This film does feature a striking opening: a Doberman struggling with a woman's body in the ocean water. The dog (we find out his name is Murphy) was the woman's pet, but he's assumed to have killed her. That is, until an autopsy reveals that she died of drowning. In FRESH water, no less. This presents a fairly interesting case for cranky small town police chief Abel Marsh (James Garner, solid as always), who reluctantly takes possession of the dog after the canine has been cleared. He also falls in lust with the assistant (Katharine Ross, looking quite fetching) who works for the local veterinarian (Hal Holbrook).
Set in a coastal California town called Eden Landing, but largely filmed on the MGM backlot, "They Only Kill Their Masters" is no great shakes when it comes to the murder-mystery genre, but it kills (pardon the expression) time adequately enough. The filmmaking is competent, but lacks distinction. Lane Slate (also writer of "The Car") scripted, getting some mileage out of a small town setting where there's some seedy things going on behind the picture-perfect facade. His sense of humour, present in many scenes, does help to keep the picture watchable. The main problem is that some people may find the whole thing simply too easy to predict.
The film boasts an incredible cast, including some old-school veterans (June Allyson, Tom Ewell, Peter Lawford, Edmond O'Brien, Arthur O'Connell, Ann Rutherford), but some of them are sorely under-utilized. Garner makes up for that a bit with his effortless charisma, and Ross is appealing. Harry Guardino is a decent foil for Garner as a State Police captain with whom Garner butts heads. Also, a round of applause for the well-trained Dobie who plays Murphy; he can be as sweet as pie, and turn on a dime and become vicious.
If you adore this genre, you'll likely enjoy this one, even if you bemoan the wasting of some of the veteran talent.
Seven out of 10.
