IMDb RATING
6.2/10
1.3K
YOUR RATING
California small town police chief investigates a suspicious death involving the victim's own dog that presumably killed its owner.California small town police chief investigates a suspicious death involving the victim's own dog that presumably killed its owner.California small town police chief investigates a suspicious death involving the victim's own dog that presumably killed its owner.
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaPeter Lawford, June Allyson, and Ann Rutherford were all veterans who had spent the better part of their careers at M-G-M. Allyson and Lawford had co-starred together in two films, Good News (1947) and Little Women (1949), while also appearing separately in Girl Crazy (1943). This film served as a reunion of sorts, giving them an opportunity to be in the last film shot on the fabled studio backlot before the land was sold.
- GoofsWhen he starts chasing Watkins, Abel is driving a 1967 Chevrolet. When he runs Watkins off the road in the field above the ocean at the conclusion of the same chase, Abel is driving a 1966 Chevrolet.
- Quotes
Kate Bingham: Can you imagine coming home, and your wife says she's leaving you for someone else, and you say, "Who, Phil?" and she says, "No. Phyllis."
Abel Marsh: Well, that's the ultimate put-down... to those of us who are normal heterosexuals.
Featured review
Far from being a dogs' breakfast, but still nothing great.
This film does feature a striking opening: a Doberman struggling with a woman's body in the ocean water. The dog (we find out his name is Murphy) was the woman's pet, but he's assumed to have killed her. That is, until an autopsy reveals that she died of drowning. In FRESH water, no less. This presents a fairly interesting case for cranky small town police chief Abel Marsh (James Garner, solid as always), who reluctantly takes possession of the dog after the canine has been cleared. He also falls in lust with the assistant (Katharine Ross, looking quite fetching) who works for the local veterinarian (Hal Holbrook).
Set in a coastal California town called Eden Landing, but largely filmed on the MGM backlot, "They Only Kill Their Masters" is no great shakes when it comes to the murder-mystery genre, but it kills (pardon the expression) time adequately enough. The filmmaking is competent, but lacks distinction. Lane Slate (also writer of "The Car") scripted, getting some mileage out of a small town setting where there's some seedy things going on behind the picture-perfect facade. His sense of humour, present in many scenes, does help to keep the picture watchable. The main problem is that some people may find the whole thing simply too easy to predict.
The film boasts an incredible cast, including some old-school veterans (June Allyson, Tom Ewell, Peter Lawford, Edmond O'Brien, Arthur O'Connell, Ann Rutherford), but some of them are sorely under-utilized. Garner makes up for that a bit with his effortless charisma, and Ross is appealing. Harry Guardino is a decent foil for Garner as a State Police captain with whom Garner butts heads. Also, a round of applause for the well-trained Dobie who plays Murphy; he can be as sweet as pie, and turn on a dime and become vicious.
If you adore this genre, you'll likely enjoy this one, even if you bemoan the wasting of some of the veteran talent.
Seven out of 10.
Set in a coastal California town called Eden Landing, but largely filmed on the MGM backlot, "They Only Kill Their Masters" is no great shakes when it comes to the murder-mystery genre, but it kills (pardon the expression) time adequately enough. The filmmaking is competent, but lacks distinction. Lane Slate (also writer of "The Car") scripted, getting some mileage out of a small town setting where there's some seedy things going on behind the picture-perfect facade. His sense of humour, present in many scenes, does help to keep the picture watchable. The main problem is that some people may find the whole thing simply too easy to predict.
The film boasts an incredible cast, including some old-school veterans (June Allyson, Tom Ewell, Peter Lawford, Edmond O'Brien, Arthur O'Connell, Ann Rutherford), but some of them are sorely under-utilized. Garner makes up for that a bit with his effortless charisma, and Ross is appealing. Harry Guardino is a decent foil for Garner as a State Police captain with whom Garner butts heads. Also, a round of applause for the well-trained Dobie who plays Murphy; he can be as sweet as pie, and turn on a dime and become vicious.
If you adore this genre, you'll likely enjoy this one, even if you bemoan the wasting of some of the veteran talent.
Seven out of 10.
helpful•72
- Hey_Sweden
- Sep 12, 2018
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Die Bestie hat einen Namen... Dobermann
- Filming locations
- Malibu, California, USA(Jenny Campbell's house scenes)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
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By what name was They Only Kill Their Masters (1972) officially released in India in English?
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