The Secret of My Success ** (1965, James Booth, Stella Stevens, Shirley Jones, Honor Blackman, Lionel Jeffries) – Classic Movie Review 8,711

The 1965 British movie The Secret of My Success stars James Booth as a naïve copper who runs into romantic tangles. Stella Stevens, Shirley Jones and Honor Blackman also star in an episodic black comedy that sometimes amuses.

Writer/ producer/ director Andrew L Stone’s 1965 British movie The Secret of My Success stars James Booth as Arthur Tate, a naïve and daft copper who runs into various romantic entanglements.

Stella Stevens (as dressmaker Violet Lawson), Shirley Jones (as movie producer Marigold Marado) and Honor Blackman (as Lily, Baroness von Lukenberg) also star in an episodic black comedy that only intermittently amuses.

A talented cast is generally under-used, with the notable exception of the entertaining Lionel Jeffries, who just will not keep off the screen and who appears in many varied guises – police inspector, European baron, British earl, and foreign president (Inspector Hobart / Baron von Lukenberg / The Earl of Aldershot / President Esteda).

The result is adequate entertainment, but it is far from the talented Virginia Stone (producer) and Andrew L Stone’s most successful venture.

Also in the cast are Amy Dalby as Mrs Tate, Joan Hickson, Richard Vernon as Lord Hetherby, David Davenport, Peadar Lamb, Ann Lancaster, Martin Benson, Reginald Beckwith, Ernest Clark, Arthur Hewlett, George Woodbridge, Bob Harris, and Nicolau Breyner.

It runs 112 minutes, with the cut version at 99 minutes (TCM print).

It was released in a double bill with Once a Thief, with Alain Delon.

Stella Stevens and Shirley Jones both appeared in The Courtship of Eddie’s Father (1963).

It has no relation to the 1987 American movie The Secret of My Success.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8,711

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