StunnaKrypto
Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.
Bluebell Alcock
Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies
Clarissa Mora
The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.
Kimball
Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.
hughman55
If you begin watching this you'll be excused for thinking that it is a light piece of 70's fluff. But if you hang in to the end, and pay close attention along the way, you will come to realize that it is so much more. This fluffy little Bonn Bonn of a film becomes quite the riddle; as well as a commentary on Hollywood cynicism and the inevitability of rising to one's level of one's own incompetence. The closing shot says it all. There is also some heavy hitting in the acting category from Richard Benjamin, Diane Cannon, and best of all, the never failing James Mason. I, at first, wondered what an actor of James Mason caliber was even doing a film like this. Money? Sure. Everyone needs money. Oh, but no, he's actually necessary for this story. Richard Benjamin plays a complex character in an understated way that manages to stay within the perimeter of a tricky kind of film. Diane Cannon steals every scene without trying. A lot of talent here, a GREAT screenplay, and a surprise ending that will leave you equally bewildered and surprised.Thanks to TCM we get to revisit these films or find them for the first time. Some age well. Some not so much. A good mystery will never let you down and this is a good mystery. And then below the mystery is another layer that the film has been commenting on since its first frame that just comes down like a sledge hammer at the end. I think it would be fair to say that this film was remade later as, and just as effectively as, "The Player" with Tim Robbins. "The Last of Sheila" is every bit as good with some interesting retro 70's sociology such as; being a "homosexual" is the same as being from Mars. There's a lot here to enjoy. You won't be disappointed.
treeline1
James Coburn stars as a movie bigwig who hosts six pals for a week on his yacht in the south of France. He loves intricate puzzles and has planned a clever game that will identify the killer of his late wife.A famous cast is the highlight of this film and while it oozes glamour and Hollywood in-jokes, my mind wandered and it took three tries to finish watching it. Coburn is robust and charismatic and also convincingly sadistic. Dyan Cannon is good as an airhead agent but her never-ending, raucous guffaws are tiresome. Ian McShane and Raquel Welch are good as minor characters. Joan Hackett, Richard Benjamin, and James Mason have the most screen time; they are all excellent in well-developed roles and a pleasure to watch.In my opinion, the game that the guests are playing is too convoluted and pointless to follow; there are constant red herrings and it doesn't amount to much in the end. One of the stars leaves halfway through and is greatly missed. Plot holes abound and it's hard to identify with any of the characters or the story.This film is recommended for those who like complex puzzles and clues. I thought it was just okay.
thatmovieguy91
When I first viewed this movie, I was thrilled and confused. It takes a couple of viewings to get the catch. This mind twisting mystery is a great 70's classic. James Coburn plays a millionaire who's fascinated with playing games, well this game you don't have to movie you just have to be smart. Dyan Cannon and Raquel Welch are always great. My favorite scene is James Coburn in the castle on the second night of their game. Make sure you pay attention through the whole movie no interruptions. Excellent cast and excellent plot. I give it 10 out of 10 stars.So go out and view this movie you will love it.
blanche-2
"The Last of Sheila" is a '70s whodunit written by, of all people, Tony Perkins and Stephen Sondheim. And they did a good job! The film stars James Coburn, Dyan Cannon, James Mason, Joan Hackett, Raquel Welch, Ian McShane, and Richard Benjamin. The film begins with a woman, Sheila, who is married to Clinton Green (Coburn), running away from a party and being killed by a hit and run driver. A year later, Green assembles the party guests on a yacht in order to expose the killer. In order to do this, he has set up a deadly game.Well-directed by Herb Ross, "The Last of Sheila" is a highly entertaining film about a bunch of unpleasant people, and it's done with some dark humor. All the actors do a great job. It was wonderful to see the late Joan Hackett once again and to remember how handsome Ian McShane was when he first started out. Coburn and Cannon have the most flamboyant characters - Coburn is mean-spirited and manipulative, and Cannon as a Hollywood agent is a talkative bitch.Besides the clever plot, one learns a couple of things from this film. First of all, Raquel Welch looked the same in 1973 as she does now, go figure. And secondly, the costumes were done by Joel Shumacher, so now we know where our big wheelers and dealers in Hollywood come from.Really a must see - who knew that Stephen Sondheim is not only a brilliant composer and lyricist, but a scriptwriter as well? He wrote this with the late Tony Perkins, a marvelous actor who also seems to have been a man of many talents.