Mario Zampi does not appear to have enjoyed the kind of respect bestowed on other British comedy directors such as Charles Crichton, Henry Cornelius or the Boulting Brothers, which is strange when one considers he made a number of excellent movies in the late '50's/early '60's, including 'Laughter In Paradise' starring Alistair Sim, 'Happy Ever After' with David Niven, 'Top Secret' with George Cole, and this. Unscrupulous publisher 'Nigel Dennis' ( Dennis Price ) plans on launching a scandal magazine in Britain. Entitled 'The Naked Truth', it will implicate high-profile public figures in major financial or sexual scandals. Among the victims are toff 'Lord Henry Mayley' ( Terry-Thomas ), bestselling mystery writer 'Flora Ransom' ( Peggy Mount ), model 'Melissa Right' ( Shirley Eaton ), and television presenter 'Wee Sonny McGregor' ( Peter Sellers ). To save their reputations, each must pay Dennis £10,000. Naturally, they don't want to do this, so they concoct separate plans to do away with the blackmailer. Much of the first part of the picture is concerned with these varying murder attempts, which range from blowing Dennis up to knocking him out with a Mickey Finn before tossing him in the Thames. Needless to say, they all fail, and the would-be killers then pool their resources in order to stop Dennis from telling the naked truth.
It is a sprightly black comedy in the mold of 'The Ladykillers', deftly written by veteran comedy scribe Michael Pertwee ( cousin of Jon ) and well directed by Zampi ( it turned out to be one of his last pictures - he died in 1963 ). The cast are marvellous, particularly Sellers whose 'McGregor' keeps slipping into disguise, including an old man with a 'creeping alopecia' problem and who sounds like 'Willium Mate Cobblers' from 'The Goon Show', along with a country gent who could be a distant relative of 'Hercules Grytpype-Thynne' from the same series. McGregor's television show ( which resembles a geriatric version of 'The X Factor' ) was allegedly inspired by a real one starring Wilfrid Pickles. Popping up in minor roles are Joan Sims as Flora's nervous daughter 'Ethel', Miles Malleson as a befuddled vicar, Wilfrid Lawson as a veteran soldier with a fondness for playing a penny-whistle, and Kenneth Griffith as McGregor's confidante.
Funniest moment - the finale in which all of Dennis' victims - including a scout master - band together to spring him from police custody, culminating in an airship escape. If the final gag is a little predictable, well, it hardly matters.
Second funniest moment - McGregor trying to buy gelignite from I.R.A. terrorists. His convincing Irish accent is let down when he tries to speak gaelic, and instead utters the name of a Welsh town ( 'Llanfairpwllgwyn...etc., etc.' )!
It is a sprightly black comedy in the mold of 'The Ladykillers', deftly written by veteran comedy scribe Michael Pertwee ( cousin of Jon ) and well directed by Zampi ( it turned out to be one of his last pictures - he died in 1963 ). The cast are marvellous, particularly Sellers whose 'McGregor' keeps slipping into disguise, including an old man with a 'creeping alopecia' problem and who sounds like 'Willium Mate Cobblers' from 'The Goon Show', along with a country gent who could be a distant relative of 'Hercules Grytpype-Thynne' from the same series. McGregor's television show ( which resembles a geriatric version of 'The X Factor' ) was allegedly inspired by a real one starring Wilfrid Pickles. Popping up in minor roles are Joan Sims as Flora's nervous daughter 'Ethel', Miles Malleson as a befuddled vicar, Wilfrid Lawson as a veteran soldier with a fondness for playing a penny-whistle, and Kenneth Griffith as McGregor's confidante.
Funniest moment - the finale in which all of Dennis' victims - including a scout master - band together to spring him from police custody, culminating in an airship escape. If the final gag is a little predictable, well, it hardly matters.
Second funniest moment - McGregor trying to buy gelignite from I.R.A. terrorists. His convincing Irish accent is let down when he tries to speak gaelic, and instead utters the name of a Welsh town ( 'Llanfairpwllgwyn...etc., etc.' )!