Trois meurtres

'Portmanteau' films used to be all the rage and provided a means by which producers could entice patrons with the prospect of seeing a series of mini-films for the price of one. The innate problem with these types of films is that they are bound to contain segments that are weaker than others. Notable exceptions that spring to mind are 'L'Oro di Napoli', 'Souvenirs Perdus' and 'Dead of Night'.

Having directed a short called 'The Stranger left no Card' with Alan Badel, director Wendy Toye has here been assigned the first segment in which Mr. Badel again appears. It concerns an unsuspecting museum guide being literally 'drawn into' a landscape painting with dire consequences. It is an imaginative, well-scripted and distinctly unsettling piece with a splendidly stylish performance by Mr. Badel.

I am not alone I am sure in regarding the next segment as the weakest. There is a neat twist at the end although the casting is bizarre. The theme here is 'cherchez la femme' but John Gregson simply fails to convince as a Don Juan and Elizabeth Sellars as 'la femme' does not exactly quicken the pulse. Alan Badel does a turn as Harry the barman.

Now we come to the main course.

'Lord Mountdrago' featured in a collection of short stories by W. Somerset Maugham published in 1940. Two other stories in the set had already been dramatised in 'Quartet' and 'Encore'.

This is one of the master storyteller's most gripping tales and is told by Dr. Audlin in the shape of a duologue between him and his patient Mountdrago, minister of foreign affairs, whose life is being blighted by nightmares and feelings of persecution. Needless to say this dramatisation has been fleshed out considerably so as to include characters and incidents only referred to during the consultation. The man causing Mountdrago sleepless nights is an MP that he has humiliated during a debate in the House. He is played by Alan Badel, again displaying his versatility. He is a member of the Labour party so naturally has to have a regional accent, in this case Welsh. André Morell gives a beautifully understated performance as Dr. Audlin and Mountdrago is the magnetic Orson Welles. He certainly looks the part as Maugham describes the character as 'having somehow the look of one of the Bourbon sovereigns of the 18th century.' Ironically Welles was to play Louis XV111 in 'Waterloo'.

Although George More 0'Ferrall is credited with the direction this whole segment has director Welles written all over it.

Georges Perinal supplies atmospheric cinematography and the editing by Gerald Turney-Smith is excellent throughout.

The rather strange choice of Eamonn Andrews as the link man prompted one witty critic to suggest that the title of this opus should have been 'This is your Death'!

Eamonn Andrews is the link man for two tales of supernatural suspense and one murder mystery.

In the first segment, titled In The Picture, an art gallery guide is lured into a macabre house painting by the artist and finds himself at the mercy of the residents who dwell there. In the second segment, titled You Killed Elizabeth, two friends fall in love with the same woman and when she is murdered it's obvious one of them did it. But which one? The final segment, titled Lord Mountdrago, The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs ruins the career of an opponent in Parliament and finds the man appearing in his dreams enacting retribution.

As is always the case with anthologies, the quality of stories is mixed, with here the middle section being the one that is pretty standard fare. No such problem with the other two stories though.

The first one is very creepy, even bordering on the terrifying as the tale reaches its conclusion. Once the story reaches the insides of the house in the painting, we are treated to a trio of odd characters living in a house that instantly conjures up images of horror. Ramshackle and creaky, director Wendy Toye further enhances the discord by using canted angles and personalised framing. An excellent story. Starring Hugh Pryse, Alan Badel and Eddie Byrne.

The third tale is considerably boosted by Orson Welles giving bluster to the story written by W. Somerset Maugham. Not without genuine moments of humour, it never reaches scary heights but always it feels off-kilter, the revenge dream attack angle devilish and the production has good quality about it. Very good. Alan Badel co-stars and although the three stories are not related, he is the constant actor in all three. Grand old British trilogy. 8/10

Three stories of murder and the supernatural. In the first, a museum worker is introduced to a world behind the pictures he sees every day. Second, when two lifelong friends fall in love with the same woman and she is killed, they are obvious suspects. Is their friendship strong enough for them to alibi each other? Third, when a young politician is terribly hurt by the arrogant Secretary for Foreign Affairs Lord Mountdrago, he uses Mountdrago's dreams to get revenge.

Orson Welles received top billing, but he appears only in "Lord Mountdrago." According to Patrick Macnee, who had a supporting role, Welles began making suggestions to director George More O'Ferrall throughout the first day of filming, and by the third day he had taken over the direction of the entire segment.

Does this surprise anyone? Of course Welles would be the star to draw audiences in, and of course he would try to take over the production, because that was very much the sort of chap he was. For better or worse, a film starring Welles was very much a Welles film.

As far as anthologies go, this one is not often remembered. And as far as horror anthologies go (if this even counts), it seems all but forgotten, overshadowed by the later Amicus films. I love Amicus, and it is hard to beat them, but surely this film must have been some influence on the later Amicus and Hammer productions.

I love the way Eamonn Andrews, in his introduction, saunters over to the mantelshelf, picks up the cigarettes and lights one! How better to make him seem to be acting naturally in the 50s?

Story 1 is intriguing and disturbing but a bit too long. Some of the flat spots add to the suspense and atmosphere, but some are just flat spots.

Agatha Christie has spoiled us for the likes of Story 2. I'm sure most people see the twist coming a mile off. The only sub-standard section.

A great actor and a master storyteller come together to produce something special in Story 3, marginally better than Story 1 and thus best of the bunch.

This trilogy of supernatural murders is interesting but not essential. Everybody is ok to say that the first segment is the best with that story of alive painting, really creepy. The second segment is the less interesting, story of two men competiting for the same woman, one of them having black holes (kind of William Irish story). And the last one is the most overlooked thanks to Orson Welles in this nightmare comedy story, it seems it is directed by Welles himself. Alan Badel is the threatening link between these three segments. Not a masterpiece but entertaining.