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

Director:

Ted Kotcheff

Writers:

Ivan Lyons (novel)
Nan Lyons (novel)
(more)

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 Critic | Food | Murder | Divorce

Awards:

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

Cast

George Segal	...	Robby Ross
Jacqueline Bisset	...	Natasha O'Brien
Robert Morley	...	Maximillian Vandeveer
Jean-Pierre Cassel	...	Louis 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
Daniel Emilfork	...	Saint-Juste
Jacques Marin	...	Massenet
Jacques Balutin	...	Chappemain
Jean Parédès	...	Brissac
Michael Chow	...	Soong
Anita Graham	...	Blonde
Nicholas Ball	...	Skeffington
David Cook	...	Bussingbill
Nigel Havers	...	Counterman
John Carlisle	...	Actor
Sheila Ruskin	...	Actress
Kenneth Fortescue	...	Director
Struan Rodger	...	Asst. Director
Derek Smith	...	Man In Corridor
Marjorie Smith	...	Receptionist
Aimée Delamain	...	Old Woman
Lyall Jones	...	Robby's Driver
Eddie Tagoe	...	Mumbala
Caroline Langrishe	...	Loretta
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sylvia Kay	...	Reporter
Ronald Leigh-Hunt	...	Priest marrying Bobby and Natasha (uncredited)

Directed by
Ted Kotcheff

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ivan Lyons		novel "Someone Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe"
Nan Lyons		novel "Someone Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe"
Peter Stone		writer

Produced by
Merv Adelson	....	executive producer
William Aldrich	....	producer
Lynn Guthrie	....	associate producer
Lee Rich	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Henry Mancini

Cinematography by
John Alcott

Film Editing by
Thom Noble

Production Design by
Rolf Zehetbauer

Art Direction by
Werner Achmann

Costume Design by
Donfeld
Anton Eder		(costumes: men)
Linda Henrikson		(costumes: women)
Judy Moorcroft

Makeup Department
Emile LaVigne	....	makeup artist: Mr. Segal
Simon Thompson	....	hair stylist: Miss Bisset
Ago von Sperl	....	makeup artist
Rüdiger von Sperl	....	hair stylist (as Rudiger Von Sperl)
Rüdiger von Sperl	....	makeup artist

Production Management
René Dupont	....	production manager: England
Paul Lemaire	....	unit manager: France
Harry R. Sokal	....	production supervisor (as Henri Sokal)
Juliette Toutain	....	unit manager: France

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bernard Cohn	....	assistant director: France
Don French	....	second assistant director
Wolfgang Glattes	....	assistant director
Jobst Grapow	....	assistant director: Italy
Guy Travers	....	assistant director: England

Art Department
Milly Burns	....	art director: England (as Millie Burns)
Harry Freude	....	property buyer
Friedrich Galla	....	assistant property master
Horst Grandt	....	property master
André Labussière	....	set dresser: France
Ray Traynor	....	property master: England

Sound Department
Victor Guarnier	....	sound effects editor
David Hildyard	....	sound mixer
John Jolliffe	....	sound effects editor
Richard Kupper	....	dialogue editor
Tommy Staples	....	boom operator
James G. Stewart	....	sound re-recording mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Lewis Bogue	....	electrical gaffer
David James	....	still photographer
Fred Leitensdorfer	....	key grip (as Fred Leitenstorfer)
Douglas Milsome	....	assistant camera (as Doug Milsome)
Karl-Heinz Vogelmann	....	still photographer (as Karlheinz Vogelmann)
Michael Waldleitner	....	assistant camera
Eric Williams	....	camera operator

Casting Department
Irene Lamb	....	casting: UK
Barbara Miller	....	casting: Lorimar
Paolo Rolli	....	casting: Italy

Editorial Department
Pepita Fairfax	....	assistant film editor
Andrew Gonzales	....	associate film editor

Music Department
John C. Hammell	....	music editor

Other crew
Joan Bennett	....	assistant to producer
Bea Blondell	....	location auditor
John David	....	production assistant: England
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Regina Gruss	....	unit publicist
Georgiana Hamilton	....	continuity
Lutz Hengst	....	production executive: Bavaria
Christl Kirchner	....	production accountant
Carlo Margraf	....	location manager: Italy
Eddie Saeta	....	production executive: Lorimar
Ilse Schwarzwald	....	production assistant
Paul Bocuse	....	food designer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Aldrich Company
• Bavaria Film
• Geria Productions
• Lorimar Productions

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1978) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1981) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• EuroVideo (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2010) (USA) (DVD) (DVD-R)

Also Known As:

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:

Bavaria Filmstudios, Geiselgasteig, Grünwald, Bavaria, Germany

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)

The Souffle Also Rises

I dimly remembered this culinary comedy from the late 70s without

much affection, until a friend decided to bring along a video to be

shown after a Thanksgiving dinner last year. It's a great idea. Stuff

yourself and then take a movie break before dessert. Nothing too

heavy--preferably something light and frothy. I'm glad we did. This

is an adorable movie, and I don't know why it didn't strike me that

way the first time around.

Maybe it was the horrible and dated costumes designed for

Jacqueline Bissett. How does one take one of the most beautiful

women in the world, and tart her up in the most ridiculous

fur/leather thingies. She looks like a cheap Vegas dancer here.

George Segal doesn't escape either, wearing jeans looking like he

was poured into them and cowboy hats, he looks like the sweet

Jewish boy he is, playing in Daddy's clothing.

The heart of the movie is the wonderful Robert Morely, who plays a

gleefully glutinous gourmand and food editor who between bites

insults just about anyone coming towards him. Only Jacqueline

Bissett manages to escape his wrathful tongue. I'm not

complaining. Morely is a total delight as the misanthropic

epicurian monster.

The mystery isn't much of a mystery, and the chemistry between

Bissett and Segal doesn't appear to be setting off many sparks.

But you can waste your time on far worse things than this modest

delight, filmed all over Europe. The food looks great, and oh that

nasty Morely!