Elaine May directs Walter Matthau, herself and George Rose in this black comedy about a middle-aged trust fund kid who has overspent to ruin so sets his sights on wooing, marrying and murdering a gawky heiress. 

A relatively laughter-free comedy, more Ealing Studios than New Hollywood, that had an hour hacked out of its originally epic running time. While the cuts may make this less patience testing, it obviously lacks structure and pace, somehow the lead performances are still well preserved and very likeable. Both Matthau’s misanthrope and May’s naive botantist are well sketched creations who chafe amusingly off each other.

5