I have loved this movie from the first time I saw it at the age of 13! A wealthy producer, whose wife Sheila was killed a year earlier by a hit and run driver, invites a writer and his rich wife, a director, an agent, an actress and her hot-tempered manager/husband for a week of a scavenger-hunt mystery based off his yacht in several ports-of-call in the French Mediterranean. All of the invited guests were also at his house for a party the night Sheila was killed. As the game unfolds, one of the players realizes there is more to the game than just a game... and the game takes a lethal turn. Clever twists and clues abound, right from the opening title sequence that actually help you figure out what's happening. This movie demands multiple viewings, because once you've seen and digested it, the next time you see it you'll knock yourself on the forehead and ask yourself, "That is SO obvious, why didn't I see it before?!" The all-star cast turns in terrific performances, most notably Dyan Cannon as the over-sexed Hollywood agent (an Oscar nomination should have come her way on this one). A few minor inconsistencies don't detract from the overall effect of this dazzlingly brilliant piece of work. Written by Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim and the late Anthony Perkins, this was inspired by Perkins' real-life love of scavenger hunts, which usually took place in NYC and were fairly similar in style to the one portrayed in the film. An absolute must see!
Review of The Last of Sheila
