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6.2/10
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California small town police chief investigates a suspicious death involving the victim's own dog that presumably killed its owner.California small town police chief investigates a suspicious death involving the victim's own dog that presumably killed its owner.California small town police chief investigates a suspicious death involving the victim's own dog that presumably killed its owner.
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Did you know
- TriviaPeter Lawford, June Allyson, and Ann Rutherford were all veterans who had spent the better part of their careers at M-G-M. Allyson and Lawford had co-starred together in two films, Good News (1947) and Little Women (1949), while also appearing separately in Girl Crazy (1943). This film served as a reunion of sorts, giving them an opportunity to be in the last film shot on the fabled studio backlot before the land was sold.
- GoofsWhen he starts chasing Watkins, Abel is driving a 1967 Chevrolet. When he runs Watkins off the road in the field above the ocean at the conclusion of the same chase, Abel is driving a 1966 Chevrolet.
- Quotes
Kate Bingham: Can you imagine coming home, and your wife says she's leaving you for someone else, and you say, "Who, Phil?" and she says, "No. Phyllis."
Abel Marsh: Well, that's the ultimate put-down... to those of us who are normal heterosexuals.
Featured review
Sleazy, yet sanitary mystery with name cast.
One has to wonder if David Lynch was inspired by this film when developing his cult-favorite TV series "Twin Peaks". Similarities abound (dead female washes ashore, sleepy town with ugly sexual underbelly, inept police force, quirky citizens, references to pie, to name a few....) Garner plays the police chief of a small coastal town called Eden Landing (mostly represented by the MGM backlot!) When a divorcée is found along the shore with her Doberman at attendance and bite marks all over her, it is presumed that the dog killed her. However, he soon realizes that someone else is involved. Through his investigation, he interacts with quirky locals who are portrayed by a plethora of old time movie stars (some of whom hadn't worked on screen in years.) O'Brien looks really unhealthy and only worked another year or two after this. Ewell (who once flirted on screen with Marilyn Monroe) is also looking really rough. (Trivia: Evelyn Keyes played his wife in "The Seven Year Itch" and Anne Rutherford does so here, so he played husband to both of Scarlett O'Hara's sisters from GWTW.) Lawford is rail thin and knee-deep in the "mod" look he would later take even further. The worst injustice is saved for Allyson. Her character is completely, totally unbelievable and underdeveloped. Things had definitely changed since she and Lawford filmed "Good News" on the same backlot! Garner is aided somewhat by veterinarian Ross (whose lab coat is longer than her mini-skirts) and to a lesser degree by bumbling Connelly and Guardino as a trigger happy state police captain. Holbrook gives another one of his wonderful performances in which it's impossible to tell if he's good or bad. The script is trashy and occasionally meandering. If anyone wants to hear Garner and Ross toss around words like "faggot" and "dyke", here's the chance. Or try a drinking game. Every time someone says "neat", do a shot. Most folks will be under the table by half time. Nearly everyone who doesn't live in Eden Landing is presented as either a troublemaker or a sex fiend. This gives the film a certain oddity value. Not only do the characters think of outsiders as freaks, but the filmmakers seem to feel that way too! (Witness Lawford's girlfriend and the bizarre barroom brawl started by two out of town punks, one of whom actually wears a huge measure of chain around his neck!) The film also serves as a time capsule for horrible '70's decor. Check out the beach house's kitchen and its foil wallpapered bathroom!
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- Poseidon-3
- Aug 1, 2002
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- Also known as
- Die Bestie hat einen Namen... Dobermann
- Filming locations
- Malibu, California, USA(Jenny Campbell's house scenes)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
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By what name was They Only Kill Their Masters (1972) officially released in India in English?
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