International playboy Cecil Fox decides to pretend he’s dying in order to find out what his three old flames will do in order to ensure they are the sole beneficiary of his will. He summons them all to his bedside, and they come gladly, thinking of the fortune he will leave behind: Princess Dominique, fading movie star Merle McGill and Texas millionairess Mrs Sheridan. To assist him in his scheme, Fox hires William McFly, a gigolo and sometime actor to act as his secretary/servant. As Fox and McFly act out the charade, things take an unexpected turn from comical farce to full blown murder mystery as one of the contenders is found dead...

The Honey Pot (1967) stars Rex Harrison as Cecil Fox, who stages an elaborate play in his own home in order to see how desperate his three ex-partners are to receive his vast estate. The movie was based on the play by Ben Jonson - a fact that is referenced in the plot too.

The three women (Princess Dominique, fading movie star Merie McGill and Texas millionairess Mrs Sheridan) all have their own secrets that they have tried to keep hidden from the rest of the world.

What starts of as a harmless, if a little cruel, practical joke, soon turns sour as one of the three women ends up dead. As the film unravels, everyone comes under suspicion of being the murderer, but the twists and turns will keep you guessing until the credits role. And, even after we discover who the murderer is, there are still a few little surprises in store.

If I had one criticism it was that the suspects, and their motifs, are quickly brushed aside and their word is taken as gospel so that we can quickly get to who the real culprit is.

Apart from the obvious leads of Rex Harrison and Susan Hayward, other notable performances include Maggie Smith, who plays Sarah Watkins the nurse who is responsible for the well being of Mrs Sheridan, and Adolfo Celi, the Italian actor and director, stars as Inspector Rizzi. Celi is probably best known to most people for portraying Emilio Largo in the 1965 James Bond movie Thunderball.

The only extra is the original theatrical trailer - there aren't even subtitles for the hard of hearing. The RRP of £16 reflects this, but to be honest it's still a little over priced - especially when you consider that the picture quality ranges from poor (there are a few scenes where the film jumps) to average. What a shame the print wasn't given a bit of a clean before being transferred to DVD.

While this is a great film, the poor presentation means that this is by no means an essential purchase.

7

Darren Rea