Maroc 7 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

Maroc 7 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov May 10, 2026

Gerry O'Hara's "Maroc 7" (1967) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Releasing. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new program with producer John Gale; exclusive new audio commentary by critics Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw; vintage music promo; and archival promotional materials. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The smooth operator

Note: The text below was previously used in our review of British label Network Releasing's release of Maroc 7, produced in 2020.

Immediately after your disc loads up, you will see two vintage trailers for Ralph Thomas' Deadlier Than the Male and Some Girls Do. It makes sense because these films are part of Network Releasing’s catalog and offer pretty much the same type of entertainment that you will get from Gerry O’Hara’s Maroc 7. But I wish to clarify why the Bulldog, the main character in Thomas’ films, and Simon Grant, the main character in O’Hara’s film, do not have a whole lot in common. I am doing it because these films are as much about spies and dangerous secrets as they are about fashion and skin, so presence and style are essential elements of their narratives.

The Bulldog is played by Richard Johnson, a naturally elegant actor who looks great in a suit. In Deadlier Than the Male and Some Girls Do, he consistently behaves like a gentleman who simply happens to be in a dangerous line of work. It is one of the main reasons the women around him, including the ones who are supposed to kill him, find him attractive. He has class, the type that helps them look better. In Some Girls Do, in particular, there is such a great emphasis on this exact attribute of the Bulldog’s image that often the action suffers because of it.

Grant, played by Gene Barry, is a very different kind of animal. He dresses nicely but exudes a type of confidence that is rarely, if ever, complimentary of his female companions. Unsurprisingly, when they are seen together, it often feels as if they are enduring each other because they are required to do so. This static is actually right for O’Hara’s film because there is a lot of backstabbing in it, but Barry’s personality is the catalyst behind it.

The three films that are mentioned in this article were scripted by David D. Osborn, but O’Hara’s film has the weakest narrative. Grant learns that fashion magazine editor Louise Henderson (Cyd Charisse) plans to steal an ancient medallion while doing a photo shoot in Morocco and blackmails her to add him to her team. In Morocco, he begins a relationship with her best model, Claudia (Elsa Martinelli), who believes that they could have a future together, but his top priority remains the medallion. Meanwhile, police Inspector Barrada (Denholm Elliott) and his young assistant Michelle Craig (Alexandra Stewart) begin asking questions after a well-known antiques dealer turns up dead. So, the bulk of the material is suitable for a classic caper, and there is a nice dose of romance that allows O’Hara to produce all of the surprising twists. The problem is, once the action moves to Morocco, which happens very quickly, the remaining material loses its ability to excite. It happens because O’Hara mismanages the suspense, effectively delegitimizing virtually all the action intertwined with it, too, and then, as the crucial twists emerge, the romance becomes a distraction. At this point, the only reason to stay with O'Hara's film is to marvel at the stylish period outfits of its female cast.

Leslie Phillips plays the fashion editor’s photographer and partner. He was also one of the producers of O'Hara's film, which is a bit surprising, because exotic capers were not the type of projects he was typically attracted to.

*In 2020, Maroc 7 was fully restored in 2K master from a 35mm interpositive on behalf of Network Releasing.

Maroc 7 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.45:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Maroc 7 arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films.

The release brings to Australia the 2K restoration of Maroc 7, sourced from an interpositive. In the United Kingdom, British label Network Releasing introduced the 2K restoration with this release in 2020.

I like the 2K restoration a lot. As you can tell from the screencaptures we have included, it produces vibrant, healthy, very attractive visuals. The entire 2K restoration is beautifully graded as well. All primaries and supporting nuances are perfectly set, ensuring that the film has an accurate period appearance. There are a couple of very small gamma fluctuations, but they appear to be related to small inherited source imperfections. This said, when the current master was prepared, digital tools were almost certainly used to rebalance select visuals. I suspect that virtually all of this work must have addressed age-related anomalies. The density levels of the visuals are excellent. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Maroc 7 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

While encoded differently, the lossless track boasts the same great qualities I noted in my review of Network Releasing's release of Maroc 7. It produces very sharp, clear, and impeccably balanced audio. Dynamic contrasts are somewhat limited, but this is an inherent limitation. I did not encounter any encoding anomalies to report.

Maroc 7 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - in this exclusive new audio commentary, critics Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw discuss the flexible stylistic identity of Maroc 7, the massive international cast that was assembled for it, the original material that inspired the film, and the Swinging Sixties qualities that dominate large parts of the narrative. Newman and Forshaw also correctly point out that Maroc 7 is a minor but absolutely gorgeous-looking film.

• Beyond Maroc 7 - in this exclusive new program, producer John Gale reveals how he became acquainted with Leslie Phillips and discusses the original plan to have Maroc 7 shot in Israel rather than Morocco. Gale also admits that, in the end, Maroc 7 offered more eye candy than good storytelling, largely because Gerry O'Hara was chosen as the man behind the camera. In English, not subtitled. (37 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a fully restored trailer for Maroc 7. In English, not subtitled. (4 min).

• The Shadows - a fully restored music promo. (3 min).

• Galleries -
  
  1. Image Gallery (2 min).
  2. Behind the Scenes Gallery (2 min).
  3. Portrait and PR Gallery (3 min).

Maroc 7 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Replacing Gene Barry with Australian hunk Rod Taylor would have been an incredible upgrade, instantly transforming Maroc 7 into the exciting film producer John Gale wanted it to be. Barry is constantly surrounded by gorgeous women, all perfect for a sizzling caper with a Swinging Sixties personality, but the sexual energy that is supposed to complement the action fireworks is underwhelming. Gale declares that it all went wrong because Gerry O'Hara was not the right man to shoot Maroc 7, but any director would have failed to meet his expectations with Barry playing the smooth operator. I do not think that Maroc 7 is a bad film. However, all it has to offer is stunning visuals, and I would have loved it if it had been a nice caper, too. Imprint Films' release brings Network Releasing's wonderful 2K restoration of the film to Australia, together with a couple of very nice exclusive new bonus features. RECOMMENDED.