George Segal and Jacqueline Bisset are top-billed in this comedy crime film, but Robert Morley really steals the show. Along with half a dozen prominent European actors of the day who play various famous chefs, Morley provides most of the humor. Segal's role as Robby Ross, an American "entrepreneur" of fast food chains to make big money, barely fits into the plot. It could be that the writers thought that would be a basis for much comedy - to contrast with the high-brow epicurean "meat" of the plot. Well, he needed some sort of connection to his divorced wife, Bisset's Natasha O'Brien, who is a top dessert chef in the world. She is invited to London to make the desert for a state function of her majesty, the queen.
The story revolves around Morley's Maximillian Vandeveer. He is THE expert food critic and head of a cuisine magazine in Europe. Max knows all of the great chefs, and indeed, it's his word in reviews that has determined who the great ones are - in their various fields. So, after Max publishes an article naming the greatest pigeon chef, lobster chef, dessert chef, etc., they begin dropping off like flies. Each is found done in by some method associated with his specialty. It's sort of literally having one's goose cooked. For instance, the greatest chef of canard a la presse (pressed duck) has his head crushed in a duck press. Of course, the film doesn't show all of that.
The film is based on a 1976 novel by Nan and Ivan Lyons, "Someone is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe." The screenplay seems not to hide the culprit, because it becomes quite evident who it might be very early into the film. But then, there's a surprise in store after all. Morley plays the over-indulging lust for great food to the hilt. Segal and Bisset get in some frolicking that rekindles their past love, and Ross ultimately saves Natasha from being the last victim of the chef-slayer - who is then unveiled.
The plot had great potential for a smash comedy. The book was probably much better, but the screenplay needed a good once over to put some spice into the dialogue. It seems choppy with Segal's Ross popping in frequently, and then just as quickly popping out. The film title in its U. K. release was changed to "Too Many Chefs." It was liked by the critics and did fairly well at the box office - but nowhere near the top 50 films of the year.
The story revolves around Morley's Maximillian Vandeveer. He is THE expert food critic and head of a cuisine magazine in Europe. Max knows all of the great chefs, and indeed, it's his word in reviews that has determined who the great ones are - in their various fields. So, after Max publishes an article naming the greatest pigeon chef, lobster chef, dessert chef, etc., they begin dropping off like flies. Each is found done in by some method associated with his specialty. It's sort of literally having one's goose cooked. For instance, the greatest chef of canard a la presse (pressed duck) has his head crushed in a duck press. Of course, the film doesn't show all of that.
The film is based on a 1976 novel by Nan and Ivan Lyons, "Someone is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe." The screenplay seems not to hide the culprit, because it becomes quite evident who it might be very early into the film. But then, there's a surprise in store after all. Morley plays the over-indulging lust for great food to the hilt. Segal and Bisset get in some frolicking that rekindles their past love, and Ross ultimately saves Natasha from being the last victim of the chef-slayer - who is then unveiled.
The plot had great potential for a smash comedy. The book was probably much better, but the screenplay needed a good once over to put some spice into the dialogue. It seems choppy with Segal's Ross popping in frequently, and then just as quickly popping out. The film title in its U. K. release was changed to "Too Many Chefs." It was liked by the critics and did fairly well at the box office - but nowhere near the top 50 films of the year.