1973 ‧ Mystery ‧ 120m
Cinephiles are always on the hunt for a “hidden gem.” A little known or discussed film that strikes a chord with the viewer. For whatever reason, The Last of Sheila isn’t talked about much. What dug it out of the content abyss was Rian Johnson’s one-two punches of Glass Onion and Poker Face. Johnson mentioned it as a film that influenced his murder mystery projects. That was enough for me to check it out, but during the opening credits “Written by Stephen Sondheim and Anthony Perkins” came up and I thought: “Mr. Broadway AND Norman Bates wrote this?” I was immediately game for whatever Last of Sheila was going to throw me.
The film opens outside a party where gossip columnist Shelia, Yvonne Romain, is having an argument with Clinton Greene, played by James Coburn. Shelia storms off and is promptly hit by a car in a hit-and-run accident. Cut to a year later and Greene, a film producer, is assembling a reunion of people who were at the party where Shelia died. Everyone is connected with the business in some way. Raquel Walsh plays actress Alice Wood, whose career seems to be slumping at the moment. Her husband/manager Anthony Wood, played by young Ian McShane. Dyan Cannon is Christine, a talent agent. Richard Bejamin, noted 70s "that guy," plays screenwriter Tom Parkman. Joan Hackett plays his wife, Lee, and James Mason is film director Phillip Dexter. They are all invited onto Greene’s yacht, aptly named Sheila, for a vacation and a intricate multi-day parlor game of sorts. A classic mystery premise where surely nothing will go wrong.
Without going too heavy into the details, Greene lets on that he knows who killed Sheila and has devised a way to get the truth out. Utilizing Sheila’s gossip knowledge, he gives each guest a “secret” on a card that they are supposed to keep from the others. Each night they will go to a location and solve a small game to reveal someone’s secret. The first night goes off well, the second night not so much. As expected of whodunits infighting and suspicions arise, but in subversive and fresh ways. To get into specifics would probably hurt the viewing. The film was made and takes place in the early 1970s, but the way Sondheim and Perkins craft the mystery and storytelling one could easily have it take place today and not need to change much. Director Herbert Ross knows exactly how much information to give the audience and that is a crucial ingredient to Last of Sheila’s mystery.
The performances are key here. James Coburn is fabulously sleezy as Greene, but who really shine are Mason and Benjamin. The two take on the “detective” role for the guests and for the audience. I couldn’t help but feel that they were Sondheim and Perkins stand-ins. Raquel Walsh seems perhaps underused, but when reconsidering a 1973 context, it is probably a choice the filmmakers deliberately made. It’s easy to see how Dyan Cannon’s performance would be an influence on Kate Hudson’s in Glass Onion.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of The Last of Sheila, check your area revival cinemas to see if it will be playing.
Grade: B+
~Andrew