Happy Valentine's Day. If you ever wondered what Glass Onion would've been like if its screenplay had been tight as a drum, check out its chief influence, 1973's The Last of Sheila. Screenwriters Anthony Perkins (yes, Norman Bates) and Stephen Sondheim crafted a satisfyingly intricate murder mystery about a handful of rich people on a private Mediterranean cruise.
The ensemble includes Richard Benjamin, Dyan Cannon, Joan Jackett, James Mason, Ian McShane, and Raquel Welch with James Coburn playing the eccentric host, Clinton. He comes up with a game in which everyone gets a secret card, assigning to them some hidden sin, such as "Shop Lifter" or "Informer".
Every time it seems like there's a flaw in the writing, it turns out to be an intentional weakness in some character's scheme. It's great fun. It's also nice to see James Mason in such a juicy role so late in his career in which he was usually somehow compelled to play Humbert Humbert again and again. In this movie, well, he arguably does again but . . . I'll say no more.
The movie does feature a dated understanding of the word "homosexual" but it's easy to get past that. Every member of the cast is valuable and it's even decently shot. It's one of the best puzzle movies I've seen.
X Sonnet #1817
A knotty problem spurred the lover's gall.
As roughly written tables show the pies.
Promotions start exposing fruit and all.
A tangled slinky breaks apart the lies.
A changing tide returned the surfing ghost.
For nothing's lost amid the awesome waves.
For hid within the poisoned sugar host,
There slowly bake the heavy creamy days.
Invaders rise again from diff'rent Hells.
With many rooms, the wooden place was locked.
Beneath the deck, we hear the cloister bells.
With phony books the shelves were fully stocked.
As Cohen's loving croon described a nude,
She lights a lamp and paints a scarlet mood.
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