Last month, as part of their annual "Summer Under The Stars" series, the Turner Classic Movies cable TV channel had a day dedicated to the films of Peter Sellers. One of the movies shown (at 4 am, which was a hint to its quality) was the last theatrical feature with new footage of Peter Sellers to be released, 1980's THE FIENDISH PLOT OF FU MANCHU. I have read for years about how absolutely terrible this film was, so I decided to check it out for myself. (I did not get up at 4 am to watch it, I viewed it on my Xfinity TCM app.)
Is THE FIENDISH PLOT OF DR. FU MANCHU really that bad?? I certainly wouldn't call it so horrible as to be unwatchable. It's just not funny. Humor is very subjective--what one person finds hilarious another will react to with stone-faced indifference. I think, however, that's it safe to say that this movie is not going to cause anyone to bust a gut laughing.
Peter Sellers plays the dual roles of Dr. Fu Manchu and his nemesis Inspector Nayland Smith. Sellers portrays both characters as befuddled old men, and the actor's various health problems at this point in his life may have had something to do with that. Sellers at times seems detached from what is going on, and he fails to display the manic energy he would inject into his classic comedy roles from the 50s and 60s.
As happened way too often in Sellers' movie career, the making of this production was filled with all sorts of drama. According to internet sources, three different directors worked on this project: Richard Quine, John Avildsen, and Piers Haggard. All three men clashed with Sellers. Haggard got director's credit on the actual film, but he wasn't around at the end of shooting. Sellers himself directed and wrote a number of scenes.
Whoever was responsible for how this film turned out, he--or they--didn't bring much zip or zing into it. Sarcastic crazy comedy needs some high energy to make it work, and THE FIENDISH PLOT is flat and lifeless, lumbering along at 100 minutes. Just about everything in it is far more weird than funny.
The story (which an onscreen title says is set "Possibly around 1933") has the 168-year old Fu Manchu searching for ingredients to make his elixir of life, which accounts for his advanced age. Fu and his minions attempt to pull off a number of crimes, which gets the attention of Scotland Yard. The authorities call upon the retired Sir Nayland Smith, who hasn't been the same since being tortured by Fu's men (this supposedly accounts for his somewhat lethargic state). Nayland Smith tracks down Fu to his Himalayan lair, but the evil doctor winds up fully revived--which inspires him to dress up like Elvis and sing a ridiculous song called "Rock-a-Fu". (Trust me, the rest of the gags aren't much better.)
Helen Mirren plays an undercover lady constable named Alice, who, in an effort to thwart Fu, disguises as England's Queen Mary (which is rather ironic since the actress would later famously play Queen Mary's granddaughter Elizabeth II). Mirren's character is also an aspiring performer, so we get to see her sing & dance to "On The Good Ship Lollipop". Alice and Fu fall in love (???), and the two even join together to duet on a music hall classic called "Daddy Wouldn't Buy Me A Bow-Wow". Mirren is essentially the equivalent of Madeline Kahn in a Mel Brooks movie....except the least Brooks comedy is way more entertaining than what she's doing here.
David Tomlinson and Sid Caesar are in this movie as well, but they don't get any chances to shine. Caesar plays an Italian-American FBI agent named Capone....I assume this was supposed to be some sort of joke, but nothing ever comes out of it. Burt Kwouk (who was Kato to Sellers' Inspector Clouseau) has a cameo, and maybe he was lucky to just be in only one scene.
THE FIENDISH PLOT OF FU MANCHU wasn't cheap--it has impressive production values, and it certainly isn't lacking anything on the technical level. (Ironically most of the film was shot in France.) But as a comedy, it's on the level of a mediocre 1960s American TV sitcom....or a THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW skit that doesn't work and goes on way too long.
It's sad that THE FIENDISH PLOT OF FU MANCHU was the last film Peter Sellers worked on (it was released soon after the actor's death). It's also sad--and perplexing--how a performer as talented as Sellers wound up in so many terrible films, and how his personal quirks upended so many productions he was involved in.
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