Well, it's not a masterpiece, of course, but it's far from the worst film ever made, as some of the more OTT reviewers claim. For those of us for whom Sellers is forever the arch-Goon, there is much to delight here, and the spirit of Spike Milligan hovers over the script, whether or not he had anything to do with it. Accusations of racism are quite absurd. If you really want to see a gold plated 100% cringeworthy stinker, I suggest you look no further than The Spy Who Shagged Me, beside which Fu Manchu is a real work of genius.
49 Reviews
Fu fighter
lee_eisenberg20 April 2006
Although the thought of a white person playing an Asian sort of makes us cringe, I wouldn't call Peter Sellers's final film (also David Tomlinson's final film) awful. Granted, this was probably less than they would have wanted to end with. But Sellers brings a certain charm to the double role of the 168-year-old titular character, trying to carry out a heist in 1930s England, and a British police officer hired to look for him.
Admittedly, "The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu" isn't any kind of masterpiece. It's kind of choppy and drags at times. But there are some funny scenes, and Sid Caesar's character has a name that makes you think "Uh-oh". I guess that at most, it's a way to pass time. Pretty much all the cast members have done much better than this. But it does elicit a few laughs. Also starring Helen Mirren, and even Burt Kwouk (better known as Cato in the "Pink Panther" movies) in a small role.
Admittedly, "The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu" isn't any kind of masterpiece. It's kind of choppy and drags at times. But there are some funny scenes, and Sid Caesar's character has a name that makes you think "Uh-oh". I guess that at most, it's a way to pass time. Pretty much all the cast members have done much better than this. But it does elicit a few laughs. Also starring Helen Mirren, and even Burt Kwouk (better known as Cato in the "Pink Panther" movies) in a small role.
Def worth checking out!
graham-harvey22 April 2021
Fun for we old movie buffs and detective story fiends
jwpeel-123 August 2004
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.
Far from hilarious. Dull actually.
gridoon26 October 2002
This is not an all-around terrible comedy, but it is very DULL. It has barely any laughs, and it wastes its lavish production values. There is one poignant moment near the end, when Fu Manchu offers a dose of his elixir to his "nemesis" and tells him that "You've been my one worthy adversary; and now we can start all over again". That scene, however, along with Burt Kwouk's amusing cameo in the beginning, are the only memorable parts of the movie. (*1/2)
What the FU?
profh-112 February 2010
Warning: Spoilers
I can hardly believe I watched this again last night after more than 25 years...
Some time back, I watched 6 Fu films in a row... Boris Karloff, and all 5 Chris Lees. The last 2 Lees, both directed (and I use that word loosely) by Jess Franco, were abominable. At the time, I skipped this one, remembering that, in some ways, it was EVEN WORSE.
Well, I watched it. NEVER again. You know what's worse that an abominable film? A really WELL-MADE piece of S***. And that's what FIENDISH PLOT is. It is a VERY good-looking movie. GREAT production design, sets, costumes, music, photography, editing, mostly good cast, some decent acting...
...and absolutely, positively, one of the WORST SCRIPTS in movie history!!!!! AAAUGH!!!!! The first minute of the film is so deceptive... one might mistake this for a decent movie. And then they start singing "Happy birthday to Fu"... and it goes downhill. Having Burt Kwouk (of whom his master says, "Your face-- is familiar.") accidentally pour out Fu's elixir vitae to put out a fire, resulting in his being condemned to torture, burial and having one of his ears cut off, was the closest thing to funny they had. It was like someone decided they wanted to do a "campy" film-- so ridiculous it would be funny. RIDICULOUS, it is... FUNNY... it AIN'T. At all.
It's sad, because it's clear in the first few minutes that someone did a LOT of research into the Fu Manchu series in order to get so much of it "right". With a different script-- either a really FUNNY one, or a dead SERIOUS one, they might have-- could have-- SHOULD have-- had a classic on their hands. A film that could have made one forget the horror of those Jess Franco atrocities... instead of making one want to dig them out as masterpieces, by comparison.
There was a period in the late 70's when a whole slew of classic 30's characters were revived in movies that were universally awful. Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon, Tarzan, The Lone Ranger, Charlie Chan, even Doc Savage. I'm not sure, this one may be the worst of the lot. It took great self-control not to fast-forward over whole sections of it, especially any scenes containing Sid Caesar (FBI chief who was also Al Capone's cousin-- you see what I mean?). It isn't just that the ideas in the film aren't funny... they often make NO SENSE whatsoever. Like when they "audition" police officers to impersonate the King and Queen, and we wind up seeing people "audition" dance-hall routines like singing, dancing, and riding a unicycle. How many drugs did the writers of this thing have to take for any of this to make sense to them?
As I said, a shame... and a real waste of all that talent, including that of Peter Sellers (who played both Fu and Nayland Smith), Burt Kwouk (who'd been in a Chris Lee Fu film in his time), Helen Mirren (the police woman who shockingly falls in love with the villain and damn near steals the last half-hour of the film!). I begin to wonder if anyone will EVER make a "proper" Fu Manchu film, or if fans will have to settle for Karloff's being almost the ONLY one?
Some time back, I watched 6 Fu films in a row... Boris Karloff, and all 5 Chris Lees. The last 2 Lees, both directed (and I use that word loosely) by Jess Franco, were abominable. At the time, I skipped this one, remembering that, in some ways, it was EVEN WORSE.
Well, I watched it. NEVER again. You know what's worse that an abominable film? A really WELL-MADE piece of S***. And that's what FIENDISH PLOT is. It is a VERY good-looking movie. GREAT production design, sets, costumes, music, photography, editing, mostly good cast, some decent acting...
...and absolutely, positively, one of the WORST SCRIPTS in movie history!!!!! AAAUGH!!!!! The first minute of the film is so deceptive... one might mistake this for a decent movie. And then they start singing "Happy birthday to Fu"... and it goes downhill. Having Burt Kwouk (of whom his master says, "Your face-- is familiar.") accidentally pour out Fu's elixir vitae to put out a fire, resulting in his being condemned to torture, burial and having one of his ears cut off, was the closest thing to funny they had. It was like someone decided they wanted to do a "campy" film-- so ridiculous it would be funny. RIDICULOUS, it is... FUNNY... it AIN'T. At all.
It's sad, because it's clear in the first few minutes that someone did a LOT of research into the Fu Manchu series in order to get so much of it "right". With a different script-- either a really FUNNY one, or a dead SERIOUS one, they might have-- could have-- SHOULD have-- had a classic on their hands. A film that could have made one forget the horror of those Jess Franco atrocities... instead of making one want to dig them out as masterpieces, by comparison.
There was a period in the late 70's when a whole slew of classic 30's characters were revived in movies that were universally awful. Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon, Tarzan, The Lone Ranger, Charlie Chan, even Doc Savage. I'm not sure, this one may be the worst of the lot. It took great self-control not to fast-forward over whole sections of it, especially any scenes containing Sid Caesar (FBI chief who was also Al Capone's cousin-- you see what I mean?). It isn't just that the ideas in the film aren't funny... they often make NO SENSE whatsoever. Like when they "audition" police officers to impersonate the King and Queen, and we wind up seeing people "audition" dance-hall routines like singing, dancing, and riding a unicycle. How many drugs did the writers of this thing have to take for any of this to make sense to them?
As I said, a shame... and a real waste of all that talent, including that of Peter Sellers (who played both Fu and Nayland Smith), Burt Kwouk (who'd been in a Chris Lee Fu film in his time), Helen Mirren (the police woman who shockingly falls in love with the villain and damn near steals the last half-hour of the film!). I begin to wonder if anyone will EVER make a "proper" Fu Manchu film, or if fans will have to settle for Karloff's being almost the ONLY one?
Tragically, It's as Bad as it's Reputed to Be
squeezebox15 March 2005
I don't have much to say about this movie. It could have been a wonderful tour-de-force for Peter Sellers, but it is one of the most tragic misfires in movie history. That it was Sellers final movie makes it all the more painful.
The terrible screenplay, direction and shockingly wooden performances all come dreadfully together to make this one of the most unwatchably awful movies ever made.
I wish so much that I could find even a snicker or a chuckle buried somewhere in this pile of putrid blubber, but it's a lifeless, humorless disaster. The truth hurts.
Peter, why couldn't you have stopped at BEING THERE?
The terrible screenplay, direction and shockingly wooden performances all come dreadfully together to make this one of the most unwatchably awful movies ever made.
I wish so much that I could find even a snicker or a chuckle buried somewhere in this pile of putrid blubber, but it's a lifeless, humorless disaster. The truth hurts.
Peter, why couldn't you have stopped at BEING THERE?
Satisfying for Sellers fans
bierlingen-130 May 2006
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.
Uggh.. what a waste
smakawhat29 June 2001
Ok so here's the basic plot. It is 1933, Peter Sellers is Dr Fu Manchu, a 168 year old Chinese man who has lived quite a long time. The film opens with his birthday in which he celebrates by drinking a special elixir that (even the film never mentions) prolongs his life. Well on this occasion the elixir is clumsily dropped by an assistant (Kato if you remember the Pink Panther movies) and he orders his minions to then go find 6 rare items to make the elixir. This creates a global man hunt in which his henchmen end up robbing museums of diamonds and venturing into London, to meet up with Dr Fu's nemisis, a retired Scotland Yard detective Nayland Smith, also played by Sellers who tries to stop him in what is suppose to be a witty comedic adventure.
This was apparantly Sellers last full length feature film that he made before he died. The terrible tragedy is that he was in it. Sellers who is such a gifted comedian and has had memorable 'funny' roles in the Panther movies and particualrly in the movie 'The Party', is anything BUT that in this film. This film was absolute torture to sit through and I couldn't even finish it. He completly DIES and I kept cringing while watching Sellers performance. After coming of the great work of 'Being There' a year earlier how, I mean HOW can he make this and HOW did this thing even get made??? Like one person mentioned the first 10..15 minutes are ok but then it is ALL DOWNHILL...
Avoid like the plague.
Rating 1 out of 10.
This was apparantly Sellers last full length feature film that he made before he died. The terrible tragedy is that he was in it. Sellers who is such a gifted comedian and has had memorable 'funny' roles in the Panther movies and particualrly in the movie 'The Party', is anything BUT that in this film. This film was absolute torture to sit through and I couldn't even finish it. He completly DIES and I kept cringing while watching Sellers performance. After coming of the great work of 'Being There' a year earlier how, I mean HOW can he make this and HOW did this thing even get made??? Like one person mentioned the first 10..15 minutes are ok but then it is ALL DOWNHILL...
Avoid like the plague.
Rating 1 out of 10.
A delightful film . . . for those who get it
deans2423 February 2007
I have always been a bit mystified at the rather harsh critical reaction this film received when released in 1980. Granted, it does trade in some Asian stereotypes (as well as American and English stereotypes), but then one should remember that the film was a send-up of the original Fu Manchu novels and films, which were largely "Yellow Peril" fantasies. Further granted that it was not Peter Sellers best film. Still, despite some bits that fall a bit flat, it is a genuinely funny film with good performances, especially from Sellers in his dual role, and Helen Mirren, as the PC with the acting bug turned femme fatale. Not necessarily for Sellers fans only, but it does help if you already have some familiarity with the Fu Manchu character.
The worst film in the career of Peter Sellers.
alexanderdavies-9938225 September 2017
The film comedian Peter Sellers chose some rather poor films after a while. His box office appeal and professional reputation would sink to low depths. Films like "The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu" highlights all of this. The above film is sheer garbage from beginning to end. Having a running time of over 100 minutes might have some viewers running for the nearest exit as the film seems much longer! There are no decent laughs at all and the low budget is painfully obvious throughout. The opening scene that shows Fu Manchu's followers dancing to a disco song and Peter Sellers doing an Elvis impersonation just about says it all. I shalln't mention the plot because there isn't one to speak of. Speaking of whom, Sellers clearly looks in ill health and undernourished. His face is rather thin and the comedian lacks vitality. According to co-star Simon Williams, the behaviour of Sellers caused a tense atmosphere on the set. Williams said in an interview many years later: "Sellers was as mad as a f****** snake." How right he was! I saw this interview on television and the actor looked uncomfortable whilst discussing Peter Sellers. The comedian insisted that all the cast take vitamin injections so as to increase their energy levels! Naturally, everyone refused to do this and Sellers didn't mention it again. It is a pity that this original comedian who could play various characters in comedy finished up making this god-awful rubbish.
Peter Sellers last movie
ozzy19726 December 2006
Whilst not a Sellers classic I still feel this film did have a certain touch of Sellers genius about it. Alas it appears the majority of the reviewers here have never watched the Christopher Lee Fu Manchu films. It was such a wonderful parody that even now it has me laughing. Maybe it is because you really need to get some of the "in jokes". It also explains why this film was set in the Thirties as well ('cos the Christopher Lee ones were). So guys before criticising something try and find out why it is there. As a lover of horrors and comedies I found this a joyous blend of my favourite baddie suffering the humour of my favourite comedian. If you ever enjoyed a Christopher Lee baddie (and who didn't?) then don't miss this as a marvelous mickey taking. In fact I think it is about time to watch it again! Oh and DON'T eat Chinese food whilst watching this unless you like laughing noodles out through your nose!!!!!!
Upon Reevaluation, An Entertaining Swan Song
britishdominion23 October 2013
"The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu" at first view seems like a lost cause - a slapped-together, throw-away, do-what-you-want star-ego mess earned through star Peter Sellers' 70s Pink Panther popularity and renaissance.
I would suppose that when it opened, it was a huge letdown and an inappropriate follow-up to his career-capping masterpiece, "Being There". I remember reviewers measuring the posthumous "Fu Manchu" against that one, and the film rightfully could only come up as the poorer for it.
Since its release in the summer of 1980, the film has never been regarded as any good. Certainly in watching it the first time, it appears unworthy of any reevaluation. But going back to it again and again over the course of more than 30 years, the movie's charms start to materialize.
Sellers' performance(s) as both the villain AND its hero yield many sly little character bits, unique line-readings and embellish laugh-out-loud set pieces. He can also be heard in overdubs as the King and other characters, which just adds to the attempted tour de force on view.
Despite a fractured plot and uneven tone, the film cautiously reveals its DNA in classic British pantomime and music hall, filled with post- Goons era silliness. There's plays-on-words, humorous asides, larger than life performances, British satire and an abruptly absurd conclusion that is both poignant and stupid - all at the same time. It's a throw- back 50s or 60s programmer that Sellers excelled in, but by 1980, was well out of step with the more punctuated audience taste.
The movie largely ignores coherency, and rarely takes itself very seriously. It doesn't seem to have much in the way of an intentionally nasty bone in its body, though the stereotypes and racial insults embraced do take a bit of the fun out of it in retrospect.
Still the enjoyable "Fu Manchu" highlights Sellers game skills as a handily interpretive and original comic performer. Modestly anarchic, it is well worth watching now for what it is - versus the viewing through the cinematic prism of what came before, or what it could have been.
I would suppose that when it opened, it was a huge letdown and an inappropriate follow-up to his career-capping masterpiece, "Being There". I remember reviewers measuring the posthumous "Fu Manchu" against that one, and the film rightfully could only come up as the poorer for it.
Since its release in the summer of 1980, the film has never been regarded as any good. Certainly in watching it the first time, it appears unworthy of any reevaluation. But going back to it again and again over the course of more than 30 years, the movie's charms start to materialize.
Sellers' performance(s) as both the villain AND its hero yield many sly little character bits, unique line-readings and embellish laugh-out-loud set pieces. He can also be heard in overdubs as the King and other characters, which just adds to the attempted tour de force on view.
Despite a fractured plot and uneven tone, the film cautiously reveals its DNA in classic British pantomime and music hall, filled with post- Goons era silliness. There's plays-on-words, humorous asides, larger than life performances, British satire and an abruptly absurd conclusion that is both poignant and stupid - all at the same time. It's a throw- back 50s or 60s programmer that Sellers excelled in, but by 1980, was well out of step with the more punctuated audience taste.
The movie largely ignores coherency, and rarely takes itself very seriously. It doesn't seem to have much in the way of an intentionally nasty bone in its body, though the stereotypes and racial insults embraced do take a bit of the fun out of it in retrospect.
Still the enjoyable "Fu Manchu" highlights Sellers game skills as a handily interpretive and original comic performer. Modestly anarchic, it is well worth watching now for what it is - versus the viewing through the cinematic prism of what came before, or what it could have been.
Sad, sad movie
kipknee26 July 2005
I actually saw this movie in the theater back in it's original release. It was painful to watch Peter Sellers embarrass himself so badly. The story was incredibly lame and difficult to follow, and the ending was ridiculous. It was just sad to see how the mighty had fallen. I won't say that I'm a huge Peter Sellers fan, but I did thoroughly enjoy the Pink Panther series and I felt that he gave a strong performance in Being There. But this film should never have been made. From what I've read, he pursued producing this film against the advice of the people around him. Fine, but that still doesn't excuse the studio actually releasing the film.
Sellers comes home... a little gem of a film...
Hardylane8 December 2002
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.
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.
Peter Sellers Goes Out With a Whimper
RJV16 July 2002
Even if one didn't realize that Sellers was in poor health at the time of filming and passed away before the film's release, THE FIENDISH PLOT OF DR. FU MANCHU would be painful viewing. It is supposedly a lampoon of Sax Rohmer's famous Oriental villain but it lacks any focus. The potential for satirical commentary on the anti-Oriental overtones of Rohmer's concept are ignored. Indeed, the movie employs racist insults. There are hardly any actual jokes or gags, just mostly actors behaving idiotically and spouting dreary lines. It is especially distressing to see Sid Caesar forced to spout curses and racial slurs for attempted laughs. Most of the other actors embarrass themselves as well.
And then there's Peter Sellers. He plays the dual roles of the sinister Fu Manchu, who is trying to concoct a formula to regain his youth and his stalwart British foe Nayland Smith. Sellers isn't one hundred per cent bad; he conveys a quirky warmth as Smith when he discusses his fetishistic attachment to his lawn mower and he's oddly moving as Manchu when he expresses his love for English music hall entertainment. But most of the time, he plays both roles with a weary grimness, thus further sabotaging any comical possibilities. Sellers' routines where he revitalizes his fading strength with electric shocks are particularly excruciating; he seems too convincingly agonized to be funny.
A few genuinely witty lines, an apt slapstick bit by Burt Kwouk (Cato in the PINK PANTHER films) as one of Manchu's minions, and Helen Mirren's amusing musical numbers cannot salvage this mess. If anyone wants to understand why Peter Sellers is considered a comedic genius, they won't learn anything from THE FIENDISH PLOT OF DR. FU MANCHU.
And then there's Peter Sellers. He plays the dual roles of the sinister Fu Manchu, who is trying to concoct a formula to regain his youth and his stalwart British foe Nayland Smith. Sellers isn't one hundred per cent bad; he conveys a quirky warmth as Smith when he discusses his fetishistic attachment to his lawn mower and he's oddly moving as Manchu when he expresses his love for English music hall entertainment. But most of the time, he plays both roles with a weary grimness, thus further sabotaging any comical possibilities. Sellers' routines where he revitalizes his fading strength with electric shocks are particularly excruciating; he seems too convincingly agonized to be funny.
A few genuinely witty lines, an apt slapstick bit by Burt Kwouk (Cato in the PINK PANTHER films) as one of Manchu's minions, and Helen Mirren's amusing musical numbers cannot salvage this mess. If anyone wants to understand why Peter Sellers is considered a comedic genius, they won't learn anything from THE FIENDISH PLOT OF DR. FU MANCHU.
Like Attending a Funeral Before the Body Has Died
ajax-1224 May 2005
This may not be the very worst movie Peter Sellers ever did (I think that laurel goes to "The Prisoner of Zenda") but it is surely the most depressing. Sellers, especially sans makeup as Nayland Smith, looks like he has just undergone chemotherapy. As Fu Manchu, he looks hardly better and spends most of the film (with the exception of those strangely disturbing scenes where he gets jolted with electrical currents) on the verge of collapsing under the weight of all that makeup. The supporting players also look tired and run down, and Sid Caeser's presence is offensive even without his constant references to "Chinks!" (One bright spot: this would be one of the last times a major motion picture would portray Asians so insultingly ... or, for that matter, star a non-Asian as one!). The film seems surprisingly cheap, with soupy photography and drab sets - even the whiz-bang Elvis number at the end looks cut-rate. Only the stunning Helen Mirren and the tall, thin, nervous guy who get his pants wet add any sparks of life to this sad affair. All in all, this film provides an eerie premonition of a great comic's death, and an even eerier documentation of his dying.
Peter Sellers : "I just cannot take mediocrity, I just cannot take it on any level".
happipuppi1323 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
***SPOILERS***
My title is an actual quote from Mr. Sellers.
I'll start with this. My opinion of the film overall .... not of Peter Sellers himself. I saw this movie in theaters at age 12 in 1980. I honestly didn't enjoy it then and I wish I could have. Naturally, I had expected a 'Pink Panther' level of production, maybe many others did as well.
Worst part, this was my first time (and only) going to see a Peter Sellers film.
Fast forward : I bought from Ebay in early 2021 a DVD of this. Yes, over 40 years later, as I hadn't excpected to see it again, until I found this copy. It was only $5 & tax, so I couldn't resist. It was almosst like a challenge.)
...and truthfully ladies and gentlemen, time had not made any difference. It was exactly as I remembered it. At 53 now, my rating is a 2 for the film as a whole. 1 for the closing scene and the other just for Peter Sellers himself.
It will always be a reminder though, of his loss. It's true, had he let his last film be, "Being There" , Peter could have closed out his career on a high note. I heard about his loss 'after' I saw the movie, it was a shock to the very young me.
Peter Sellers, despite warnings by his doctor, went ahead with this project. He had a heart ailment, which is putting it lightly, Starting in the 1960's and through the 1970's, Sellers had several heart attacks.
Given his incredible ability at physical comedy, one would never have known it (unless knowing Sellers personally.)
He plays two of the major roles in the movie, the ancient Fu Manchu and the unflappable (?) Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard. He also turns up in a variety of other disguises, as a Chinese chef, a foppish antique dealer and the Young Fu. (Maybe others)
Just to mention, yes, this was (I beleive) one of the last times a caucasion actor would play a stereotyped Asian role. Not only Sellers here but , in April 1980, Jerry Lewis doing a buck toothed Japanese chef bit in "Hardly Working".
Sellers as Fu Manchu : He's a 168-year-old man who starts, um...'slowly deteriorating' ... after a clumsy assistant spills the vial containing a youth potion.
Manchu has to track down the secret ingredients, including a precious jewel (not sure how the jewel helped) and so he stages an international crime wave. But his life force is slowly depleting.
Scenes where his assistants feed him jolts of electricity to keep him going are hard to laugh at, even today, for those who know of Sellers fate. I didn't even find it funny at the time.
Despite the talent that was put into the rest of the cast, their characters ar just not that funny or even very interesting and the pace of the film, despite just being over 90 minutes, makes it almost not worth it, once it would get to something that should have been funny.
The dialog between all of the male characters here borders on the tedious and almost to a level of dull. I'm not trying to exagggerate, what they talk about is relevant to the plot but they don't make it engaging to listen too. (The racial insult uttered by Sid Caeser was not worthy of him.)
Peter Sellers made good comedies, so likely, he thought this would be a winner too. When he was good we laughed greatly and when he was less so, not so much but he at least always made the effort.
* The Spoiler > The film's closing moment , is Fu Manchu has essentially won as he gets his serum and , returns on screen as a young man. Dressed in Elvis 1970's wear, his new plan is to conquer the worls with a new weapon, Rock and Roll music.
Singing (with back up singers) a catchy number called, "Rock A Fu". (I admit, I liked the song and Sellers actually did his own vocal on it. )
That scene mostly, along with snippets of others, was the main one used in advertising trailers. Unusal that a studio would use a film's closing scene to try and emphasize the comedy, but the others used, were very quick. Likely a bad sign of the film's fate and maybe the studio's faith in it.
Fu's revelation is much to the horror of Nayland, whom Fu has shared some of the serum with. So, Nayland and he can continue the chase for decades to come.
------------------------ The other players in the film
Steve Franken as Williams.
Simon Williams as Townsend
Burt Kwouk as Fu Manchu's Servant
Sid Caesar as Joe Capone- Sid has a humorus moment or 2, otherswise his great talent was not used to a really great level.
A very young Helen Mirren as Alice Rage - A good early role for her. A bit odd that she was sent to undermine Fu Manchu but falls in love with him.
David Tomlinson as Sir Roger Avery. Tomlinson (Best known as George Banks in 1964's Mary Poppins) quit making movies after this film's failure.
After two days in a London hospital, Sellers died on the night of July 24th, 1980. 15 days before the film's release on August 8th, 1980.
Peter Sellers loss then was devastating ...his wonderful conbtributions to film though, will never be forgotten. Rest In Peace.
My title is an actual quote from Mr. Sellers.
I'll start with this. My opinion of the film overall .... not of Peter Sellers himself. I saw this movie in theaters at age 12 in 1980. I honestly didn't enjoy it then and I wish I could have. Naturally, I had expected a 'Pink Panther' level of production, maybe many others did as well.
Worst part, this was my first time (and only) going to see a Peter Sellers film.
Fast forward : I bought from Ebay in early 2021 a DVD of this. Yes, over 40 years later, as I hadn't excpected to see it again, until I found this copy. It was only $5 & tax, so I couldn't resist. It was almosst like a challenge.)
...and truthfully ladies and gentlemen, time had not made any difference. It was exactly as I remembered it. At 53 now, my rating is a 2 for the film as a whole. 1 for the closing scene and the other just for Peter Sellers himself.
It will always be a reminder though, of his loss. It's true, had he let his last film be, "Being There" , Peter could have closed out his career on a high note. I heard about his loss 'after' I saw the movie, it was a shock to the very young me.
Peter Sellers, despite warnings by his doctor, went ahead with this project. He had a heart ailment, which is putting it lightly, Starting in the 1960's and through the 1970's, Sellers had several heart attacks.
Given his incredible ability at physical comedy, one would never have known it (unless knowing Sellers personally.)
He plays two of the major roles in the movie, the ancient Fu Manchu and the unflappable (?) Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard. He also turns up in a variety of other disguises, as a Chinese chef, a foppish antique dealer and the Young Fu. (Maybe others)
Just to mention, yes, this was (I beleive) one of the last times a caucasion actor would play a stereotyped Asian role. Not only Sellers here but , in April 1980, Jerry Lewis doing a buck toothed Japanese chef bit in "Hardly Working".
Sellers as Fu Manchu : He's a 168-year-old man who starts, um...'slowly deteriorating' ... after a clumsy assistant spills the vial containing a youth potion.
Manchu has to track down the secret ingredients, including a precious jewel (not sure how the jewel helped) and so he stages an international crime wave. But his life force is slowly depleting.
Scenes where his assistants feed him jolts of electricity to keep him going are hard to laugh at, even today, for those who know of Sellers fate. I didn't even find it funny at the time.
Despite the talent that was put into the rest of the cast, their characters ar just not that funny or even very interesting and the pace of the film, despite just being over 90 minutes, makes it almost not worth it, once it would get to something that should have been funny.
The dialog between all of the male characters here borders on the tedious and almost to a level of dull. I'm not trying to exagggerate, what they talk about is relevant to the plot but they don't make it engaging to listen too. (The racial insult uttered by Sid Caeser was not worthy of him.)
Peter Sellers made good comedies, so likely, he thought this would be a winner too. When he was good we laughed greatly and when he was less so, not so much but he at least always made the effort.
* The Spoiler > The film's closing moment , is Fu Manchu has essentially won as he gets his serum and , returns on screen as a young man. Dressed in Elvis 1970's wear, his new plan is to conquer the worls with a new weapon, Rock and Roll music.
Singing (with back up singers) a catchy number called, "Rock A Fu". (I admit, I liked the song and Sellers actually did his own vocal on it. )
That scene mostly, along with snippets of others, was the main one used in advertising trailers. Unusal that a studio would use a film's closing scene to try and emphasize the comedy, but the others used, were very quick. Likely a bad sign of the film's fate and maybe the studio's faith in it.
Fu's revelation is much to the horror of Nayland, whom Fu has shared some of the serum with. So, Nayland and he can continue the chase for decades to come.
------------------------ The other players in the film
Steve Franken as Williams.
Simon Williams as Townsend
Burt Kwouk as Fu Manchu's Servant
Sid Caesar as Joe Capone- Sid has a humorus moment or 2, otherswise his great talent was not used to a really great level.
A very young Helen Mirren as Alice Rage - A good early role for her. A bit odd that she was sent to undermine Fu Manchu but falls in love with him.
David Tomlinson as Sir Roger Avery. Tomlinson (Best known as George Banks in 1964's Mary Poppins) quit making movies after this film's failure.
After two days in a London hospital, Sellers died on the night of July 24th, 1980. 15 days before the film's release on August 8th, 1980.
Peter Sellers loss then was devastating ...his wonderful conbtributions to film though, will never be forgotten. Rest In Peace.
Undervalued Gem?
aramis-112-8048802 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
"The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu" was the last project made by the great Peter Sellers. Sellers had a curious career trajectory, starting on radio's "The Goon Show" (if you haven't heard it, look it up online). He was essentially a character actor who became an international star, a rarity in movies, where audiences like familiarity (even Olivier couldn't manage the star quality when submerging himself in his roles as he did on stage). From radio Sellers ventures into classic little British movies ("The Ladykillers"; "The Wrong Arm of the Law"; et al). Then he began costarring with the likes of Sophia Loren in international features. Finally, he hit the big time with "The Pink Panther" and "A Shot in the Dark" (both Clouseau movies). Big name directors and producers wanted him for major project. While working on a Billy Wilder movie with Dean Martin, Sellers had a heart attack. Surviving that, he found himself uninsurable for movies (people who back movies like to make sure their stars don't drop dead in the middle of filming). The heart attack and Sellers' incredible ego (combined with his fear of acting with anyone with the talent to upstage him) led to the fiasco that was the Bond spoof "Casino Royale." After that, his career hit its nadir, churning out low-budget bombs. His career looked to be over until he teamed with "Pink Panther" director Blake Edwards for more Clouseau movies. After that, his career began rising; and so did his vaunted ego combined with a fear of big stars and projects. Finally in a position to make his long-desired role of Chance in "Being There" he was nominated for an Oscar, made "The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu" and promptly died. So much for that.
The story is a typical McGuffin. Fu Manchu (Sellers) is celebrating his one-hundred-and-sixty-odd birthday when he loses his rejuvenating formula. Desperate to get more before he kicks the bucket, he sends his minions to find the ingredients, which consist mainly of precious jewels . . . although it also involves a mummy (which is never otherwise utilized). Fu's long-time adversary Nayland Smith (Sellers) is on the trail of the stolen artifacts, to recover them, or bring Fu's career to an end, or something. In a comedy the story is just a line to hang the laughs on. Unfortunately, the laughs come sparsely.
For the movie: It's actually a well-shot feature with a solid cast (including the always-wonderful Helen Mirren) and with sound production values. As an historical feature set vaguely in a stylized 1920s/30s (one reference seems to establish it as post-1936, but who cares?) it has a feel for early steampunk; and I'm surprised steampunkers don't embrace it. Its problem is that the film has a few good laughs, which is not good enough for a comedy.
The film's greatest problem is Sellers himself. Fu Manchu is right up his street (though the voice is irritating) but he also tackles the role of the detective, Nayland Smith. Smith is the sort of role a younger Sellers might have sunk his teeth into (reference the old men he played in "Battle of the Sexes" (1960) and "The Smallest Show on Earth" (1957). Whether Sellers is feeling ill personally or whether he tries to give Nayland Smith the sort of world-weariness Sellers hadn't shown in a role (well) since "Only Two Can Play", Smith comes across without a spark. According to the (extremely long) exposition Smith was seized by Fu Manchu and tortured until he was mad; that alone would have given Sellers in his prime a nail to hang a wacky character on. Instead, whatever Sellers meant to achieve with Smith, he only comes across as dull. It's only in the film's final few minutes that Sellers, and the movie, really come alive.
While a lot of Sellers fans (including me) often wished he'd died slightly earlier so the last shot he ever had in a movie was Chance walking on water in "Being There," the end of "The Fiendish Plot of Fu Manchu" is actually pretty good.
Another problem is the script. It simply doesn't have enough laughs. Apart from a handful of notable exceptions, comedy in movies was wilting on the vine until the advent of "Airplane!" (released the same year).
By the late seventies other movie writers, directors and/or producers, as in another Sellers feature, "Murder by Death", seemed to think plugging in comic actors was enough for a comedy. Put comic actors (in this case, Sid Caesar, Clive Dunn, Steve Franken) in selected roles and let them rip. Unfortunately, the best comic actors need funny material. In a great many of his movies, comedian Bob Hope proved a funny man can't be funny without funny material.
As for the rest, Mirren does a bang-up job as a policewoman in disguise (using so many voices she might have taken on a multi-role movie herself) who as a captive in Fu's lair begins reading him his rights (a classic moment). She seems desperate to make the movie work and much of what is good in "Fiendish Plot" is her doing. And though it appears churlish to say so in light of her talent, she's never been lovelier.
The rest of the cast tries as well, particularly David Tomlinson (best known in America as the father in "Mary Poppins"). Simon Williams, only five years after making a splash in "Upstairs, Downstairs", tries a little too hard in an idiot role for which he is ill-equipped. Legendary comic Sid Caesar is embarrassingly unfunny as an American FBI agent. And one slightly amusing moment has Burt Kwouk (Inspector Clouseau's Cato) in a small role as an inside joke that weakened that scene's verisimilitude.
Not many laughs, but the few that appear are laughs-out-loud. Some of the photography, especially exteriors in England and the French Alps, are exquisite. It's a beautiful movie that almost spares no expense, apart from a few tawdry not-so-special effects (and didn't they do any research on how a balloon operates?).
So is the movie a little gem? Perhaps. It's not in the top-ten Sellers films. For its pre-"Airplane" time it's not a bad movie. The laughs aren't frequent, which is the kiss of death for comedy. Still, it's not as bad as the critics like to make out.
One critical problem is that Sax Rohmer's original stories (like Earl Derr Biggers' "Charlie Chan" mystery novels) have fallen under the heavy hammer of political correctness. But Rohmer's original stories weren't social commentaries, they were ripping adventure stories about a (rather dull, unfortunately) detective named Nayland Smith trying to stop a criminal mastermind (who happened to be Chinese). They were early Bondian escapades which picked up an erotic element with the introduction of Fu Manchu's extremely lovely, if treacherous, daughter. "The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu" would have fallen under p.c. censorship if it were the funniest movie ever made. The fact that it isn't all that funny, despite some solid performances, a pretty good story and sometimes excellent production values, makes it an easy target for those who like to shut down anything that has a perspective they don't happen to like.
Mainly for Sellers fans, who can overcome their grief that Chance wasn't Sellers' last part.
The story is a typical McGuffin. Fu Manchu (Sellers) is celebrating his one-hundred-and-sixty-odd birthday when he loses his rejuvenating formula. Desperate to get more before he kicks the bucket, he sends his minions to find the ingredients, which consist mainly of precious jewels . . . although it also involves a mummy (which is never otherwise utilized). Fu's long-time adversary Nayland Smith (Sellers) is on the trail of the stolen artifacts, to recover them, or bring Fu's career to an end, or something. In a comedy the story is just a line to hang the laughs on. Unfortunately, the laughs come sparsely.
For the movie: It's actually a well-shot feature with a solid cast (including the always-wonderful Helen Mirren) and with sound production values. As an historical feature set vaguely in a stylized 1920s/30s (one reference seems to establish it as post-1936, but who cares?) it has a feel for early steampunk; and I'm surprised steampunkers don't embrace it. Its problem is that the film has a few good laughs, which is not good enough for a comedy.
The film's greatest problem is Sellers himself. Fu Manchu is right up his street (though the voice is irritating) but he also tackles the role of the detective, Nayland Smith. Smith is the sort of role a younger Sellers might have sunk his teeth into (reference the old men he played in "Battle of the Sexes" (1960) and "The Smallest Show on Earth" (1957). Whether Sellers is feeling ill personally or whether he tries to give Nayland Smith the sort of world-weariness Sellers hadn't shown in a role (well) since "Only Two Can Play", Smith comes across without a spark. According to the (extremely long) exposition Smith was seized by Fu Manchu and tortured until he was mad; that alone would have given Sellers in his prime a nail to hang a wacky character on. Instead, whatever Sellers meant to achieve with Smith, he only comes across as dull. It's only in the film's final few minutes that Sellers, and the movie, really come alive.
While a lot of Sellers fans (including me) often wished he'd died slightly earlier so the last shot he ever had in a movie was Chance walking on water in "Being There," the end of "The Fiendish Plot of Fu Manchu" is actually pretty good.
Another problem is the script. It simply doesn't have enough laughs. Apart from a handful of notable exceptions, comedy in movies was wilting on the vine until the advent of "Airplane!" (released the same year).
By the late seventies other movie writers, directors and/or producers, as in another Sellers feature, "Murder by Death", seemed to think plugging in comic actors was enough for a comedy. Put comic actors (in this case, Sid Caesar, Clive Dunn, Steve Franken) in selected roles and let them rip. Unfortunately, the best comic actors need funny material. In a great many of his movies, comedian Bob Hope proved a funny man can't be funny without funny material.
As for the rest, Mirren does a bang-up job as a policewoman in disguise (using so many voices she might have taken on a multi-role movie herself) who as a captive in Fu's lair begins reading him his rights (a classic moment). She seems desperate to make the movie work and much of what is good in "Fiendish Plot" is her doing. And though it appears churlish to say so in light of her talent, she's never been lovelier.
The rest of the cast tries as well, particularly David Tomlinson (best known in America as the father in "Mary Poppins"). Simon Williams, only five years after making a splash in "Upstairs, Downstairs", tries a little too hard in an idiot role for which he is ill-equipped. Legendary comic Sid Caesar is embarrassingly unfunny as an American FBI agent. And one slightly amusing moment has Burt Kwouk (Inspector Clouseau's Cato) in a small role as an inside joke that weakened that scene's verisimilitude.
Not many laughs, but the few that appear are laughs-out-loud. Some of the photography, especially exteriors in England and the French Alps, are exquisite. It's a beautiful movie that almost spares no expense, apart from a few tawdry not-so-special effects (and didn't they do any research on how a balloon operates?).
So is the movie a little gem? Perhaps. It's not in the top-ten Sellers films. For its pre-"Airplane" time it's not a bad movie. The laughs aren't frequent, which is the kiss of death for comedy. Still, it's not as bad as the critics like to make out.
One critical problem is that Sax Rohmer's original stories (like Earl Derr Biggers' "Charlie Chan" mystery novels) have fallen under the heavy hammer of political correctness. But Rohmer's original stories weren't social commentaries, they were ripping adventure stories about a (rather dull, unfortunately) detective named Nayland Smith trying to stop a criminal mastermind (who happened to be Chinese). They were early Bondian escapades which picked up an erotic element with the introduction of Fu Manchu's extremely lovely, if treacherous, daughter. "The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu" would have fallen under p.c. censorship if it were the funniest movie ever made. The fact that it isn't all that funny, despite some solid performances, a pretty good story and sometimes excellent production values, makes it an easy target for those who like to shut down anything that has a perspective they don't happen to like.
Mainly for Sellers fans, who can overcome their grief that Chance wasn't Sellers' last part.
Strange is not the same thing as funny...and I wish the folks who made this film had realized this.
planktonrules2 September 2022
Peter Sellers' career is enigmatic. At times, he was brilliant...one of the most talented men alive. His portrayals of Dr. Strangelove and Chance the gardener are amazing and Sellers was a master at playing a wide variety of characters. That being said, he also was a HORRIBLE judge of material. Often, after making an exceptional film, he made exceptionally bad films. For example, after being Oscar nominated for "Being There" he then made this film! How could a man have so many great performances as well as terrible ones?! Nevertheless, because I admire much of his work, I decided to watch this final Sellers movie...even though I heard horrible things about it.
Not surprisingly, Sellers plays the title character (as well as a few other characters). In fact, the various Fu Manchu movies featured white guys playing the Asian master criminal. Politically correct? Perhaps not...and this film is one of the later ones with non-Asians playing Asians.
The plot finds Dr. Fu Manchu out to steal a valuable yellow diamond. Why? Because his bumbling assistant broke the bottle of elixir that has kept the Doctor alive for 168 years...and part of the formula includes yellow diamond. When a famous Russian diamond is stolen as it toured the United States, the FBI sends some idiotic agents to meet with Scotland Yard to bring Fu Manchu to justice.
The biggest problem with this film is that the seemed to mistake WEIRD with FUNNY....and they aren't necessarily the same thing. So, you see things such as a guy mowing his office, a fat guy eating like a pig, the head FBI agent called 'Capone' and a guy being squirted in the crotch with a hose. All are strange...but in themselves not the least bit funny. One of the most unfunny things about the film is Capone, as Sid Caesar is pretty bad here and adds nothing positive to the picture.
Overall, a weird film...but one that is amazingly slow and bereft of real laughs. Sadly, Sellers died around the time this film was completed and it's sad that his career had to end on such a sour note. Perhaps he was just tired because of his bad heart and this might account for how flat the film is.
Not surprisingly, Sellers plays the title character (as well as a few other characters). In fact, the various Fu Manchu movies featured white guys playing the Asian master criminal. Politically correct? Perhaps not...and this film is one of the later ones with non-Asians playing Asians.
The plot finds Dr. Fu Manchu out to steal a valuable yellow diamond. Why? Because his bumbling assistant broke the bottle of elixir that has kept the Doctor alive for 168 years...and part of the formula includes yellow diamond. When a famous Russian diamond is stolen as it toured the United States, the FBI sends some idiotic agents to meet with Scotland Yard to bring Fu Manchu to justice.
The biggest problem with this film is that the seemed to mistake WEIRD with FUNNY....and they aren't necessarily the same thing. So, you see things such as a guy mowing his office, a fat guy eating like a pig, the head FBI agent called 'Capone' and a guy being squirted in the crotch with a hose. All are strange...but in themselves not the least bit funny. One of the most unfunny things about the film is Capone, as Sid Caesar is pretty bad here and adds nothing positive to the picture.
Overall, a weird film...but one that is amazingly slow and bereft of real laughs. Sadly, Sellers died around the time this film was completed and it's sad that his career had to end on such a sour note. Perhaps he was just tired because of his bad heart and this might account for how flat the film is.
Never, ever watch this movie
nsimmonds14 April 2007
This is, quite literally, the worst movie I have ever watched in my life. It may be the worst movie possible. Some movies are so bad that they're good; this movie is so bad that it goes past enjoyable camp and simply becomes unwatchably awful. It is the anti-enantiodromia. We bought it with the intent to heckle, and all of my family gathered around for a fun evening of clever remarks; instead, we sat in stunned silence, pitying poor Peter Sellers.
This is worse than the animated Lord of the Rings. It is worse than the Matrix sequels. It is worse than Krull. It is worse than any Batman movie.
Do not, under any circumstances, let this movie approach within ten feet of your television.
This is worse than the animated Lord of the Rings. It is worse than the Matrix sequels. It is worse than Krull. It is worse than any Batman movie.
Do not, under any circumstances, let this movie approach within ten feet of your television.
For fans of Sellers Only? Perhaps.
noelartm18 July 2006
I saw this with my dad when I was 10. He is a huge Peter Sellers fan and therefore took me, and anyone who wanted to go, to see every Pink Panther movie. People talk about how awful it was, but I liked it so much, I insisted on seeing it twice when it was released.I bet I'm the only one who did. My favorite part has to be the musical production number at the end. I thought it was a fun scene for him to go out with.
Yes, Peter Sellers has made much better films. And if this weren't his last, his fans would probably dislike it a lot less. This movie isn't funny in a slapsticky kind of way. It's funny because it's such an unusual mix of comedy and adventure. I think it's a cult classic waiting to be rediscovered. And remember, Peter Sellars was warned by doctors not to do this movie. His poor health was in part a result of his insistence of doing all of his own stuntwork. If fans really respect Seller's dedication to his craft, they will appreciate the fact that he nearly killed himself, doing what he liked to do best - playing an eccentric characters like this. So why not honer the actor by watching his final screen performance? Allow yourself to forget all about Peter Seller's other work and let his portrayal here stand on it's own. Another suggestion: order some Chinese food to eat while you watch it. It can only make the viewing experience better.
Yes, Peter Sellers has made much better films. And if this weren't his last, his fans would probably dislike it a lot less. This movie isn't funny in a slapsticky kind of way. It's funny because it's such an unusual mix of comedy and adventure. I think it's a cult classic waiting to be rediscovered. And remember, Peter Sellars was warned by doctors not to do this movie. His poor health was in part a result of his insistence of doing all of his own stuntwork. If fans really respect Seller's dedication to his craft, they will appreciate the fact that he nearly killed himself, doing what he liked to do best - playing an eccentric characters like this. So why not honer the actor by watching his final screen performance? Allow yourself to forget all about Peter Seller's other work and let his portrayal here stand on it's own. Another suggestion: order some Chinese food to eat while you watch it. It can only make the viewing experience better.
The Winner is...
revere-79 April 1999
An underrated movie
agmacias28 February 2001
If you enjoyed the Pink Panther movies, try this one. I keep hearing about how this was a bad end to Peter Sellers' career, but I liked it. Perhaps these people are influenced by what they've heard. Hear me say it's funny, and go watch it yourself.
It's a cute satire/parody of the books, and, actually, reading one will add a little spice to the movie. Sellers also makes several little nudges to the audience when his dialog speaks about the movie. Sure, there are several dumb bits, but I think that the good parts greatly outweigh them. The movie, while with some Panther feeling, seems to be stretching a little toward Python and away from Stooges (slapstick). There's something else I recently picked upon, and that's its early 70s feeling (or late 60s), although it was made in 1980.
If you're looking for something a little dumb and silly, but that a person with a little extra brain would pick out the extra bits in, this is a pretty good movie.
It's a cute satire/parody of the books, and, actually, reading one will add a little spice to the movie. Sellers also makes several little nudges to the audience when his dialog speaks about the movie. Sure, there are several dumb bits, but I think that the good parts greatly outweigh them. The movie, while with some Panther feeling, seems to be stretching a little toward Python and away from Stooges (slapstick). There's something else I recently picked upon, and that's its early 70s feeling (or late 60s), although it was made in 1980.
If you're looking for something a little dumb and silly, but that a person with a little extra brain would pick out the extra bits in, this is a pretty good movie.
Watch the first 10 minutes of the film, then...
emorr14 February 2000
....shut it off. The prologue with Fu Manchu's birthday, and the opening credits of the assassins training, is amusing. Then it drops off faster than hair sprayed with Neat. Look for a cameo by Cato in the beginning, with a figurative wink at the audience.
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