This is yet another "Krimi" pairing Christopher Lee and Klaus Kinski; the hero this time around is, like them, a Jess Franco regular i.e. Adrian Hoven, and the leading lady future "Euro-Cult" starlet Marisa Mell. The film, however, is not only inferior to THE DEVIL'S DAFFODIL (1961) – which preceded this viewing – but only marginally a genre entry…as, rather, than a sadistic masked killer (the German "Krimis" were obvious precursors to the Italian "Gialli") we get rival gangs of Chicago hoodlums who improbably relocate to London to first extort and then dispatch various wealthy elders when they invariably turn to Scotland Yard for protection! Why this is done is never quite clear, especially since they never get to collect; incidentally, we start off with one mobster eliminating his opponents – but the only survivor, Kinski, soon sets up his own unit of gun-happy thugs whilst retaining an ostensibly respectable front as a tobacconist. One of the victims bequeaths his fortune to his secretary (Mell) rather than his sole ne'er-do-well relative (who has a propensity for orchids, the only link to the title – that is to say, extremely cursory – provided by the narrative!); still, he proves to be not what he seems – with his final trapping of the heroine inside a bank vault one of the very few scenes pertaining to the form's recognizable style (another highlight has a car going off the rails after a large mirror set up along the road gave the illusion to the bewildered driver of an imminent head-on collision).

Lee does not have much of substance to do as an F.B.I.(!) agent, but he at least gets to display his quick two-gun draw in a shoot-out with one of the baddies. Somewhat more prevalent, regrettably, is a comic-relief butler who happens to have served each of the murdered parties immediately prior to their untimely demise…and, ultimately, even offers his would-be expert services to both one of the perpetrators – who promptly winds up dead himself – and the Police!

German Edgar Wallace flicks from the early 60s - a cheesy kind of cinema, but, as far as I am considered, also a very lovable one. Crime flicks and murder mysteries based on the writings of the British novelist Edgar Wallace were immensely popular in Germany of the 1960s, some of them were also very cool, others immensely corny, and almost all of them incredibly entertaining in one way or another. "Das Rätsel Der Roten Orchidee" (aka. "The Secret Of The Red Orchid") of 1962 would probably be one of the inferior Edgar Wallace films, if it wasn't for two ingenious actors. This cheesy crime mystery does not only star the incredibly sinister Klaus Kinski (as many other Wallace films), but also one of cinema's greatest Horror icons, the almighty Christopher Lee. Lee, who plays an American FBI agent, was dubbed in the English language version, but he can be heard speaking German in the original German version, and his German is amazingly good.

Several rich people are murdered in London, and the murders are somehow connected with a gang of blackmailers. Since the crimes seem like the work of Chicago mobsters, American FBI Captain Allermann (Christopher Lee) comes to London to help the investigating Scotland Yard Inspector Weston (Adrian Hoven).

The plot itself is quite lame, and full of illogical twists, but the film nevertheless promises pure entertainment. Christopher Lee is a great enrichment as always, but the best aspect of the movie is Klaus Kinski who shines in a very sinister role. Sexy Marisa Mell is once again stunningly beautiful in the female lead, and the comedic part goes to Eddi Aren't who plays role of the butler (once again). This is not one of the highlights in the popular series of Edgar Wallace-based films that were made in Germany between 1959 and the early 70s, but it is amusing light-hearted entertainment, and recommendable for Christopher Lee, Klaus Kinski and beautiful Marissa Mell.

A series of wealthy individuals are being blackmailed throughout England. It's either pay up or die. Two different Chicago gangs are believed to be behind the blackmail schemes, but the police are unable to gather enough evidence to put them out of business. It's up to Scotland Yard Inspector Weston (Adrian Hoven) and the FBI's Captain Allerman (Christopher Lee) to put the bad guys behind bars.

The Secret of the Red Orchid is an interesting mix of comedy and crime. There's probably more comedy in this Krimi than I've seen in my limited experience with these movies and, fortunately, some of it works. Eddi Arnett's "Butler of Death" is a character that could have been really annoying in lesser hands. The rest of the cast is just as capable. In addition to Lee and Hoven, the film also features genre legend Klaus Kinski as mob boss head Gunner Steve and the always delightful Marisa Mell in an early role. Lee, Hoven, Kinski, and Mell in the same movie! It's a Euro-film lovers dream!

On the downside, there are plot holes big enough to drive a truck through. Why does it take the police so long to catch the blackmailers? They know right from the start who is responsible for the killings. Another big problem with the film is the dubbing. Lee's dubbing is horrible. He sounds as flat as can be. And the dubbing of the gangsters has them sounding like a bunch of cartoon characters. The poor dubbing certainly takes away from the enjoyment of the film.