Le Complot diabolique du Dr. Fu Manchu

Like a couple of other reviewers here, I'm baffled as to why this movie is so lambasted. It is not the gut-busting laugh getter, but then it's not supposed to be. I found it to be rather tongue in cheek fun, not unlike a silly James Bond film (when Connery was doing it still) and entertaining for the detective movie buff like myself. I remember seeing it with my wife. And the ending is silly and funny I thought. Sure it's not a great film like "Being There" but it is not a horrible film to go out on as some professional reviewers have said. I really liked the exaggerated Chinese accent Sellers gives his Fu Manchu (Which I would imitate for my wife's amusement often) and the funny bit about the aging and somewhat out there Nayland Smith pushing a lawnmower over the carpet in the "home" that helped him think. And so to you Nay(land) sayers out there, I say FU! I had a good time with this addition to detective fiction satire.

I'm baffled as to why so many people hate this film.

This is vintage Sellers, a return to before Hollywood got it's grip on him. I saw it in the cinema, when I was 15, and laughed my ass off.

Lovely characters, funny set pieces, familiar faces and a plot-of-sorts.

Yes it can get a little slow, but I really wish you'd go and look at some of Sellers' films of the late 50's/early 60's. THAT'S where this film belongs.

It's VERY British and enters that whole territory that includes "One of our Dinosaurs is Missing", "The Magic Christian", "Peter Cook's Hound of the Baskervilles", "The Adventure of Sherlock Holmses Smarter Brother" and their ilk. Not a bad thing really, but perhaps a minority taste. These tend to play more like extended TV sketch shows, and tend not to appeal to the majority. I mean.. flying houses?!

My irritation is the addition of Sid Caeser and Steve Franken.. WHY??? Merely to make the film sellable to the US one would imagine! They serve no purpose at all. They come across as caracture Americans.. shooting at plants and the like!

And oh boy...Helen Mirren as PC Rage.. just TOO much!! The Lady of Warrington Minge!!

It's very Goon-like, in terms of plot and characterisation: David Tomlinson as Neddie, Simon Willams as Bluebottle, Sellers as Colonal Bloodnok.... but it DOES lack Milligan's edge and drive. Descendants of this film include "The Crimson Permanant Insurance"...

What about the scene with FIVE sets of the King and Queen in the theatre box?? Hysterical...

Make no mistake though....this is a vehicle for Sellers and his characters. Sellers is in top form as the bonkers, but delightfully deadpan Nayland Smith (and his .... attachment to a lawnmower!) and the evil Fu Manchu.. "Hello boys!".... He's Dr Evil before the fact! More impeccable characters. It is, in fact, quite gutting to see how much he still had to give, just before his death, and one does wonder what would follow, given his huge profile after the completion of "Being There", his pet project for nearly 10 years.

So there you have..... my attempt to balance things a bit. If you wants full-on Hollywood Sellers.. go see the Panthers. But maybe you'd like to have a closer look at Sellers the comic actor in a pearl of the British comedy. His last.

While "The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu" is by no means the best of Peter Sellers' work, for those who are fans and appreciate his whole output, the movie is enjoyable. Multiple characters for Sellers, "Goon Show"-type humor, a measure of unreality and strong supporting performances all contribute to it. The movie manages to mix only a few out-and-out laughs with some more subtle comedy, some farce, and even a few moments to ponder. The fact that it was Sellers' last performance might add to its attachment for fans, but I'll argue that it is a good and under-appreciated comedy. I'll hang onto my VHS copy and hope that a DVD version is produced.

When I saw Dr.Fu began to sing before ending,I almost fell off the couch.I couldn't soon believe this is Sellers' last work.As a matter of fact,this is not a masterpiece at all.But I think this is not so bad as everyone says.I do like some gags and comic parts of this film.For example,the sequence of our familiar Cato (Burt Kwouk) who spills that mysterious medicine.Or the sequence of young delightful Robert (Simon Williams) who smashes up the mechanical spider,which is Nayland's favorite.Both scenes are done with good timing enough to make me laugh. Details are also fun;the lawn mower,two-seater bicycle,balloon house,and so on.Nonsense gags are almost surreal.If you see this film carefully (and patiently),you will become to love it.Actually I can't hate it,like mother who loves her misshapen child.

OK! Maybe it is not the best film making but it is fun, and is the last hurrah for one of the great comic actors of all time. A gentle spoof of all of those Fu Manchu films over the years,(and frankly better than many of them) It contained many of the hallmarks of Sellers films such as playing multiple roles (Fu Manchu and nemesis Nayland Smith) Using comic actors of similar stripe (Sid Caesar) re-uniting with Bert Kwouk (his man-servant in many of the Pink Panther movies.) This was also the farewell film of actor David Tomlinson and John Le Messeur both of whom retired from films after this. The movie is a fun romp with a mix of the absurd slapstick and the witty dialog of the characters. One of my favorite lines happens after a line of dacoit assassins appear in front of Fu Manchu and he says "you can't fool me with a cheap cinematic trick." This was very fitting farewell to a great comic genius.