Has Anyone Seen "The Last of Sheila"

#1

Has Anyone Seen "The Last of Sheila"

Posted: 6/20/05 at 8:30pm

Has anyone seen the film "The Last of Sheila" which gives Stephen Sondheim and Anthony Perkins writing credit? Is it worth seeing?

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BSoBW2: I punched Sondheim in the face after I saw Wicked and said, "Why couldn't you write like that!?"

#2

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/20/05 at 8:34pm

Yes, it's good fun. Especially Dyan Cannon's character based on legendary agent Sue Mengers. Although apparently the fireworks amongt the cast offscreen were more entertaining than those on...
There's a particularly awful section late in the movie which will have you groaning but otherwise it's a fun, entertaining murder mystery.

#3

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/20/05 at 8:37pm

I haven't seen it in ages, but I remember enjoying it.

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"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

#4

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/20/05 at 8:39pm

This is from IMDB.com regarding Anthony Perkins:

On September 11, 2001 his widow and mother of his two sons, Berry Berenson was one of the 58 victims on AA-11 out of Boston that terrorists crashed into the World Trade Center.

Does anyone else remember hearing about this? How terrible.

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BSoBW2: I punched Sondheim in the face after I saw Wicked and said, "Why couldn't you write like that!?"

#5

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/20/05 at 9:02pm

I remember James Mason giving a drily witty performance as well. Definitely worth seeing for a light evening of entertainment--an old-fashioned murder mystery with intentionally artificial, bitchy dialogue. Just don't expect a masterpiece, and you probably won't be disappointed.

Updated On: 6/20/05 at 09:02 PM

#6

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/20/05 at 9:37pm

Re Berry Berenson: I remember hearing about that. She was the sister of Marisa Berenson, who was in the film version of Cabaret.

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"How do you like THAT 'misanthropic panache,' Mr. Goldstone?" - PalJoey

#7

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/20/05 at 10:01pm

I enjoyed it - and remember smacking myself in the head at the end for not figuring out the mystery on my own!

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Hi, Shirley Temple Pudding.

#8

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/20/05 at 10:05pm

Marisa Berenson published a memoir about her sister which was only released in Europe. Berry was also a noted photographer.

#9

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/20/05 at 10:07pm

Marisa also starred in Stanley Kubrick's "Barry Lyndon." An artfully beautiful film.

#10

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/20/05 at 10:22pm

That movie desparately needed more performances in it like Mason's. And Bette Midler sang the theme song, Friends. I think it ran over the end credits. The movie's plot is ridiculous. It was panned when it first came out.

#11

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/21/05 at 12:02am

It was a fun who-done-it. Keeps you guessing until the end. It's worth a look.

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"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." -- Author Unknown

#12

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/21/05 at 12:08am

It's my mom's absolute favorite movie. She has good taste.

Not that that means anything, but yeah.

Updated On: 6/21/05 at 12:08 AM

#13

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/21/05 at 12:11am

It's a great movie. Watch it.

#14

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/21/05 at 12:57am

James Mason thought most of the cast were nuts. He thought Joan Hackett was the singular most boring person he'd ever met, Dyan Cannon was 'a pig', Raquel Welch was an idiot and Paula Prentiss was 'on something' that caused her to stand in the rain "conducting" thunderstorms.

#15

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/21/05 at 1:52am

I love Joan Hackett. She's not boring!

#16

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/21/05 at 2:07am

He was talking about off screen.

#17

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/21/05 at 2:10am

If you like Sondheim, it's worth watching to see how his mind works. Dyan Cannon, James Mason, James Coburn, Raquel Welch and Richard Benjamin all give excellent (if slightly campy performances). The late and little-seen Joan Hackett give a superb, nuanced performance.

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#18

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/21/05 at 6:51am

this sonds like something i would definitely enjoy.
i love mystery movies and the all-star (back then anyway) cast sounds good.
i'm going to pick this up on dvd.
sounds like it would make a great triple feature with "murder on the orient express" and "death on the nile".

#19

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/21/05 at 8:12am

This movie is nothing like Orient Express and Death on the Nile.
I'm reall surprised that so many people like this movie. It's known as a really bad movie.

#20

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/21/05 at 8:24am

i never said it was.
"orient express" and "nile" aren't exactly "classics of the silver screen" either.
i tend to view them as unintentionally so-bad-they're-good campfests.
"last of sheila" sounds like it's one of those type of flicks.

did you ever hear of the expression "to each his own" nmartin?

Updated On: 6/21/05 at 08:24 AM

#21

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/21/05 at 8:58am

I was just expressing an opinion. Off with my head!!

#22

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/21/05 at 9:16am

Marquise, have you seen "Murder By Death"? That movie is hysterical.

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"Do you know what pledge time is, Andrew"? said the PBS Executive. "Yes", Lloyd Webber replied. "My 50th birthday special must be one program that gets done a lot." "No", mused the man from PBS heedlessy. "Not so much. Our Stephen Sondheim Carnegie Hall concert. That's a big one." Spoons, forks and knives seemed suddenly to suspend their motion in horror, all around the table.

#23

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/21/05 at 9:20am

Two Two Twain

#24

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/21/05 at 9:27am

. . .and i was expressing mine.

yes Justice. I have both "Murder by Death" and "The Cheap Detective" on DVD. Love 'em both.

#25

re: Has Anyone Seen 'The Last of Sheila'

Posted: 6/21/05 at 9:33am

My point was you were being vitriolic about my comment. Off with the rest of my body!!