MovieChat Forums > The Last of Sheila (1973) Discussion > My only gripe.

My only gripe.

posted 16 years ago by mizhu
16 replies | jump to latest

I've loved this movie since it was first released theatrically. Actually, I read the tie-in novel before I saw the film.

I'm rewatching it now and still have this only gripe.

****SPOILERS****

In the confessional shots early in the film...before the real killer is revealed at the end...Clinton is obviously already dead. You hear Tom imitating Clinton's voice, but Clinton's eyes are lifeless and his head-movememts aren't natural.

I remember people saying at the time that they knew Clinton was already dead at that point. Sort of takes something away from the whole mystery.

[–] popcornprincess16 16 years ago

I guess some people are just super observant, I know the first time I watched I didn't realise he was already dead at that point maybe I should have been paying more attention!

Is the tie in novel any good? Any differences to the movie?

[–] ciphoid_9 16 years ago

I think it's intentional though, and it adds as much mystery as it takes away, provided that you solve the clues improperly, like I did when I first watched the film, LOL! Clinton was already dead, so I figured the person who smashed the front door of the confessional booth did this, well, to somehow make it appear as if he was killed head-on because... uhm... uh......

Maybe I should have paid more attention to the actual clue when Tom imitated Clinton in a previous scene back on the ship. The thing is, Clinton's dead eyes tell you something is wrong, but you cannot identify the whispering voice from the confessional booth as Tom's voice, you have to make the connection to the other scene. And if you're really sharp, you had it all figured out much earlier because you noticed the smooth card that should have been crumpled in Tom's wallet.

[–] mizhu 16 years ago

I also saw this film theatrically when it was first released (and read the tie-in novel) and own the DVD now, so I've seen it many times. All I can say is: I agree.

Clinton is obviously already dead in those shots, and so much so that I figure it had to be intentional on the filmmakers' parts for some reason. But I never understood why.

[–] doctorfurby 13 years ago

When they showed the killer manipulating Clinton with the ice pick was one of the creepiest scenes I've ever seen.

[–] seansvh 16 years ago

I've watched it many, many times and I never thought Tom really sounded like Clinton when he said that line. I also think Clinton looks totally dead in that scene, but I think we're supposed to think that, as you said, because it makes the "fake" solution seem all the more plausible.

The best thing about this film is watching it with someone else who's never seen it. I watched it with a friend who turned to me after they had revealed their secrets and said, "Wait a minute...didn't one of them have a card that said 'Alcoholic'?" That and Tom crumpling the paper are great clues, not to mention Clinton's arranging everyone under the "Sheila" banner so their secrets correspond to each letter in her name. Great stuff! A++!!

[–] ciphoid_9 16 years ago

I agree, the script is amazing. Rather unique, actually. If you listen to the commentary track, it's interesting that Perkins and Sondheim (the writers) were enthusiastic game players who loved creating mysteries and puzzles like the ones in the film. I'm pretty sure they tested their script on people to see if (and to what extent) the audience would perceive the clues, and then fine-tuned them to have the desired effect. I find it remarkable that The Last of Sheila gives us so many pieces without giving away the puzzle. Many other whodunnits leave the audience feeling cheated by insolvable clues or totally far-fetched solutions, but The Last of Sheila has a great balance. The clues are not that difficult and the solution is not far-fetched at all, and yet most people won't solve it before James Mason does. The ending leaves you dumbfounded without feeling cheated, and you'll want to watch it again.

[–] seansvh 16 years ago

Your post is a couple months old so you may not remember, but next time I have a party I'm getting my hands on a Polaroid camera and planning the game they talked about on the commentary: one by one, each guest goes into the bathroom, takes a Polaroid of a part of their body, and when everyone's done they all have to guess who took what picture! Genius!

[–] cgrady-2 16 years ago

Its interesting. I'm a huge fan of this film and I've shown it to quite a few friends. When this scene comes on I always sit there thinking that they'll say something but not once has it happened. I've got to hand it to the film, they get away with it.

[–] ocrilat 16 years ago

The funny thing is that, even though I have shown this film to many people...no one has ever noticed that Clinton was dead in that scene.

[–] justoldbill 16 years ago

Another problem with the scene is that after the premiere engagements a lot of the monastery scene was trimmed. Originaly, there was much more scurrying around and growing frustration with the cowled, unidentifiable participants (including Clinton) building up to the murder.. The subsequent trimming undercut the original continuity and tension of the scene. These trims stayed on the cutting room floor ever after, along with the "I have never..." scene. These scenes are reflected in the novelization and indeed were in the original cut.

[–] Devans00 16 years ago

Well, when they first showed Clint dead in the confessional, I thought he was being sarcastic. Pretending he was bored to death of Christine's constant chatter. His extreme rudeness of being dismissive of Christine and slamming the little confessional door shut while she was prattling on was totally in character. That's why I didn't think he was dead the first times they showed him.

No two persons ever watch the same movie.

[–] Mr_Blonde3 13 years ago

I think it's brilliant, and I missed it the first time I watched the film. It's one of the many reasons I love the film. Sondheim and Perkins never screwed with us. EVERY clue to solving the murder was presented to us. Even that sequence isn't a cop out. They literally show us that Clinton is dead and if we're smart enough, we can figure it out. I've never seen another murder mystery play so fair with it's audience. It's never above us, it's right on our level.

I love to love my Lisa.

[–] joedonato234 11 years ago

What's great about it is the fact the film doesn't cheat. You can rewatch it and see it for what it really is. There are films where the hooded killer looks to be 6 feet tall and 200 pounds but photographed in darkness only to be revealed at the end to be the 5 foot 2 inch 98 pound sister of the hero.

[–] BenAtlanta 11 years ago

Keep in mind this is how movies worked long before VHS and DVD allowed rewind and study -- the shots of Clinton whizzed by, short clips, and nobody was the wiser. It looks so fake once you know or have seen it enough but not on first viewing. Like movies with obvious body doubles when you freeze them on TV -- but the image flew by at the theater.

[–] moosefeathers 8 years ago

That's how you watch a mystery.

I knew Benjamin was the homosexual because of his hand smoking cigarette with Racquel Welch and the golfing picture and when Clinton was going to the island on the small boat, he grazed Benjamin's face as a lover would do with his hand.

and so on and so forth with the others as well. I knew it was coming to [Shelia's Killer] because of the facial expression and reactions the killer was making.

Swing away, Merrill....Merrill, swing away...

[–] StakkaDakka 8 years ago

just saw this for the first time and yes, I absolutely thought he was dead. I found it so obvious that it didn't even occur to me that we weren't supposed to know it. Why else show a portion of his face, still head with unmoving eyes and have him put ona whispery voice like that when he had been talking freely moments earlier? Also it was very obvious that something was amiss when he was a robed silhouette whose face you couldn't see, and when he was spoken to he made hand gestures instead - there was no reason for them to suddenly portray him like that, it was clear to me that it must have been somone else in the robe, not Clinton. Honestly I thought it was intentional for us to know that.