Okay, first of all the premise of this film when written on paper looks interesting. What part of "man invites friends over knowing one of them accidentally killed his wife a year earlier" doesn't sound interesting? The way they go about it is also pretty good.The way the writing is done is very good if you want a well-written mystery that does get explained rather well (and would you believe it - it was written by Anthony Perkins who played Norman Bates). It sort of gives off clues that you never look out for until the mystery is almost over. Which is rather well done.Now onto my complaints, the mystery in my opinion would have worked better if Clinton didn't die and actually went on with the game. I just would think that it would have been set off in a better direction than what we had. It just seemed like a great way to go through a mystery.Not only that but I felt unable to connect with the characters. None of them were interesting. Which is my biggest complaint. Because aside from that it could have been great.So it is a well written mystery but aside from that I'm just unable to connect with the characters.

When I first viewed this movie, I was thrilled and confused. It takes a couple of viewings to get the catch. This mind twisting mystery is a great 70's classic. James Coburn plays a millionaire who's fascinated with playing games, well this game you don't have to movie you just have to be smart. Dyan Cannon and Raquel Welch are always great. My favorite scene is James Coburn in the castle on the second night of their game. Make sure you pay attention through the whole movie no interruptions. Excellent cast and excellent plot. I give it 10 out of 10 stars.So go out and view this movie you will love it.

***SPOILERS*** Obsessed in finding his wife Shelia's, Yvonne Romain, killer big time Hollywood film producer Clinton Green, James Coburn, concocts this game that he plans to invite all those, at the party that he threw a years ago in Bel Air, to play whom he suspects, in a drunken hit-and-run accident, killed his wife Shelia. Shelia was killed walking home when she left the party after a fight with her husband Clinton.Invited on Clinton's yacht the "Shelia" on a cruse in the Mediterranean the six guests are given slips of paper that has something that they did in the past that they would rather forget about. One of those slips identifies the person who ran down Shelia, Hit-and-Run Driver, but it's up to the game that Clinton dreamed up to find out which one of the six that person is! Clinton's game does uncover a shoplifter in the bunch in sexy B-movie actress Alice Green, Raquel Welsh, which has the person who killed Shilia start to get nervous in that the cagey and clever that Clinton eventually will expose her or him by the time the one week cruse is over.***SPOILERS*** It's when the yacht docks at the deserted Catholic Church on the Isle of Saint Pierre that this seemingly harmless parlor game turns deadly for Clinton who up until then thought he was in control of events in the movie. It's then that we in the audience as well as Clinton realize that he totally miscalculated in exposing Sheila's killer by setting himself up to be murdered by someone who had nothing at all to do with her death. But in fact had it in for him for years and used Clinton's birdbrain game of whodunit as cover in order to, with an icepick, ice him!Released over year before the very similar and far more popular "Murder on the Orient Express" the movie "The Last of Shelia" is far more interesting in the many twists and turns in it that not only uncover the hit-and-run killer but activate an entire out of blue murder that really, if you think about it, had nothing to do with Clinton Green's plans. Being the egomaniac that he was Clinton overlooked that unlike his wife Shelia who was accidentally killed by a drunk driver he was targeted right from the start by one of his guests to be murdered whom, unlike the person who killed his wife, was just itching for the chance to do him in! And it was the clueless Clinton Green who gave that person all the rope he needed to do it with!

Top notch yet obscure mystery concerning a group of friends assembled by the eccentric James Coburn to stay aboard his luxury yacht to ostensibly play an elaborate treasure hunt on nearby islands. But the fun and games turn into a bizarre and brutal murder club when a plot to uncover the killer of Coburn's wife is revealed. Everyone's a suspect, and through a process of elimination, the pieces of the game begin to implicate certain members of the group, as skeletons are bared and recriminations over the death of Coburn's wife Sheila (Yvonne Romaine, seen in flashback only) taunt the group.Benjamin is essentially the lead player, with great support from Hackett and Mason in particular. Raquel Welch looks great in her skimpy attire, ditto Dyan Cannon and Ian McShane isn't necessarily dwarfed by his co-stars. Kudos all round. Several red herrings and cul-de-sacs maintain the suspense, and the ingenious wrap up resolves all loose ends fittingly in a satisfying conclusion. An early theme song by Better Midler ("Friends") is also memorable. Interesting that this was co-authored by Anthony Perkins; another superb achievement in his impressive film repertoire.The careful dialogue and cinematography, timing and distinctive characterisations concoct an elaborate web of deceit that should keep the most avid arm-chair detective guessing until the end. Indeed Coburn teases us in the first act when Mason says he likes any game in which he doesn't have to move, to which Coburn responds with a Cheshire-grin "you don't have to for this one, if you're smart enough". While it remains little known (surprising when you consider the names attached), it's well worth tracking down for those who enjoy a neatly crafted mystery.