Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978)

Director:

Ted Kotcheff

Writers:

Ivan Lyons (novel)
Nan Lyons (novel)

Release Date:

13 September 1978 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Mystery | Crime

Tagline:

The mystery-comedy that tastes as good as it looks.

Plot:

Mystery abounds when it is discovered that, one by one, the greatest Chefs in Europe are being killed...

Plot Keywords:

Chef | Food | Murder | Food Critic | Long Title

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

George Segal	...	Robby
Jacqueline Bisset	...	Natasha O'Brien
Robert Morley	...	Max
Jean-Pierre Cassel	...	Kohner
Philippe Noiret	...	Moulineau
Jean Rochefort	...	Auguste Grandvilliers
Gigi Proietti	...	Ravello (as Luigi Proietti)
Stefano Satta Flores	...	Fausto Zoppi
Madge Ryan	...	Beecham
Frank Windsor	...	Blodgett
Peter Sallis	...	St. Claire
Tim Barlow	...	Doyle
John Le Mesurier	...	Dr. Deere
Joss Ackland	...	Cantrell
Jean Gaven	...	Salpetre

Also Known As:

Die Schlemmerorgie (West Germany)
Ein Kochtopf voller Leichen (West Germany) (video title)
La grande cuisine (France)
Qualcuno sta uccidendo i più grandi cuochi d'europa (Italy)
Someone Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe
Too Many Chefs (UK)

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA | Italy | France | West Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color (MGM Color)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Aldrich Company

Trivia:

Last cinema film of Ronald Leigh-Hunt.

Quotes:

Dr. Deere: Ah, Maximilian, how very good of you to be so punctual!
Max: The name is Vandeveer. I don't wish to be on first name terms with anyone who's had their fingers up my rectum.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Alice: Who's Kissing the Great Chef of Phoenix? (#5.19)" (1981)

sheer comic delight from beginning to end

This one is going to make it to the roster of all-time great comedies. Its sheer classiness and the elegant level of its wit on both the verbal and visual level - so different from the crassness and vulgarity of much American comedy (the more so in recent years) - made me suspect an English touch, and sure enough, the Canadian-born director, Ted Kotcheff, made his career in the UK. Jacqueline Bissett is a delight to the eye and George Segal makes a charmingly roguish screen presence; they work wonderfully off each other. But Robert Morley - perfectly cast - runs away with the whole movie with his acerbically comic portrayal of the gourmet-cum-gourmand Max. The wonderfully funny food references throughout, and the gorgeous cinematography of European locales put the icing on this comic eclair. And, just for good measure, first-time viewers will have a devil of a time trying to decide just who is killing the great chefs of Europe. This ranks right up there with the best of the Ealing Studios work. A must-see for connoisseurs of literate comedy.