The Last of Sheila

Summary

“No, you poor people. You don’t deserve a good king like me!”

The Warner Bros. Archive Collection has recently released the darkly comedic mystery film The Last of Sheila on Blu-ray. Written by songwriter Stephen Sondheim and actor Anthony Perkins, The Last of Sheila will remind viewers of Agatha Christie and The Westing Game, but it has a unique acid tongue towards the unsympathetic Hollywood elitists and hangers-on that it portrays. The film has a wonderful cast and benefits from a beautiful Mediterranean setting. I am always game for watching these types of mystery films, so I checked it out the other night.

Wealthy Sheila leaves a party upset. She is run down by a car afterward in a hit and run that goes unsolved. Numerous people receive a letter to join her husband – famous Hollywood screenwriter Clinton (James Coburn) – aboard his boat named “Sheila.” Clinton is known for developing games for his guests to play. All of the people invited on the boat were present for the party the night Sheila died. Philip (James Mason) is a director. Tom (Richard Benjamin) is a writer. Christine (Dyan Cannon) is an agent. Lee (Joan Hackett) is wealthy and married to Tom. Anthony (Ian McShane) is an actor. Alice (Raquel Welch) is a notable actress. Clinton begins a game that will unfold across the ports that the ship visits. The participants will have a good chance at being a part of his upcoming project titled “The Last of Sheila.” The participants are given cards individually which assign them with titles such as alcoholic, shoplifter, homosexual, and other nasty attributes. At each port the contestants will have until 10:00 to follow the clues and reveal who each person is. This will all lead to a grand reveal when the game is finished and a winner will be chosen. There is more to the game than meets the eye, and they have been brought together for reasons not revealed to them. When Clinton is killed during one of the daily games, the game takes on another dimension. The participants try to solve what the game was pointing towards, who murdered Clinton, and why.

The Last of Sheila is an enjoyable murder-mystery film with an excellent ensemble cast. The film was well reviewed when it was released, because the script strikes a fine balance of cleverly written dialogue and well considered mystery elements. The film is helped along by a beautiful Mediterranean setting, and the finale of the film ties everything together in a rewarding way. When reading reviews of the film, I think the biggest issue that some viewers had with the picture is that none of the characters in the film are particularly likable people. They all show tendencies for both vanity and desperation. That said, this writing device allows all of the characters to remain likely suspects, and also allows Perkins and Sondheim to cleverly skewer the most ruthless aspects of the Hollywood system. I have never had an issue watching unlovable characters onscreen, and found the actions of the numerous scoundrels entertaining in their roles. It might not have been as fun to watch if it weren’t for the great cast that brings the characters to life. James Coburn seems to be having a blast as the cunning and vindictive Clinton. Racquel Welch is fun to watch as an actress with a small secret from her past. Dyan Cannon steals many scenes in the film as the opportunistic and sex addicted Christine. James Mason is well cast in his role. Richard Benjamin is also a good choice for the role of Tom. A young Ian MacShane and the rest of the cast are likewise suited to their roles. Herbert Ross was a capable journeyman of a director and he works well with the actors while also keeping the pacing of the film efficient for the most part. There are a few minutes where the script drags, but the pacing is good overall. The cinematography by Gerry Turpin is not trying to be showy, but it still gets the job done. Fans of murder-mystery films who also enjoy dark comedy should find The Last of Sheila a light and entertaining way to spend a couple hours.

Video

Warner did a good job on the transfer of the film using an MPEG-4 AVC codec of a new scan of the original film elements. The film’s visuals benefit from the Mediterranean setting. The cinematography by Gerry Turpin is well served by the Blu-ray format, allowing much more detail than would have been possible before. The film’s color palette leans towards muted colors, but the Mediterranean blue comes through nicely from the vantage point of the boat. Fans of the film will be glad to see the care given to the material.

Audio

Warner has provided a very capable DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track that sounds good. The score by Billy Goldenberg fits the film well for the somewhat light entertainment the picture offers. The Last of Sheila, like most mysteries, is a dialogue driven film and the dialogue is crisp and clear without much hiss. Like other Warner releases fidelity is very strong to the original elements.

Supplements:

• Audio Commentary – actors Richard Benjamin, Dyan Cannon, and Raquel Welch
• Theatrical Trailer 

Overall Scores:

Video – 4.25/5

Audio – 4/5

Supplements – 2.5/5

Overall – 3.5/5

The Last of Sheila is a well written murder-mystery film with clever dialogue that skewers the rougher aspects of Hollywood’s numerous personalities. The cast is great and the finale is satisfying. Warner has supplied a good looking transfer and a DTS-HD MA 2.0 track that capably replicates the film’s original sound design. Fans will be very happy with how the film has been treated.