Matt Helm [Dean Martin] is an ICE operative charged with taking down the formidable Count Massimo Contini [Nigel Green], a mastermind aiming to destabilize the world economy by siphoning a staggering billion dollars in gold. The mission takes him to Copenhagen, where he is paired with a stylishly unreliable local guide, Freya Carlson [Sharon Tate], whose charm and bumbling manners add both color and chaos to the chase.
Contini’s plans are thwarted by two cunning accomplices who want Helm out of the picture: Linka Karensky [Elke Sommer], whose allure masks a dangerous resolve, and Wen Yu-Rang [Nancy Kwan], equally adept at turning up the heat on Helm’s mission. Each attempt to derail him ends in a close call, with Linka killed during a trap set for Helm and Wen Yu-Rang perishing in an explosive setback. Throughout these ordeals Freya’s well-meaning meddling, though hilarious at times, proves to be unexpectedly helpful in keeping Helm a step ahead of danger.
Back at ICE, the chief McDonald [John Larch] arrives to lend support but is wounded in action. He reveals a surprising twist: Freya Carlson is not merely a tourist guide but a top-secret British agent operating under a clever disguise, a revelation that reframes the entire pursuit and deepens the stakes. With this new understanding, Helm and Freya press on toward Contini’s French chateau, where a high-octane confrontation awaits and Helm unleashes a suite of unique gadgets to sow chaos and seize the initiative.
Contini manages a daring escape with the gold aboard a train bound for Luxembourg, forcing Helm and Freya to chase by air in a compact minihelicopter. The pursuit intensifies as Freya is nearly killed by Contini, and Helm must act quickly to rescue her. In a decisive showdown, Helm pulls off a bold move, sending Contini plummeting onto the railroad tracks through a trap door, neutralizing the threat once and for all.
With Contini defeated and the immediate danger dissipated, Helm stands solitary but gratified. He has earned Freya Carlson’s respect and, in a moment of mutual recognition, a quiet, powerful thanks passes between them—an ending that carries both relief and the hint of a new alliance. The mission concludes on a note of hard-won victory, where technology, wit, and a touch of luck converge to secure the world’s economy and a potential future for two wary partners who discovered something resembling trust in the heat of crisis.
