Rating: Summary: A Whodunit With Superb Black Humor Review: The Last of Sheila is an excellent mystery with a terrific performance by the late James Coburn as 'Clinton' the wicked Hollywood producer who invites a group of 'friends' aboard his yacht for a sun filled week of games.The game however, is not what it seems and as the character of Clinton is fleshed out, along with the other members of the cast, Mason, Benjamin, Hackett and Welch; we ultimately find out that the beautiful people under the sunny skies, swimming in the warm waters on the South of France will go to the extremes to maintain their facades and their secrets. The screenplay was written by the late actor Anthony Perkins and Stephen Sondheim. This adult mystery is a satirical behind the scenes look at Hollywood and the pain it creates, intentionally and unintentionally. You'll laugh and you'll be riveted by the superb story that will keep you guessing until the very end. Please stay for the Bette Midler song, 'You Gotta Have Friends', every detail was thought out for this film and this last detail shouldn't be missed. Enjoy! This movie is excellent - Where is the DVD? Hello, Earth to Warners...
Rating: Summary: SUPERB COMEDY THRILLER WITH A TOUCH OF CLASS Review: THE LAST OF SHEILA IS AN EXCEPTIONAL ENTERTAINMENT. JAMES COBURN (IN A DELICIOUSLY OVER-THE-TOP PERFORMANCE) IS A WEALTHY FILM PRODUCER, WHO HOLDS A PARTY DURING WHICH HIS WIFE SHEILA WALKS OUT AND IS KILLED BY A HIT AND RUN DRIVER. SOME TIME LATER HE INVITES SOME FRIENDS TO HIS LUXURY YACHT, WHERE THEY BECOME EMBROILED IN AN INITIALLY AMUSING GAME OF GUESS WHOS WHO. HOWEVER CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE PARTY BEGIN TO SUSPECT THAT THEIR IDENTITIES ARE NOT SO FICTITIOUS, MERELY MIXED AROUND, AND ONE TAKES THIS SCENARIO A STEP FURTHER IN ORDER TO INHERIT A FORTUNE. MAYHEM ENSUES WHEN COBURN HIMSELF IS MURDERED DURING ONE OF HIS GAMES, AND THE HUNT FOR THE KILLER AND THEIR MOTIVE IS CRYPTIC INDEED. WITH GOOD LOCATION WORK, A COMPLEX BUT LITERATE AND HUMEROUS SCRIPT (CO-WRITTEN BY ANTHONY PERKINS!), AND AN ALL-STAR CAST INCLUDING RICHARD BENJAMIN, DYAN CANNON AND JAMES MASON, WHO FOR ONCE ARE ALL WELL USED (ESPECIALLY MASON), THIS IS A FILM WHICH CANNOT FAIL TO PLEASE ALL THOSE WITH A PUZZLE MIND AND GOOD CONCENTRATION. WITH THE BONUS OF BETTE MIDLER SINGING "FRIENDS" TO ROUND THINGS OFF, IT JUST GOES TO PROVE YOU CAN HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT! ENJOY!
Rating: Summary: What Happened? Review: The Last of Sheila is excellent and I am in full agreement with all reviews written herein. The one star is for the DVD release. One, the release is NOT the 'same' movie released on VHS. This DVD release looks like someone at Warners took the 'outtakes' and pieced together a slightly different movie. For instance in Chapter 18 there are two huge silhouettes in the frame of the movie. What it turns out to be is the director sitting in a chair with his hand on his jaw watching the actors act and the boom or lighting person moving around the frame. How the heck did this big blooper happen - on the DVD? This MISTAKE certainly isn't on the VHS. Then in another scene on the DVD and not on the VHS one can easily guess who committed one of the crimes because the camera lingers on the guilt ridden-face of the actor. Lastly, there are numerous scenes with tremendous camera shake - I'm guessing director discards because again, they are not on the VHS. Whomever mastered this superb movie at Warners should have bought the VHS from Amazon to use it as a guide as to how this movie should have been mastered and released. This is a total travesty to an excellent film that a lot of viewers waited a long time buy on disk. Warners admit your mistake and re-master this film and re-release it as it should have been released. Amazon still have copies of the VHS available for your review.
Rating: Summary: Thoroughly enjoyable Review: The Last of Sheila is one of my all-time favourite mystery/comedy/thrillers. It boasts an outstanding ensemble cast, with standout performances from James Coburn, Joan Hackett, wonderful Richard Benjamin,a delightful Dyan Cannon and a very pneumatic Raquel Welch at the height of her career. You must listen carefully to the dialogue and watch diligently for clues. It has been superbly written(one of the co-writers is Anthony Perkins) and is well worth watching time and time again.
Rating: Summary: SHEILA ROCKS! Review: The Last of Sheila is the best cat and mouse mystery ever. The cast as an ensemble is fabulous. Raquel Welch is pretty to look at - but cannot stand up to the performances of her colleague's. James Mason and James Coburn are downright delicious, and the late great Joan Hackett's performance as Lee is gripping to say the least. This film can stand up to any mystery ever printed. I truly hope nobody ever tries to re-make this classic... Can anyone say PSYCHO?
Rating: Summary: A Tale of Two Versions? Review: The one star is for the dvd. This 'version' as I've read in the other reviews *IS NOT* the same as the VHS that I own. There is a HUGE flaw in Chapter 18 as the Michigan viewer stated. I am not entirely satisfied as others are with this mess. I bought my VHS from Amazon two years ago and my tape *do not* have the Chapter 18 mistake in it. So, there must be two versions - one mastered correctly and the mess with the mistake in Chapter 18. Warners needs to re-do this dvd without the mistakes that currently exists in this DVD. A great movie done an injustice.
Rating: Summary: The Last of Sheila Review: This is the one I have been waiting for, since DVD's were invented. One of the most intelligent, witty, classy mysteries of all time.One review came close when they said one of the most underrated movies of the 70's, but I say, in it's catagory, of all time. It's release on DVD at this time coinsides with Ian McShane's American rediscovery in the fantastic DEADWOOD. Watch and ENJOY!!!!!!!!
Rating: Summary: Every scene , watch it carefully ! Clues ! Clues ! Clues Review: This movie written by Psyco's Hopkins is wondeful, clever and even funny ! Every scene has a clue of whom the murderer is and why it was done. The title itself is even a clue. The acting is good and sometimes awkward which is why I say " funny " . Its a movie you will want to see again. Invite some friends over to watch the film, drink some wine and sing with Bette !
Rating: Summary: Superb Whodunit is a Superb Understatement! Review: This one's a winner! A good friend recommended it years ago and it's taken me five years to find it. It starts slow and builds and builds and explodes! Brilliant performances by Dyan Cannon, James Mason, Richard Benjamin and Joan Hackett. Joan Hackett is one of those lost treasures who is an absolute delight in this picture. The climax is an unbelieveable twist that still packs a realistic punch 30 years after it's release. You'll watch it over and over!
Rating: Summary: Worthwhile whodunit Review: TLOS is not only intricately plotted and acted it boasts one of the finest performances of the 70's--the unfairly ignored Joan Hackett's Leigh is perfectly played. Dyan Cannon hilarious, Raquel Welch-beautiful, James Coburn-malicious, James Mason-deceptively analytical and Richard Benjamin properly desperate. Too bad that this movie is not mentioned in the same breath as the Agatha Christie films of the same time because the plot is just as worthy of recognition. Terrific final song "Friends" is not only timely, but subversively appropriate.
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