The Honey Pot

This is a very good film adaptation of a story that has had a number of permutations. The original source of the story dates to British poet and playwright Ben Jonson's (1572-1637) satirical play, "Volpone." Thomas Sterling's "Evil of the Day" was a 1955 novel, and playwright Frederick Knott then adapted that source into the play, "Mr. Fox of Venice."

The theme of the original work is carried through all the renditions of the story. It's a biting satire on greed, with a complex staged practical joke as the main plot. The comedy isn't of the rollicking laughter type, but in the exaggerations with the drama and the characters themselves. Most of the characters of the Ben Jonson play are carried through all renditions, except that in the 20th century story the three characters of avarice are women instead of men.

Director Joseph Mankiewicz does a masterly job of adapting and then directing the story, with an introduction and closing comments in voice over by the main character, Cecil Fox. He uses this technique very subtly for one other character toward the end. Another reviewer delighted in what he called the "Maltese Falcon" ending. It is fantastic in itself.

The film was made mostly in Rome, with some canal scenes shot in Venice. The producers assembled a first-rate cast to play the diverse roles. All give performances worthy of academy award nominations. Rex Harrison is superb as Cecil Fox, and Susan Hayward dominates her scenes as Mrs. Sheridan - Fox's "Lone Star" mistress from the past. Cliff Robertson adds enough mystery to his dutiful and slyly charming role as William McFly. A nearly 40 Capucine still radiates the sophisticated beauty for which she was known, here playing Princess Dominique. And Maggie Smith shows for the first time on film her deftness for deadpan humor. Her nurse Sarah Watkins is both demure, suspicious and slightly sly.

Adolfo Celi is very good as Inspector Rizzi, who plays some scenarios superbly for comedy. The scenes in his home are hilarious where his family members are glued to the TV watching a Perry Mason mystery show. The Italian voice-over for Raymond Burr's Mason is hilarious - a high-pitched male voice coming out of the tube when Perry speaks.

But the star who provides most of the laughter in "The Honey Pot" is Edie Adams. She plays Merle McGill, an otherwise attractive movie star who, underneath, is little more than a ditzy blonde and opportunist. She was someone Fox picked up off the street years before and turned into a movie icon.

Here are some favorite lines form this film.

Inspector Rizzi, "Miss McGill, I understand the necessity of you to arrive in Venice incognito." Merle McGill, "I wouldn't go anywhere (sic) uninvited." Inspector Rizzi, "I must have used the wrong word. My English is uh...." Merle McGill, "It must be hard for you to imagine, inspector - a man like Cecil Fox and I." Inspector Rizzi, "Not hard at all." McGill, "How can I say it, inspector? He was my first... man. Somehow, you just never forget your first man." Rizzi, "I remember mine, vividly. He also got away."

Merle McGill, "OK, shamus, so what's on your mind? Or, to be exact, on both your minds?" Inspector Rizzi, "Shamus? You use too many American idioms I do not know."

Merle McGill, "When you do talk to Princess Dominique, you know what she's gonna tell ya?" Inspector Rizzi, "If I had such capability, I would never get out of bed." McGill, "She's gonna say that she and I were here, in my room, all night, playing gin rummy together. That'll be a lie. For one thing, she can't even play gin rummy." Rizzi, "Fascinating! Now why would she choose a game she could not play?" McGill, with a "caught" look on her face, "Yeah, that was stupid of her, but the name of the game isn't important."

Princess Dominique, "I have no need for Mr. Fox's money." Inspector Rizzi, "That is what truly baffles me. This incredible wealth which nobody needs and everybody wants."

In Venice, the millionaire benefactor Cecil Fox (Rex Harrison) watches the Seventeenth Century play Volpone and plots a practical joke to his three former greedy mistresses. He hires the unemployed actor William McFly (Cliff Robertson) to act as his butler and stage manager and sends letters telling that he is terminal to the decadent Hollywood star Merle McGill (Edie Adams); to the broken Princess Dominique (Capucine); and to the sick Lone Star Crockett (Susan Hayward), who was married with him and arrives in his palace bringing the nurse Sarah Watkins (Maggie Smith) as her companion. The prime intention of Rex is to see the reaction of the women after the reading of his will declaring McFly as the only heir of his fortune and then laugh up them. However, when Mrs. Sheridan is found dead in her room, the snoop Sarah decides to investigate and realizes that the prank is indeed an intricate scheme to get the fortune of Rex.

"The Money Pot" is a delightfully witty film of the great director Joseph L. Mankiewicz. The sophisticated and theatrical screenplay has wonderful lines and many plot points that surprises many times and a mystery that recalls the novels of Agatha Christie. The direction and the performances are superb, highlighting Rex Harrison, Cliff Robertson, Maggie Smith and Adolfo Celi, the Venetian inspector that watches Perry Mason at home. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Charada em Veneza" ("Charade in Venice")

A very rich man sets up a scheme to convince 3 old lovers that he is dying and they - individually - are potentially his heir. Good performances by Harrison, Robertson and Maggie Smith. An end worthy of Agatha Christie - with all the players brought together and the details brought out.

The Honey Pot is a delightful comedy mystery that seems destined to be under-appreciated. On the surface, an updating of Ben Jonson's Volpone, the plot twists in unexpected directions, confounding the viewer until the very end. While the mystery itself takes some time to get started, I found the film thoroughly entertaining due in great part to the witty dialogue of masterful Jospeh L. Mankiewicz and the colorful characterizations delivered by a wonderful cast led by Rex Harrison, Cliff Robertson and Maggie Smith. The dialogue also reaches some interesting depths towards the end of the film when Harrison's character makes some thoughtful reflections about time. As others have pointed out, the plot involves a lot of talking and takes its time to unfold, but this is part of the charm of the story. It is perhaps less about the mystery itself than the amusing interactions among a set of opportunistic and sly characters plotting against each-other. Performances are all around superb. Rex Harrison is exquisite as the cunning and charming orchestrator of the intrigue. Cliff Robertston is flawless as the quick-witted McFly/Mosca, executing his master's plan with intelligence and humorous servility. Just as delightful are Maggie Smith as the not-so-innocent nurse bringing a moral conscience to the story, Susan Hayward as a brash and aging American millionairess and Edie Adams as a rather crude Monroesque movie star. Perhaps a little too slow and not exciting enough for most audiences, The Honey Pot is neverthess worth the time of those interested in sophisticated and humourous dialogue, unusually creative mystery, and engaging performances.

Coming at the end of a prosperous string of all-star mystery films, THE HONEY POT suffered more from a lame title and timing than anything on screen when first released (an even worse title, "Up Pops Murder" didn't help when the film was first released to television).

The typically superb script and direction from Joseph L. Mankiewicz, from a play by mystery writer Frederick Knott, inspired in turn by Ben Johnson's classic play, VOLPONE, THE HONEY POT could not have had a better cast with Rex Harrison (at the top of his game) as the supposedly super-wealthy Cecil Fox mentally tilting with his secretary, Cliff Robertson, and a nosy nurse/love interest for Robertson, a very young Maggie Smith (younger viewers may be interested to see this very different performance from HARRY POTTER's Professor McGonagall - as well as her amazing Desdemona opposite Olivier's OTHELLO) and a trio of ex-loves, Edie Adams, Cappucine and Susan Hayward all in Fox's beautiful Venetian palatzo (the exterior shots are as gorgeous and the interiors).

A death happens (accident? perhaps murder?) and a Venetian police inspector, Adolfo Celi, enters the picture (lovely side note as his family at home is enraptured with PERRY MASON on American TV more than his real-life work) and the film starts to leave Ben Johnson's Volpone behind and delve into more complex games.

To be frank, this film has long been among my favorites - I have been accused of teaching an entire university course on Mystery Writers just to develop an audience for it. Showing the film at the conclusion of the course, after considering the progression of great mystery writing from Poe to Conan Doyle to Christie, Hammett and beyond, this marvelous under-appreciated work from Knott & Mankiewicz never fails to grab them. It's well worth a look for anyone interested in good literate fun, great performances and writing that don't depend on splatter gore, special effects or CGI.

While the ongoing box-office clout of stars Harrison and Hayward got the film a limited VHS release, it's hard to a copy today - but well worth the search.

Wonderful film...if only it had a better title.