Les Invitations dangereuses

In 1973, at age 17, I walked into a movie multiplex (three theaters under one roof) in a neighboring city with little more on my mind than to kill a couple of hours before an appointment. I'd never heard of "The Last of Sheila" and therefore had no preconceived notions about it, but the starting time was right. I then had the rare and happy experience of seeing a movie I knew absolutely nothing about -- and loving it.

I subsequently dragged my friends to see it and was even inspired to host a "game" of my own (similar to the movie's central event) in my small home town. Granted, central Illinois is not as glamorous as the south of France, but we made do.

So the other night (many miles away and nearly 30 years later) when I saw the videotape at the neighborhood rental store I was almost reluctant to rent it and risk ruining a good memory. Would the movie hold up?

I have to say that while no longer quite so passionate about "The Last of Sheila" (or anything, for that matter), I'd still recommend it.

"The Last of Sheila" is, first of all, wonderfully of its period. The cast includes Richard Benjamin (Portnoy's Complaint), Dyan Cannon (The Love Machine), James Coburn (In Like Flint), Joan Hackett (Support Your Local Sheriff), James Mason (The Mackintosh Man), Ian McShane (Pussycat, Pussycat I Love You), and Raquel Welch (Myra Breckinridge). Add an early Bette Midler hit song and you have a quintessential early 1970's experience!

The screenplay is by film actor Anthony Perkins and musical theater lyricist and composer Stephen Sondheim. Combine the sophisticated intricacy of Sondheim's song lyrics with Perkins' long association with macabre cinema and you have the tone of "Sheila": witty, complex, dark and ironic.

I remember a magazine article from the time about Sondheim's passion for games and how it influenced the screenplay. This movie is like a game the viewer can play -- but don't expect to win. This is a fun, fast moving murder mystery with lots of clues and lots of red herrings, and its perhaps best just to sit back and pay attention to the scenery and bon mots.

One can forgive some lapses (personally, I cringe when Raquel opens her mouth) as overall the film is so interesting.

Conversely, I have to put in a plug for the lovely and vulnerable Joan Hackett, who is virtually unknown today but who is one of my favorite actresses from the era. If you've never seen her work, I recommend this film as well as "Will Penny" and "Support Your Local Sheriff." As Leonard Maltin says "Hackett had a special quality - along the lines of a Jean Arthur or Margaret Sullavan - that was simultaneously truthful and enchanting."

Citymars (6/19/02)

Exotic locales on the French Riviera form a beautiful setting for this highly complex whodunit story about six Hollywood movie insiders who agree to participate in a reality-based game to celebrate the life and tragic death of Sheila, another Hollywood insider, whom they all knew.

The game's host, Sheila's multi-millionaire husband Clinton Green (James Coburn), has devised six pretend pieces of gossip; the idea is for the participants to guess everybody's secret. As one participant says: "That's the thing about secrets; we all know stuff about each other; we just don't know the same stuff; how did (Clinton) find out? Sheila, probably." The game winner gets top billing in Clinton's forthcoming movie: "The Last Of Sheila".

The script's underlying premise is ingenious, and the story is quite well executed. The plot has more twists and turns than a corkscrew. Every scene is important in some way. The identity of the killer is not at all easy to discern. Indeed, my guess was wrong.

The film has an ensemble cast, and they all give convincing performances. I especially liked James Mason and Dyan Cannon. Color cinematography is topnotch, and includes some difficult camera shots of and on a luxury yacht. My only complaint about this film is its relative lack of suspense. I could have wished for more spooky chills. For a murder mystery, the tone is just a tad too playful.

Inadequate suspense aside, this is a terrific movie that will appeal to mystery lovers especially. It's got some classy characters and dialogue, great visuals, fine performances, and a riveting plot.

This very fun movie made me so nostalgic for the 70's. Excellent who-dunnit. Dyan Cannon is perfect as the brassy, free-wheeling wild blonde; I don't know why she was not more famous--good actress, excellent comedienne, beautiful. For the first time ever, Richard Benjamin actually acts. James Mason is wonderful. Many very very funny moments. Raquel Welch is terrible--all she can do is be pretty. James Coburn as the captain who plans the crafty game onboard ship is a wonderful diabolical schemer. Too bad Tony Perkins and Steven Sondheim didn't write some more sreenplays. I loved this to death.

This is a perfect example of mature entertainment for its day, made in the deep dark days of the mid 1970s when the F word was rarely heard in cinema not shown in Times Square. Saw this one in the drive-in; yes the drive-in when I was a wee lad with my folks. I don't understand why it isn't better known, but most people I'm sure have never heard of it. It's a good one. Macabre, clever murder mystery with a cast you can sink your teeth into. The clothes, lingo and attitudes are so pathetically 70s; I sometimes find it hard to believe I'm actually this old when I watch something like this. Most of the action takes place on a yacht anchored off of the Italian Riviera, and to me it has always had twisted adult Gilligan's Island feel to it all. The scenes in the monastery are good old fashioned creepy. Find me a director who can do any of this now, without showing bare tetons or dismembered alien corpses, and I'll eat my bellbottoms.

This is not a movie for those who like their fare to be obvious. Coming from the pens of Stephen Sondheim and Anthony Perkins, it is a witty, erudite little puzzle that expects you to pay attention and work with it. It's also a delightfully acerbic look at the Industry and those who work in it.

The cast in the main rises to the challenge Coburn is in fine form as the manipulative Clinton; the late Joan Hackett reminds you, what we lost as an actress in the part of Lee and James Mason, exudes charm as Phillip. Raquel Welch is perhaps at sea a bit in some of the scenes compared to Ian McShane as her husband and the wonderful Dyan Cannon and Richard Benjamin. Herbert Ross directs what is a complex story with a deft touch right up to the denoument - which is brilliant and has a great pay-off line.

The dvd version has a commentary with Cannon, Benjamin and Welch. However, Welch sounds as though she recorded alone and really doesn't offer much insight into the whole project except for comments about her wardrobe and the fact that she didn't understand the plot, but that was ok as she says because her character had little understanding of what was going on either.