I saw "Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?" in its original run in U.S. theaters. I was nine years old, but my mother used to drag me to any movie she wanted to see whether it was "child-friendly" or not. I loved this movie then and have enjoyed every repeat viewing since. It's a stylish, frothy romantic comedy with a little bit of murder mystery (nothing that will tax your brain), sumptuous gourmet meals and elegant locales, and bitingly witty dialogue --mostly from the incredibly funny Robert Morley. The film revolves around two ex-spouses: world-renowed pastry chef Natasha (Bisset) and crass, wealthy fast food tycoon Robby (Segal), who re-unite to try to solve the caper when top chefs are knocked off around the capitals of Europe. They travel from London to Venice to Paris and back again, encountering an array of melodramatic, egotistical and hilarious chefs along the way, played by well-known European character actors (Philippe Noiret, Jean-Pierre Cassel, etc.). Bisset's clothes, designed by Donfeld, don't date very well, but it was the '70s. She's supposed to be quirky. She looks gorgeous nonetheless. The lighting in this film is perfume-ad soft. Some of the scenes where the chefs, especially Bisset, prepare their specialties make you want to jump through the screen. At nine, I never knew food could look like that! This movie is a few decades old, but retains its glamour and wit. Look for a very young Nigel Havers in a minor part early on.
