In Venice, a millionaire hires an actor to help him prank three greedy ex-girlfriends into thinking he's dying and leaving his fortune to one of them.In Venice, a millionaire hires an actor to help him prank three greedy ex-girlfriends into thinking he's dying and leaving his fortune to one of them.In Venice, a millionaire hires an actor to help him prank three greedy ex-girlfriends into thinking he's dying and leaving his fortune to one of them.
- Oscar Ludwig
- (scenes deleted)
- The Pretender
- (scenes deleted)
- Violinist outside restaurant
- (uncredited)
- Cook
- (uncredited)
- Massimo
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe great Italian cinematographer Gianni Di Venanzo died suddenly of hepatitis (aged only 45) during the making of this movie, with many weeks of the five-month shooting schedule to go before completion. His operator, Pasqualino De Santis, took over as director of photography, but refused credit in this capacity, although he would quickly go on to international renown with his work for Luchino Visconti, Franco Zeffirelli, Joseph Losey, and others.
- GoofsNear the beginning, when Dominique is bent over drawing her bath, a shadow of the camera falls across her back.
- Quotes
Merle McGill: I guess it must be hard for you to understand, Inspector, a man like me and Cecil Fox.
Inspector Rizzi: Not hard at all.
Merle McGill: But how can I say it, Inspector... He was my first... man. Somehow you just never forget your first man.
Inspector Rizzi: I remember mine - vividly.
[Merle throws him a curious glance]
Inspector Rizzi: He also got away.
- Crazy credits"Based Upon: A Play by Frederick Knott and A Novel by Thomas Sterling - and A Play by Ben Jonson"
- ConnectionsFeatured in Discovering Film: Rex Harrison (2015)
The typically superb script and direction from Joseph L. Mankiewicz, from a play by mystery writer Frederick Knott, inspired in turn by Ben Johnson's classic play, VOLPONE, THE HONEY POT could not have had a better cast with Rex Harrison (at the top of his game) as the supposedly super-wealthy Cecil Fox mentally tilting with his secretary, Cliff Robertson, and a nosy nurse/love interest for Robertson, a very young Maggie Smith (younger viewers may be interested to see this very different performance from HARRY POTTER's Professor McGonagall - as well as her amazing Desdemona opposite Olivier's OTHELLO) and a trio of ex-loves, Edie Adams, Cappucine and Susan Hayward all in Fox's beautiful Venetian palatzo (the exterior shots are as gorgeous and the interiors).
A death happens (accident? perhaps murder?) and a Venetian police inspector, Adolfo Celi, enters the picture (lovely side note as his family at home is enraptured with PERRY MASON on American TV more than his real-life work) and the film starts to leave Ben Johnson's Volpone behind and delve into more complex games.
To be frank, this film has long been among my favorites - I have been accused of teaching an entire university course on Mystery Writers just to develop an audience for it. Showing the film at the conclusion of the course, after considering the progression of great mystery writing from Poe to Conan Doyle to Christie, Hammett and beyond, this marvelous under-appreciated work from Knott & Mankiewicz never fails to grab them. It's well worth a look for anyone interested in good literate fun, great performances and writing that don't depend on splatter gore, special effects or CGI.
While the ongoing box-office clout of stars Harrison and Hayward got the film a limited VHS release, it's hard to a copy today - but well worth the search.
Wonderful film...if only it had a better title.
- eschetic
- Jun 14, 2007
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Details
Box office
- Budget
- $6,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross worldwide
- $11,159
- Runtime2 hours 30 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1