Why did I review this film? It’s clearly not horror, nor a thriller, though it falls squarely into the subgenre of mystery-comedy, hence the reason. Well in a year where I am reflecting on those films that influence my love and dedication to the horror genre, it is time to explore everything that got me to this point. Therefore, it’s a two part answer first it is clear that I don’t understand or comprehend the modern-day comedy, it’s often too crass and rude, it lacks that creativity of word-play or physically pratfalls, I am more of old-school comedy fan the works Abbott and Costello, Laurel and Hardy, Bowery Boys, Bob Hope and countless others, a side note you who else likes this type of comedy and models a famous character from them, David Horton Thornton aka: Art the Clown of famed Terrifier series. The second reason is it helps me reminisce about spending those fleeting moments with my father.
Roger Corman, a name well-known to both readers on this site and to the cinema viewers of every possible genre, has truly done it all, and was even involved with this film in an interesting manner, as a Distribution Producer, quite frankly a title I didn’t know existed until reviewing the credits for this review. In fact, he has produced over 510 projects and 66 times he had this title, which 99% was uncredited. Therefore, let’s discover how he was involved with this film, Tim Conway (Chip & Bernie’s Zomance [2015]) first reteamed with John Myhers (Willard [1971]) and had an outline of the script done in a few days; he then shopped it to New World Pictures, where his comedy film The Prize Fighter was released with Myhers and Don Knotts (The Ghost and Mr. Chicken [1966]), and of course the head of studio Corman. Roger backed it for the ultra-low cost of $3 million, a major portion of that going for both insurance costs and location securement which I’ll speak of later. This movie was to become the last feature film pairing Don Knotts and Tim Conway, though the duo did a cameo role in Cannonball Run II (1984) and finally for an animated film. Conway admitted afterwards that he had no worries about one-liners or other comedic gags since his friend Knotts’ involvement guaranteed hilarity. All parties involved wanted to make a friendly comedy-mystery spoof and work to earn a safe PG-rating with a few classic innuendoes and hint sexual teasing, nothing too outrageous. Taking the director’s chair was Lang Elliott who worked with all these men on the previous film and was doubling his time as he became the CEO and founder of Tri-Star Pictures. However, it needs to note that John Wilson, an animator, created the opening titles, found inspiration from three sources first Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein [1948], The Pink Panter animation sequences and Willle E. Coyote and Roadrunner too. These credits showed two cartoon detectives Knotts and Conway being attacked without suffering major injury. Therefore, Knotts and Conway took over the scenes, without needing much direction and Conway would treat the scenes as mini shorts i.e., the notable movie spoofs done on The Carol Burnett Show, but with true affection and admirable the classic murder mystery clichés found in a treasure trove of haunted house flicks. Although the film does contain some corniness and yet still family friendly aside of a scene or two of so-called risqué scenes seeing these two will return some fondest for the comedic skills.
The story opens with a teaser of Lord and Lady Morley (Fred Stuthman (The Sentinel [1977]) and Mary Nell Santacroce (Mutant [1984]) are murdered in their glorious 1936 Phantom III Rolls Royce just outside Morley Manor by a sinister hooded figure that would remind modern-viewers of Ghostface without the mask. The Shadow causes the vehicle to crash and sink into a nearby lagoon prompting a newspaper heading of their death dated Thursday, May 23, 1940 (which signifies another reason the movie generates fond memories – that day, not year is my birthday) and the animated credits. The audience is introduced to Inspector Winship (Knotts), completed with a deerstalker hat and Dr. Tart (Conway), hence the closeness resembles Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who were supposedly assigned the case from The Scotland Yard (they don’t sport a British accent, but no one cares about that.) They pull over for some petrol and directions, somehow these two bumbling detectives accidentally cause the facility to explode after they leave, which shows their level of incompetence. It is during their ride we discover nuances about them first Tart has useless inventions such a ‘Time Gun’ that fires once an hour while Winship is frustrated by his partner’s ineptness, though he isn’t that bright either. They later learn once arriving at the manor, that they were summoned by Lord Morley with a letter, though our misguided duo confused how it could be since he’s dead, until someone else gives them a clear answer. They meet Head of Household, Nanny (Grace Zabriskie (The Devil’s Child [1997])), who seems to have a visible sadistic nature and the butler, Justin (Bernard Fox (The House of the Dead [1978])), who freaks every time the word ‘murder’ is mentioned and do a routine of ‘walk this way’ both pay homage to Young Frankenstein [1974] next they learn from his the adopted daughter Phyllis (Trisha Noble) about the stipulations concerning the will that she inherits it all unless she dies and then the fortune gets evenly divided among the remaining servants. As they start, they hunt for clues in Lord Morley’s room the find a secret passage which is a typical cliché in these films (face it we all want one too) the writers give slight tribute only to the most astute comedy fans with the candle gag from the shadow before dropping in for a meeting with the staff of the manor.
Here, we meet the rest of the cast, among them is a bizarre mannered chef Mr. Uwatsum (John Fujioka (Paint It Black [1989])) complete with a samurai sword, and a play on his name; a very bubbly minded skimpy uniformed maid named Hilda (Suzy Mandel) obviously hired for any polishing tasks, Tibet (Stan Ross (The Witch Who Came from the Sea [1976])) caretaker of the grounds, and then Jock (Irwin Keyes (The Caretaker [2016])), doing a great impression of Quasimodo as a stable boy. As the story unfolds, it’s the standard narrative found in haunted house mysteries with a comical tone that shines through for these comedic talents as well as the physical routines too. Winship and Tart constantly trading insults, flustered discussions and yet it goes smoothly along as they assist indirectly of killing their carrying pigeons. One enjoys watching these two stumbling from one scene into another and Tart mentions what is hog man creature Wookalar (Barney Rosner) as a possible existence and the constant eye rolling and a why me jester from Winship is golden fleeting moments that one enjoys more than discovery the simple whodunit.
Wookalar (Barney Rosner)
The filmmaker’s adhere to Corman’s rulebook, by letting the location speak whenever it could, as it was Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina had to be insured for $400-million (or $1.4 billion in today’s worth) yes, that’s how luxurious this home actually is and Phyllis states the home has mere 252 rooms, she’s only off by two, there only 250 but does contain a few secret doors passages. Oh, as for the scene of the bomb rolling towards them Tart mentions sounds like they’re near a bowling alley; well, a bowling alley does exist inside the Biltmore. Therefore, the film looks like the production values are exquisitely well-done, that again all thanks to the very real location starring role. However, Jacques Haitkin’s (Shocker [1989]) cinematography does an excellent job of substituting North Carolina for the magnificent of the England Estates by capture the long and spooky shadows cascading down from the peas the of legendary Biltmore and richness within this simple home of beauty.
Conway and Myhers also included a wonderful piece of verbal comedy often missed in today’s films, the notes taunting the inspectors begin as rhyming poems but with the killer not knowing to finish them correctly. The movie does a wonderful job of paying homage to at least two of Abbott and Costello’s films Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff [1949] in regards to moving the dead bodies and Hold That Ghost [1941] with the creepy footsteps’ stairs routine. During the filming of this whodunit another very real mystery occurred on the grounds of ‘Manor’ a priceless book from the legendary library (which holds over 25,000 books) went missing and Tim Conway found himself the number one suspect. However, very early 1981, the true culprit was found as the security guard Robert Livingston Matters, who admitted taking over 60 books. It was Conway who held the clue to the case, as an employee showed him the library and sought a very rare book which was missing it all lead to the investigation and the clearing of Tim’s name.
At Night
Another comedy that is a cult classic, which silly and fast pace, the slapstick and numerous pratfalls capture one’s attention and engages in the gags, rather worrying about a murder mystery storyline. If who have seen House of the Long Shadows [1983] or Haunted Honeymoon [1986] then you understand the premise for the film, and if you haven’t don’t worry the tropes and clichés are littered throughout the film that allows one to clearly understand the movie is relying the chemistry of Knotts and Conway to carry the flick which they effectively do well in handling this case.
Our Killer – Remind you of someone?
TAGLINES:
- Who better to solve England’s most puzzling mystery than these two international crime busters?
- Step by step, Tim Conway and Don Knotts prove murder can be deadly!
- You just might die laughing!
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081376/
IMDb Rating: 6.5/10
Baron’s Rating: 6.5/10
The full movie is found here:
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7ud1hl