate in the dark save their lives. 70. Fiona, artist Enrique Badia Romero The films
O'Donnell was asked to write a Modesty Blaise film script. The script was not used but the story, what there is of it, was. It concerns a plot to steal diamonds due to be paid to a desert Sheik, Abu Tahir in exchange for oil rights. Modesty and Willie are assigned by Tarrant to protect these diamonds. A gang led by Gabriel, containing two eccentrics, the mad accountant Scotsman McWhirter and the murderous Mrs. Fothergill. The film, directed by Joseph Losey, was made in 1966 and starred: Monica Vitti - Modesty Blaise Whether you like this film depends on your attitude to comic strips and pulp fiction. If you take them seriously (as is the current trend) you hate the film, if not you may like it. Modesty Blaise is an excellent example of the type of spy spoof that was made in the wake of James Bond. It features pop art sets, jazzy music, a Modesty who's hair and costume change at dizzying speed (often in the same scene), outlandish gadgets, cynical government officials, stupid politicians, funny Arabs and oodles of camp. Losey seems to want to send up both action films and the comic strip. The gadgets employed by Willie and Modesty are over the top, involving balloons shaped like seagulls, weapons concealed under ridiculously fake skin and the like.
There is even absurdity when they are employed. In one scene Modesty fires an arrow at a guard. We see the arrow go in one direction and the guard tumble down dead in the opposite direction. The action is often deliberately laughable. Monica Vitti looks good until she has to move about a bit. In her fight scene with Mrs. Fothergill it looks like two men in wigs are used. During the final fight Willie and Modesty sing tunelessly whilst the bullets fly, the Arabs rescue them and McWhirter scampers down the beach in his desert shorts. Gabriel played by a camped up Dirk Bogarde is captured and staked out in the desert with a radio blaring next to his head. "Champagne", he cries plaintively. There have been other films. In 1982, a one-hour pilot was made for a proposed Modesty Blaise television series, starring Ann Turkel as Modesty Blaise and Lewis Van Bergen as Willie Garvin. In 2002, there was a film called My Name Is Modesty, with British actress Alexandra Staden as Modesty Blaise, based on a story from Modesty's life before "The Network" days, plus flashbacks to her childhood. The story involves the death of her first employer, when she is working in a casino in Tangiers. The leader of the gang holds the casino staff hostage and Modesty bargains for their lives by playing roulette. Every two times she wins someone is freed. If she loses once she tells a bit more of her life story. It's quite well done, though better for those familiar with the character. The DVD also includes a complete synopsis of all the newspaper strips, and interviews with both Peter O'Donnell and Quentin Tarantino, who has expressed an interest in directing a new Modesty movie. The novelsPeter O'Donnell was invited to write a novel to tie in with the film. The novel, called simply Modesty Blaise and based on his original screenplay for the movie. As such it has a more coherent plot than the film. The novel is a good professional job and better than most film tie ins. But playing the story straight is actually more absurd than the absurdity of the film. In the film version you don't have to take the plot seriously. In the book you do and its rubbish. But the book sold well and O'Donnell went on to write a whole series.
These are all fairly well written, if a little formulaic. The series gets better after the first few books and the character of Modesty and Willie always sustain your interest. Modesty Blaise (1965) was based on the original screenplay, only minus the camped up Gabriel and McWhirter. It suffers by comparison. Sabre-Tooth concerns a gang of mercenaries plotting to conquer Kuwait. Modesty fights a set of murderous twins called Lok and Chu and is forced to service mercenaries in a brothel as a punishment. The novel also featues the first appearance of ex marine and billionaire John Dall. In I, Lucifer the Lucifer in question can predict actual deaths he's 75% to 80% accurate. Modesty is forced to sleep with him to improve his success rate (it relaxes him apparently). They also recruit a self deprecating psychologist called Collier, who also happens to share Modesty's bed. It also features a pair of cargo carrying dolphins called Pluto and Belial and a pornographic puppeteer mastermind called Seff and his sinister wife Regina. John Dall also provides support. A Taste for Death concerns a blind girl named Dinah, who can sense precious metals and jewelry. It also features a somewhat unimaginative and uninteresting swordsman named Wenczel, the return of Gabriel and MacWhirter and a rib kicking neck breaker called Delicata, who is built like King Kong. Collier is on hand again to get into trouble. The Impossible Virgin concerns a quest for a gold mine in Rwanda. A defecting soviet intelligence officer is found wandering in the bush, dying as a result of torture. Coincidentally Modesty has crashed in the saqme area and is helping a dotty doctor called Pennyfeather. Pennyfeather had treated the dying man and two thugs, Jacko Mukthar and Adrian Chance, turn up to find out what he knows, Modesty stops them. Their boss Brunel is undeterred. He sends his induced psychotic adoptive albino daughter to seduce Willie and set a trap which culminates with his being thrown out of an aeroplane. Then Brunel plays mind games with Modesty, being alternately naughty and nice in his attempts to brainwash her. At one point he arranges for her to be stripped, tied and gangbanged by fifty Kikuyu.
In The Silver Mistress Tarrant is captured by an American blackmailer called Colonel Jim, who is aided by the sadistic Sexton, a master of unarmed combat and two nasty nuns, Clare McTurk and Angel. Modesty and Willie save the day with a little help from an ex pilot called Quinn and a one legged aristocrat called Lady Janet Gillam. In the process Modesty fights naked, after being smeared in grease by Tarrant. Last Day in Limbo has an interesting plot. Whilst undercover Maude Tiller has been sexually abused by a gangster called Paxero and his henchman Damion. Stephen Collier is also working for Paxero in Guatemela. Meanwhile somebody tries and fails to kidnap Modesty and John Dall. Modesty and Willie decided to teach Paxero a lesson but then abandon this when Modesty realises that her attempted kidnappings and Paxero are linked. Paxero has been kidnapping rich folks for his dotty aunt, who works them on a plantation. It's a sort of revenge for slavery thing and oddly not so dotty as it seems. An old Network member Danny Chavasse is one of the "slaves". Modesty is determined to rescue him as he was the man who straightened out some of her hangups about sex (like being raped by an outlaw Bedouin and being trafficked as a sex slave - stuff like that). One of the best. Dragon's Claw features yet more kidnappings for an even nuttier reason. The villain is a grudge bearing Antipodean art collector who uses a trio of psychos to steal the art for him. They are Beauregard Brown, with his Shirley Temple curls and penchant for orchids, nymphomaniac Clarissa who likes to kill with an umbrella spine and the gun toting Reverend Uriah Crisp. They don't have a chance against Willie and Modesty. Cobra Trap is a collection of stories. Some of them cover the days when Modesty ran the network. One the dark angels was also adapted into a graphic novel by Romero. The last story, the cobra trap is Modesty's swansong. Willie is in Central America visiting, the now married, Stephen Collier and Dinah when a revolution breaks out. He calls on Modesty, who is staying with John Dall, to help. Tarrant has been dead for years, having suffered a fatal heart attack whilst visiting Modesty. The rebels intend to massacre a trainload of fleeing refugees including the President, Collier and Dinah. The train track is damaged. Willie and Modesty must get this repaired and provide covering fire. Both are in their fifties and still up for it but Modesty knows this will be her last mission. It's a Robin and Marian moment and quite poignant.
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