Following the international success of Brigitte Bardot, a glamorous continental star became de rigueur in many British films of the late fifties and early sixties. Here it's Anna Karina, standing in the way of two fortune-hunting brothers, played by Alfred Marks and Bob Monkhouse, living in unlikely circumstances with their butler in an old mansion on top of a cliff. Marriage or murder are the options, and the brothers decide on the latter. So you can split your sides laughing as Marks laces her cakes with rat poison and fall about as Monkhouse attempts to run her over. Rarely in his distinguished career can he have worked as hard in pursuit of so few laughs. Maybe a more accomplished director than Robert Asher could have wrung some more humour out of the various other assassination attempts that go awry, but such tired business as the revolving fireplace that plays no part in the plot, and Peter Butterworth's short-sighted doctor, look desperate. Far too little is seen of Hattie Jacques, whose eccentric journalist provides the few real moments of fun. Now out on DVD, and described as 'stylish' on the blurb, which was not the first word to occur to me.
Review of Maid for Murder
