I must confess that I am not very big on anthology omnibuses. I prefer a film with a single story involving the same characters. That said, I have watched extremely fine omnibuses like QUARTET (UK 1948), O. HENRY'S FULL HOUSE and, especially, DEAD OF NIGHT (UK 1945) which I include among the best 50 films I have watched to date.
I do not rate THREE CASES OF MURDER beneath QUARTET: I really enjoyed it, its clever wit and dramatic twists in all three segments. Although Directors George O' Ferral, David Eady, and Wendy Toye are far from househokd names, and Orson Welles' directorial contribution goes uncredited, it is a work brimming with intelligence, interesting unexpected turns, and believable if larger than life characters.
I found the first, IN THE PICTURE, the most original of the three segments, with a very cleverly supernatural element worked in, that perfectly dovetails with the genius of painting. The picture of a house in the night in a storm-soaked landscape would deserve attentive and loving scrutiny in any art gallery, but it is the life within the painting that reveals astounding imagination... and some cold blood to boot.
The second, YOU KILLED ELIZABETH, is probably the least embroidered of the three entries but by no means worthless. It warrants watching! John Gregson shines as the totally self-absorbed Edgar, who thinks nothing of seducing his best friend's wife-to-be, and gets carefully planned comeuppance.
The third, LORD MOUNTRAGO, includes truly wonderful acting from Orson Welles as a British Member of Parliament and Secretary of Foreign Affairs who first demeans, then allows a lower rung MP to penetrate his defenses with laughter and this memorable phrase: "I wish I could break your heart as you have mine... but you have no heart."
Note also the perfect diction and understated acting by André Morell, in contrast with Welles' grandstanding as Lord Mountdrago.
And so, however unwillingly at first, Lord Mountdrago's conscience begins to work against him. It is a flamboyant tale with Welles at his flamboyant best, but the reality of life, where death ultimately evens all things, never strays far.
Extremely competent cinematography and gripping dialogue in all three segments. 8/10.
I do not rate THREE CASES OF MURDER beneath QUARTET: I really enjoyed it, its clever wit and dramatic twists in all three segments. Although Directors George O' Ferral, David Eady, and Wendy Toye are far from househokd names, and Orson Welles' directorial contribution goes uncredited, it is a work brimming with intelligence, interesting unexpected turns, and believable if larger than life characters.
I found the first, IN THE PICTURE, the most original of the three segments, with a very cleverly supernatural element worked in, that perfectly dovetails with the genius of painting. The picture of a house in the night in a storm-soaked landscape would deserve attentive and loving scrutiny in any art gallery, but it is the life within the painting that reveals astounding imagination... and some cold blood to boot.
The second, YOU KILLED ELIZABETH, is probably the least embroidered of the three entries but by no means worthless. It warrants watching! John Gregson shines as the totally self-absorbed Edgar, who thinks nothing of seducing his best friend's wife-to-be, and gets carefully planned comeuppance.
The third, LORD MOUNTRAGO, includes truly wonderful acting from Orson Welles as a British Member of Parliament and Secretary of Foreign Affairs who first demeans, then allows a lower rung MP to penetrate his defenses with laughter and this memorable phrase: "I wish I could break your heart as you have mine... but you have no heart."
Note also the perfect diction and understated acting by André Morell, in contrast with Welles' grandstanding as Lord Mountdrago.
And so, however unwillingly at first, Lord Mountdrago's conscience begins to work against him. It is a flamboyant tale with Welles at his flamboyant best, but the reality of life, where death ultimately evens all things, never strays far.
Extremely competent cinematography and gripping dialogue in all three segments. 8/10.