Kill or Cure

"Kill or Cure" is a nice little British comedy from the 60s. Terry Thomas stars as a (sort of bumbling) private detective, and tries to solve a mysterious murder at a health clinic for a £2000 reward. It gets the job done as a comedy, as most of the jokes hit. The idea for it is good, and though The screenplay isn't amazing, it's still good nonetheless. It has a few other British stars, and each of the cast members act their roles well. It also works well as a mystery, and plays out as a good murder mystery film. Overall, it's a nice, lighthearted comedy. Personally, I liked it and recommend it. 6/10.

This is a rather enjoyable little early British comedy. Amazing to see how actually little British comedy changed over the decades. This movie is in the same trend as for instance the Pink Panther movies (although obviously less brilliant) and gives a fun take on the murder-mystery genre. A genre director George Pollock knew really well since he directed many Agatha Christie novel movies, including the four earliest Miss Jane Marple movies, starring Margaret Rutherford.

The movie is nothing too fancy and its kept very simple, with its story and characters. It's also obviously fairly low-budget all. But lets face it, the murder-mystery movies from the '60's themselves also weren't that much special in terms of originality and re-playability. In that regard this movie is a fitting one, that takes on all the typical genre clichés, without ever really becoming original on itself, though the movie does a good job at keeping it a secret who the killer is, right till the end.

The setting of the movie is a comical fun one; a health clinic but its potential isn't used to the max in this movie. There are too few references reminding us of the fact that this movie is set in a health clinic. I mean were are the mud-baths, the face-masks, cold-water baths, disgusting food, etcetera. I remember a "Dalziel and Pascoe" episode that used this in a far more effective comical way and "Dalziel and Pascoe" isn't even a comedy-series but a serious' English detective-series. So I felt that it was a bit of a missed opportunity, to make the movie effectively more fun and comical-like.

The actors aren't much special but they known how to handle the comedy-genre well. It also provides the movie with some fun comical characters, without overly trying to be funny. Such as Det. Insp. Hook (Lionel Jeffries) but also the main character played by Terry-Thomas is a good and fun one, that knows to carry the movie effectively.

A good fun movie. I mean, there basically is no way you wont enjoy watching this movie.

6/10

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Kill or Cure rates amongst my "Top 10" films. The dialogue is Brit-hilarious, and Terry-Thomas must be one of the funniest men who ever graced a movie screen. The best part, however, for this Peke lover, is that the real star of the film is a Pekingese puppy named Horatio who charmingly plays a pivotal role. Every Peke addict should watch this film. The director did an outstanding job in catching the true Peke personality on film. Horatio is a gorgeous pup with all the Peke "get up and go" toughness that one would expect from a Lion Dog. This film pokes fun at the British police, British class system, British health farms, detectives, and everybody and everything else. It is full of great wit, charm, warmth and intelligence. In short, they don't make movies like this anymore, and the world's much sadder for it!

"Kill or Cure" is an unusual film. While the plot is that of an Agatha Christie story about her recurring characters, Tommy and Tuppence, the story has been altered to make it a comedy. So instead of the husband/wife duo, you have Terry-Thomas as the Captain...a private detective AND photographer (it seems being a private eye doesn't pay well...so he takes photos to make ends meet).

The story begins with a rich elderly woman hiring the Captain over the phone. She wants him to stay at a health clinic and investigate some crime...and she'll tell him about it when she sees him at the clinic. As for the clinic, it's a place which believes in taking all the fun out of life and replacing it with vegetable juices, physical therapy which is akin to torture, and keeping the residents freezing 'for their own good'...and, naturally, the Captain hates it. However, before he can meet the old lady, she's murdered...and there's a large reward for solving the crime. However, it's not as easy as all that...as he'll soon find out for himself.

Terry-Thomas could be very funny. However, apart from the potentially funny setting, not enough is made of it when it comes to laughs. Now I am NOT saying it's a bad film...but it certainly isn't exactly a comedy though it is supposed to be. An okay offering...very watchable but missing what it needs to be a must-see.

Kill or Cure ticks all the boxes to make it a 'must see British Film', until I switch off the Video and decide whether I want to erase the tape or not. Frankly, it doesn't work. And it should. And that is the most infuriating thing about this film. Look at the cast and plot: Terry Thomas is a private eye investigating a murder mystery at a health club/hotel (run by Dennis Price). He teems up with an obsessive physical fitness organiser, played by Eric Sykes at the height of his filmed career. In the best British Murder Mystery Genre, they try and bring the murderer to book ahead of Lionel Jeffries' neurotic Policeman. The murderer is uncovered, there is a lovely twist at the end, but I was left with a nagging 'could do better' feeling.

It lacked that vital something. The film was well cast; it was well plotted; decently filmed; enthusiastically acted, but even lacks the charm and appeal of the Agatha Christie Films made at the same time.