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IMDbPro

Parting Shots

  • 1998
  • 1h 39m
IMDb RATING
5.1/10
1.1K
YOUR RATING
John Cleese, Bob Hoskins, Ben Kingsley, Oliver Reed, Diana Rigg, Felicity Kendal, Joanna Lumley, and Chris Rea in Parting Shots (1998)
When the doctors tell Harry Sterndale to get his affairs in order, he does just that - with a vengeance. With nothing to lose, Harry is out to give everyone who ever "done him wrong" something to remember him by: exactly what they deserve.
Play trailer1:41
1 Video
4 Photos
Dark ComedyComedyCrimeRomance

When the doctors tell Harry Sterndale to get his affairs in order, he does just that - with a vengeance. With nothing to lose, Harry is out to give everyone who ever "done him wrong" somethi... Read allWhen the doctors tell Harry Sterndale to get his affairs in order, he does just that - with a vengeance. With nothing to lose, Harry is out to give everyone who ever "done him wrong" something to remember him by: exactly what they deserve.When the doctors tell Harry Sterndale to get his affairs in order, he does just that - with a vengeance. With nothing to lose, Harry is out to give everyone who ever "done him wrong" something to remember him by: exactly what they deserve.

  • Director
    • Michael Winner
  • Writers
    • Michael Winner
    • Nick Mead
  • Stars
    • Chris Rea
    • Felicity Kendal
    • John Cleese
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.1/10
    1.1K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Michael Winner
    • Writers
      • Michael Winner
      • Nick Mead
    • Stars
      • Chris Rea
      • Felicity Kendal
      • John Cleese
    • 33User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:41
    Trailer

    Photos3

    View Poster
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    Top cast65

    Edit
    Chris Rea
    Chris Rea
    • Harry Sterndale
    Felicity Kendal
    Felicity Kendal
    • Jill Saunders
    John Cleese
    John Cleese
    • Maurice Walpole
    Bob Hoskins
    Bob Hoskins
    • Gerd Layton
    Diana Rigg
    Diana Rigg
    • Lisa
    Ben Kingsley
    Ben Kingsley
    • Renzo Locatelli
    Joanna Lumley
    Joanna Lumley
    • Freda
    Oliver Reed
    Oliver Reed
    • Jamie Campbell-Stewart
    Gareth Hunt
    Gareth Hunt
    • Inspector Bass
    Nicholas Gecks
    • Detective Constable Ray
    Patrick Ryecart
    Patrick Ryecart
    • Cleverley
    Peter Davison
    Peter Davison
    • John
    Nicky Henson
    Nicky Henson
    • Askew
    Caroline Langrishe
    Caroline Langrishe
    • Vanessa
    Edward Hardwicke
    Edward Hardwicke
    • Dr. Joseph
    Ruby Snape
    Ruby Snape
    • Melissa
    Nicola Bryant
    Nicola Bryant
    • Beverley
    Vanessa Perry
    • Bride
    • Director
      • Michael Winner
    • Writers
      • Michael Winner
      • Nick Mead
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews33

    5.11.1K
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    Featured reviews

    arnulfg

    terrible

    I thought that actors like John Cleese, Oliver Reed, Diana Rigg would be a recommendation for this piece. Unfortunately it's not. Only Rigg (perhaps better known as Emma Peel) is shown longer than some others. And her performance is stifled at best. It's a pity. Chris Rea is not an actor and judging from this he should refrain from an actor career. But maybe it is the sole fault of the director why this thing fails so miserably. While the story shows promise, the implementation is so shoddy that it actually hurts seeing this. Best summarized at the end of the scene where John Cleese's character closes the door after he had a painful talk with Rea. He bends over, holds his head with his hands and cries out loud: "Oh my God!" Apparently with great pain. That was really convincing and the best performance throughout the whole movie. Apart from that John Cleese is just John Cleese -- nothing more, which is good enough. The man can just withdraw himself and don't act at all and still makes himself at least bearable. The same goes for Oliver Reed. His character is a stoic killer. Reed did not even have to draw a face to deliver his part, which is good, because you can study him in one of his last roles. This movie only has these good points: you can watch the actors while they don't act at all or only give excuses for acting and see the people behind the masks. My conclusion: never watch a movie by Winner again.
    7stanleysteve2000

    The critics panned it so much that I knew I'd love it

    Oh, to be a film critic.

    To be able to make pompous, uninformed statements about anything created by Michael Winner.

    Critic I am not, neither am I a blinkered devotee of Mr. Winner, but I loved this movie.

    Lots of fun from beginning to end, with Chris Rea as an understatedly bewildered and reluctant serial killer and with Felicity Kendal as his less than innocent accomplice.

    Unfavourable comparisons have been made with 'Kind Hearts & Coronets' but those of us who love the Ealing comedies are by no means uncomfortable with 'Parting Shots'; it maintains a ruthless tradition.

    Mr. Winner also borrows freely from his own greatest movie, 'The Jokers' (1967) in certain scenes, and the presence of Oliver Reed reinforces that sense of history.

    'Parting Shots' is a very funny movie with a great cast, all of whom do their stuff excellently.
    Travis McBeal

    Chris Rea's finest moment

    Foremost in my mind when approaching Parting Shots was the fact that I had never seen a Michael Winner film before. Nope, not even Death Wish. I was aware of his reputation, though. Tory, tabloid columnist, worst director ever, restaurant critic (most pointless occupation ever). Bearing all this in mind, I was confidently expecting to begin this review with the words, "Michael Winner must die."

    But... no can do. It's not that Parting Shots is any good - it's certainly pretty weak stuff, by any standards. It's just that it's nowhere near as unwatchably awful as so many have insisted. I've seen any number of films this year alone that are far worse than this, and the film's dated, 70's cheesiness has a certain naive appeal. Besides, any director who can get John Cleese, Bob Hoskins, Joanna Lumley, Oliver Reed and Diana Rigg, to name but a few, to appear in material of this (sub)standard must have something going for him, surely?

    Parting Shots isn't the worst film ever. It's not even the worst film ever to star Bob Hoskins. It's just an utterly harmless instance of a bunch of ageing luvvies getting together, having a few laughs, and making a little film to show the grandkids. Not a menace, just an irrelevance, so ignore it and it'll soon go away.
    7allwhitemiami

    In the minority

    Just watched the film on tape and to be honest I quite liked it. I enjoyed all the cameo performances from many many good British actors and actresses. I don't really see what all the negative comments are coming from.OK its not Fawlty Towers or Rising Damp but as a black comedy film with no great pretensions it is perfectly watchable and enjoyable. Some VERY nice looking girls in it too,especially Nicola Bryant in all too small a role. Why this film is never seen on TV I have no idea.There is no swearing in it,a modest amount of bra and panties and little if any gratuitous over the top violence.In fact unless you have cancer the film is just a bit of fun with a 'happy' ending.
    SiSi-3

    A terrible terrible waste of everyone's time and effort

    Michael Winner's Parting Shots is a quite appalling, unfunny 'comedy' with the worst acting performance that you are ever likely to see. For those who think Keanu Reeves is wooden, have a look at this and see what you think of Chris Rea.

    I won't go into the plot because it is so hackneyed but instead, I'll make a few observations. Firstly, the 'twist' is laughable and we guessed it during the first act. Next, the concept of a 'gun pub' is frankly laughable - the police refer to a pub in the film by saying 'that's a gun pub, isn't it'. If they knew this, why haven't they closed it down. Obviously this leads to our hero (a man with one facial expression) being able to walk into a pub and literally say that he wants to buy a gun - I don't think so.

    In fact, the role of the police beggars belief - at one point, about forty arrive to arrest the perpetrator of the murders. He tells the guy in charge that it wasn't him and then evades them all by slipping out the back. If our police really were this useless, there would be mass anarchy on the streets.

    Finally, it is a sad final film for Oliver Reed (who clearly looks ill). He surely deserves much better despite wasting a lot of his career. Don't be tempted by the fact that the likes of John Cleese and Ben Kingsley are in this either - Cleese reprises his role from the Sainsbury's ads while Kingsley clearly couldn't care.

    Thankfully, I didn't part with any money to watch it.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      During post-production, Michael Winner requested Oliver Reed's services to dub one particular scene due to bad sound recording on-location. When he phoned the Hampstead hotel where Reed was staying, the receptionist said that Reed had gone out the previous evening, gotten drunk, and been arrested outside a tube station. When he rang the Hampstead Police station, the desk Sergeant said Reed hadn't been charged because the officers found him so charming. A taxi pulled up outside Winner's house a few minutes later, and Reed clambered out. He was in no state to dub, and the session was useless. Winner recalled the next day, "He was very humble and ashamed that he'd spent the night in the cells. And then he went off, and that was the last time I ever saw him."
    • Quotes

      Freda: The best I can do is a Beretta 9mm with an extra clip, fast hammer, hair trigger.

      Harry Sterndale: I'll need lots of ammunition. Forty rounds.

      Freda: Forty rounds, to commit suicide?

      Harry Sterndale: I might miss!

    • Connections
      Featured in Bad Movie Beatdown: Parting Shots (2010)

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    FAQ14

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    • What is Parting Shots about?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 14, 1999 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Official site
      • Vine International Pictures Ltd.
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Роковые выстрелы
    • Filming locations
      • Warrington Road, Richmond, Surrey, England, UK(opening scene with doctor)
    • Production companies
      • Scimitar Films
      • Michael Winner Ltd.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 39m(99 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo

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