Three Obscure Films

I started having film screenings for neighbors in the new development I moved into. I thought I would provide some brief comments on three somewhat obscure movies.

Who is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?

This 1978 film starring George Segal, Jacqueline Bisset, and Robert Morley is a load of laughs. Segal and especially Morley are very funny. It’s a whodunit, and despite the movie being a comedy, the deaths are rather gruesome. For those who like mysteries, humor, great locales, and food, this is great entertainment. One of my favorite lines (and there are many) delivered by Morey’s Max, as he wonders about the killings: “Don’t tell me another cook has been murdered! Who is it this time, Aunt Jemima?”

The Last of Sheila

Released in 1973, here is another humorous mystery that has an even darker edge to it, but is still able to be very witty. We have a great script here, filled with so many twists and turns it will make your head spin like Linda Blair. The writers are, believe it or not, Broadway musical composer Stephen Sondheim and actor Anthony Perkins, who it turns out were lovers of puzzles. They have concocted a gem here. The movie has an all-star cast including James Mason, James Coburn, Richard Benjamin, Dyan Cannon, and Raquel Welch. Great locales in this movie, too. Herbert Ross is the director, who also gave us Play it Again, Sam, The Goodbye Girl, and The Turning Point.

3:10 to Yuma

The remake of this film (2007) may not be as famous as the original (both based on the Elmore Leonard story), but it is still pretty good. Christian Bale does an excellent job playing the Job-like farmer who has lost a foot due to friendly fire when he was a soldier, has a severely ill child, and is debt-ridden. In addition, his son has little respect for his non-aggressive ways. Bale’s character has a chance to make some money by transporting a notorious outlaw, played with charismatic bravado by Russell Crowe, who, ironically, likes to quote the Bible. His character is complicated, as he points out that those who want to hang him for his crimes are themselves guilty of atrocities but have hid behind the hypocrisy of those in power. The story focuses on whether Bale’s farmer, through his heroic actions, can prevent his son from losing his goodness in a world of lawlessness.