WHO IS KILLING THE GREAT CHEFS OF EUROPE?

US, 1978, 112 minutes, Colour.
George Segal, Jacqueline Bisset, Robert Morley, Jean Pierre Cassel, Philippe Noiret, Jean Rochefort, Peter Sallis, John Le Mesurier, Joss Ackland.
Directed by Ted Kotcheff.

This is a 1970s-style murder mystery. Someone who is jealous of the great chefs of Europe is murdering them, one by one, and using the style of their greatest dish. Something has to be done – and there is a gathering of chefs in order to find out who will be next.

At the centre of the story is a hustling type of fast-food magnate, George Segal. Jacqueline Bisset is his ex-wife, an expert in making desserts. He is looking for his chef for a new chain that he is opening, for omelettes. Robert Morley portrays a magazine editor, who enjoys eating – and is ignoring doctors’ warnings about his health.

Robert Morley must have made a great impression at the time because he was nominated for a Golden Globe as best supporting actor and won awards from the National Society of Critics as well as the Los Angeles critics. Jacqueline Bisset was also nominated for a Golden Globe for best actress in a comedy.

The film has the light touch – and is an entertaining mystery, especially with Jean Pierre Cassel, Philipe Noiret and Jean Rochefort as a group of French chefs.

The film was directed by Ted Kotcheff, best known for strong dramas like Life at the Top, Tiara Tahiti. He also made the very strong film about the Australian outback, Wake in Fright.

1. The popularity of the murder mystery? The whodunit aspects? The clues, puzzle, solution? The tone of this title indicating what is to come?

2. The importance for this style of film in colour, English, French and Venetian locations? The combination work of the stars? The contribution of the visuals of the food? The modern tone, fashionable, the world of popular magazines and television?

3. The quality of the comedy, the mystery? How well drawn and delineated the characters? The humour and wit of the dialogue? The inventiveness of the plot and its visualizing? The food imagery and the film as a souffle? The quality of the mystery, suspense, suspects, the build-up to the climax? The ironic anticlimactic ending?

4. The importance of the food setting and the amount of visual attention given to the presentation of the food? The world of wealth, elite? The contrast with American vulgarity and functionalism about food? An embodied in Robert and his making millions out of ideas on hamburgers, omelets? The contrast with Natasha as a worldwide skilled chef especially with desserts? The background of eating, elegant food? The dialogue's emphasis on nutrition, snobbery? Cooking and eating an an art? The exaggeration of interest in food? The realism of diets as motivation for murder? The poking fun at chefs an prima donnas, their jealousies? The comic aspects of the theme of food, serious points made, satire? Audience interest in food and eating?

5. The initial introduction to Max ? Robert Morley’s personality and style, associations with food? His English snobbery? Seeing him at work for his magazine, with his staff? The initial introduction to his kitchen and the witty remarks, the artistic temperament? His personal manner, the scenes of his eating for example while the fight was going on between the two chefs in the kitchen? His favourite dishes? His language? Ideas, snobbery? The visits to his doctor and the discussions about diet? The world in which he lived and his magazine? His attitudes towards Robert and his dislike of him, his devotion to Natasha? The importance of the work of his assistant, her efficiency, her over-presence? The scenes of Morley comedy, eating? His shaping up as the important suspect? Could the audience believe that he was the murderer?

6. The theme of food as exemplified in the preparations for the meal at Buckingham Palace? The cooks in the kitchen and the chef's temperament, the organizer and his drinking, nerves, speed, precision? How artistic is the art of cooking? The various courses the effect on the personnel, the congratulations of the Queen? 7. The Swiss cook and his speciality, his restaurant? Being chosen for the royal banquet? The farcical nature of his fight in the kitchen with the French chef? His attraction towards Natasha? Their spending the night together and the romantic interlude? The comedy of the morning after and the ugliness of his murder?

8. The presentation of the Venetian chef - in Venice, his skills, restaurant, romantic attitude towards Natasha? The irony of Robert's presence with the Swiss cook and the Venetian in order to make them a proposal for his omelet idea? The fact that he should have been in Brussels? The ugliness of the Venetian chef's mirror?

6. George Segal’s comedy style as Robert? Jacqueline Bisset's presence as Natasha? Ex-husband and with their explanations for their splitting up, the evident nature of their love? The way that they reacted together? The importance of Natasha’s presence at the crimes, Robert's bumbling into them? The humour of his presence in Venice at the meal?

7. The personality of Natasha, the credibility of her being such a champion chef? The growing irony that she was on the list to be murdered?

8. The portrait of the various nationalities in their police work?

9. The gathering together by Robert of the French chef and their petty jealousies as they were scattered around the tables? Their prima donna performances and wanting to be killed for reputation? Their eventual getting together to discuss the matter?

10. The French cook and his unreasonable jealousy, his presence at the meal and his taking his own life? For how long was he a suspect especially for his presence in London and in Venice?

11. The significance of Max’s going to Paris and getting the recipe from the French cook? The long sequence in which the recipe was detailed, the pressed duck put in the crushing machine and the blood oozing out as symbol for what was to happen?

12. The build-up to Natasha’s death? Max welcoming then back and his ambiguous attitudes, their work in the kitchen, Robert and his interference with the dessert, the switching of the desserts?

13. The world of television, the show itself Natasha’s performance? Max’s suspicious presence? Robert and his realization, the chasing round the television studio, specially on the wrong floors and the humorous asides of the programmes being presented, the way that he interrupted them? The molodrazation of his interruption and the delayed going off of the bomb?

14. Audience response to Max’s final banquet and his overeating, the presence of his assistant? The belief that he was the murderer and Robert’s and Natasha’s reaction? The suddenness of the assistant's confession and the emotional explanation of her motives? The anticlimactic irony of Max waiting up? His smile during the final credits?

15. A satisfying blend of mystery wit and humour, observation on contemporary living and the quality of life?