See this movie an hour later youll want to see it again. Fu manchu must battle his arch rival, a scotland yard detective named nayland smith, for the right to world domination. Fu manchu 1980, starring peter sellers as fu manchu and nayland smith. Peter sellers ferociously uneven career should have ended with his idiot. Apr 18, 2012 in this briliant scene from peter sellers last film the fiendish plot of dr. In his final film, peter sellers merrily spoofs one of horrors favorite arch villains. May 20, 2007 in this allstar misfire, peter sellers stars as both sir nayland smith and the diabolical fu manchu in what turned out to be a deliriously wrongheaded capstone to legendary career. Fu manchu 1980 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Sellers played both police inspector nayland smith and fu manchu, alongside helen mirren and david tomlinson. Peter sellers gets to play both hero and bad guy at the same time in this comedy variation on sax rohmers infamous stories of asian supervillian fu manchu. Fu manchus peter sellers 168th birthday celebration is dampened when a hapless flunky spills fus ageregressing. In this allstar misfire, peter sellers stars as both sir nayland smith and the diabolical fu manchu in what turned out to be a deliriously wrongheaded capstone to legendary career. Fumanchu peter waters his lawn with his dear and close friend who happens to be his lawn mower. The movie has some good moments what peter sellers comedy could not.
Fu manchu keeps his heart beating by intermittently giving himself electric shocks. With peter sellers, helen mirren, david tomlinson, sid caesar. But the world of cinema is, if anything, even crueler to the aged than the rest of. The comedians film career ended just before his death in 1980, with the fiendish plot of fu manchu.
Fu manchu, a comedic reimagining of the eponymous adventure novels by sax rohmer. Fu manchu doesnt grab the obvious opportunity to satirize all the old. A sad end to peter sellers career, especially if its true that he directed much of the film after a falling out with the credited director. Peter sellers is deliciously diabolical and hes up to his old multiplerole tricks that worked so hilariously in dr. Sid caesar, hellen mirren, and david tomlinson also appear in the supporting cast. Fu manchu has run out of the elixir that keeps his 168yearold body fit for fiendishness. Fu manchu stars peter sellers, dame helen mirren, sid caesar, david tomlinson the pg movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 38 min, and received a score of. The humor in this movie is subtle and it presents itself as an old school jewel heist, but theres so much more to this film. Fu sends his lackeys to round up ingredients for a new batch of elixir, starting with the star of leningrad diamond, nabbed from a soviet exhibition in washington. Fu manchu s 168th birthday celebration is dampened when a hapless flunky spills fu s ageregressing elixir vitae. Fu manchu 1980 detective nayland smith hunts his 168yearold nemesis peter sellers, who needs the crown jewels for a youth elixir. Everyone is just going through the motions in this parody of the fu manchu movies that at times seems like it wants to be a serious fu manchu movie. Directed by piers haggard, richard quine, peter sellers. The 168yearold fu manchu sellers is starting to run out of the youthpreserving formula that has kept him alive and kicking for the past eight or so decades, and he decides its high.
Fu sends his lackeys to round up ingredients for a new batch of elixir, starting with the star of leningrad diamond, nabbed from a soviet exhibition in washington, d. Fu manchu s peter sellers 168th birthday celebration is dampened when a hapless flunky spills fu s ageregressing elixir vitae. In his final film, peter sellers merrily spoofs one of horrordoms favorite archvillains. Strangelove and the mouse that roared, also stiffupperlipping it as fu s unflappable nemesis, nayland smith of scotland yard. Peter sellers, helen mirren, sid caesar, simon williams, steve franken, david tomlinson, piers haggard. Peter sellers full list of movies and tv shows in theaters, in production and upcoming films. Based on characters created by sax rohmer, the film stars sellers in the dual role of fu manchu, a stereotypical chinese evil genius, and english country gentleman detective nayland smith preproduction began with richard quine as director. An accident caused by a very familiar person to pink panther fans drives fu manchu to open crime again which leads to nayland being back on his trail. Includes the dance rendition of good ship lollypop by helen mirrin that will immortalize her.
Though sellers was a great success professionally, he did not fare as well in the personal realm. In search of a secret formula to prolong his life, dr. Lets get the dying peter sellers to play the dying fu manchu, and since hes washed up and cheap, he can play the other lead character as well. Lets write a bunch of ethnic jokes, which were stale well before this movie was conceived, and hire some declining comic actors who probably think theyre still funny, to deliver them. Fu manchu will not be remembered as one of peter sellers finest cinematic achievements. It was the final film featuring star peter sellers and david tomlinson. As detective nayland smith, he gives a beautifully detailed and touching portrayal even better than his affectionate tribute to fu manchu. I remember this film from childhood and how horrified i was to hear that peter sellers had died while making it. Peter sellers merrily spoofs one of horrors favorite arch villains. Find movie and film cast and crew information for the fiendish plot of dr.
Fu manchu without credit, and is said to have briefly taken over as director, though the results lack the snap of his best work. Sellers controlled performance was key to the success of this subtle comedy. Richard greene in the blood of fu manchu 1968 and the castle of fu manchu 1969 peter sellers in the fiendish plot of dr. Chillingly prophetic was part of the storyline where dr. Fu manchu is by no means the best of peter sellers work, for those who are fans and appreciate his whole output, the movie is enjoyable. Fu manchus peter sellers 168th birthday celebration is dampened when a hapless flunky spills fus ageregressing elixir vitae. Aug 17, 20 fiendish plot of fu manchu dont miss this. The last dual quirky performances of peter sellers. Phil hardy described the film as a british atrocity. Peter sellers had such a weak heart, that he was advised not to make this movie at all. The movie has some good moments what peter sellers comedy could not have. Peter sellers list of movies and tv shows tv guide.
Peter sellers also contributed to the screenplay of the fiendish plot of dr. Based on characters created by sax rohmer, the film stars sellers in the dual role of fu manchu, a stereotypical chinese evil genius, and english country gentleman detective nayland smith. However, it features a priceless sellers performance. This is an excellent widescreen transfer and a joy to watch. As the movie goes on you can see an open change in nayland as the chase is once again resumed and he works to foil fu manchus plot. In this briliant scene from peter sellers last film the fiendish plot of dr. The best movie quotes, movie lines and film phrases by movie quotes. Sellers appears unwell and tired throughout the film and his characterizations of naylandsmith and fu manchu are both portrayed in a mostly subdued and quiet fashion. Burt kwouk, sellers longtime costar in the pink panther films, makes a cameo appearance as a fu manchu. Multiple characters for sellers, goon showtype humor, a measure of unreality and strong supporting performances all contribute to it. Peter sellers stars as both scotland yard detective nayland smith and smiths nemesis, archfiend dr. Jul 11, 2014 10 essential peter sellers films you need to watch posted on july 11, 2014 july 11, 2014 by alex moore considered by many to be one of the greatest comedic actors of all time, the enigmatic personality, peter sellers, created a body of work that spanned three decades and within that time also created some of the most memorable performances in.
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