Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?

I dimly remembered this culinary comedy from the late 70s without

much affection, until a friend decided to bring along a video to be

shown after a Thanksgiving dinner last year. It's a great idea. Stuff

yourself and then take a movie break before dessert. Nothing too

heavy--preferably something light and frothy. I'm glad we did. This

is an adorable movie, and I don't know why it didn't strike me that

way the first time around.

Maybe it was the horrible and dated costumes designed for

Jacqueline Bissett. How does one take one of the most beautiful

women in the world, and tart her up in the most ridiculous

fur/leather thingies. She looks like a cheap Vegas dancer here.

George Segal doesn't escape either, wearing jeans looking like he

was poured into them and cowboy hats, he looks like the sweet

Jewish boy he is, playing in Daddy's clothing.

The heart of the movie is the wonderful Robert Morely, who plays a

gleefully glutinous gourmand and food editor who between bites

insults just about anyone coming towards him. Only Jacqueline

Bissett manages to escape his wrathful tongue. I'm not

complaining. Morely is a total delight as the misanthropic

epicurian monster.

The mystery isn't much of a mystery, and the chemistry between

Bissett and Segal doesn't appear to be setting off many sparks.

But you can waste your time on far worse things than this modest

delight, filmed all over Europe. The food looks great, and oh that

nasty Morely!

This is one of those often overlooked comedy gems, which people miss probably because of the title. George Segal is a riot as the entrepreneur ex-husband of Pastry Chef Jacquline Bisset, who is chasing her around Europe to get her to be the Spokes person for his latest Food chain of restaurants called "H-Dumpty" Bisset's character is one of four chefs being honored by being invited to create part of a fabulous meal for the Queen of England, set up by a very Obese Robert Morley, as the acerbic and insulting Editor-in-chief and Publisher of a first class gourmet magazine. But after the great dinner someone starts bumping off the four chefs in the manner of their own specialties. The suspects include Segal and other envious chefs not invited to participate in the historic event. Bisset becomes rather concerned when she realizes that she is the last name on the list. From there the mayhem and madcap comedy ensues. Let the game begin.

I noted that the only award recognition that Who Is Killing The Great Chefs Of Europe was from the Golden Globes with nominations for Jacqueline Bisset as Best Actess and Robert Morley as Best Supporting Actor. That was a mistake because this film is totally dominated by Robert Morley giving him a great role to chew on literally.

During the Sixties and Seventies Robert Morley became an international symbol of the United Kingdom with his commercials for British Airways and his promise that 'we'll take very good care of you' made to the world. I have no doubt that the films he appeared in and some of them were dreadful got a bit more revenue at the box office with Morley's appearances. But this film is far from dreadful.

In fact if you like Robert Morley this film is a treat for his fans everywhere. In this black comedy Morley plays a food critic who has the first requisite of being a food critic, he loves to eat. And he's got the girth to prove it. But along with all that good eating comes some health problems and his doctor says he has to go on a diet or else.

Right after that several of the chefs around Europe whose dish specialties have become Morley's favorites start dying in some very bizarre ways. On the list is Jacqueline Bisset whose specialty is pastries as desserts and there is a special method of dispatch earmarked for her.

Never fear Jackie has a protector in George Segal who is restaurateur/tycoon and coincidentally happens to be once married to Bisset. Can Segal figure it out, can the police figure it out, can he save the last of the great chefs?

For all that you must watch the film. But I guarantee that the laughs are there, the European photographed scenery is great, and Robert Morley is in top form. For his fans especially, this film is a must. Definitely in the top five of his best roles.

A witty script and great performances help turn Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? into a very satisfying meal. There are moments when the back and forth dialogue between the characters resembles something out of Neil Simon's wheelhouse and Robert Morley, especially, makes great use of this delicious dialogue.

The plot revolves around a competitive ex-husband and wife (George Segal and Jacqueline Bisset) who become the focus of a murder mystery when someone, as the title suggests, is killing all the great chefs in Europe. Since Bisset is considered one of them, it's only a matter of time before the killer gets to her as well.

It might not sound like the makings of comedy gold, but it hits more than it misses, especially towards the end when tons of European chefs come out of the woodwork, certain that they'll be the next victim due to their own egos.

This one is going to make it to the roster of all-time great comedies. Its sheer classiness and the elegant level of its wit on both the verbal and visual level - so different from the crassness and vulgarity of much American comedy (the more so in recent years) - made me suspect an English touch, and sure enough, the Canadian-born director, Ted Kotcheff, made his career in the UK. Jacqueline Bissett is a delight to the eye and George Segal makes a charmingly roguish screen presence; they work wonderfully off each other. But Robert Morley - perfectly cast - runs away with the whole movie with his acerbically comic portrayal of the gourmet-cum-gourmand Max. The wonderfully funny food references throughout, and the gorgeous cinematography of European locales put the icing on this comic eclair. And, just for good measure, first-time viewers will have a devil of a time trying to decide just who is killing the great chefs of Europe. This ranks right up there with the best of the Ealing Studios work. A must-see for connoisseurs of literate comedy.