What makes it different from others?

Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

A very stylish thriller directed by Jack Smight from a novel by William Goldman. Rod Steiger (in many many guises) is a strangler preying on elderly women and taunting NYC cop George Segal. Though clearly no mama's boy, Segal lives with his mom (Eileen Heckart, who redefines gumption with her smothering Jewish mother routine) and is smitten with Lee Remick, an enigmatic witness and potential victim. Both Steiger & Segal are perfect. Steiger's performance is staggering as he plays, at various times, an Irish priest, a fop wig salesman, a German plumber (who actually uses the word wonderbar!) and a cop. Shockingly for Steiger he does not ham it up as he would in many future roles (Napoleon, Mussolini). Shot on location with great cinematography by Jack Priestley and exceptional art direction by George Jenkins (note Remick's "mod" apartment). The large supporting cast includes David Doyle, Murray Hamilton, Doris Roberts, Barbara Baxley, Ruth White, Val Bisoglio and Michael Dunn, who claims to be the strangler despite some very obvious limitations. The very effective music score is by Stanley Myers.

***SPOILERS*** Like its title "No Way to Treat a Lady" it's a film about how not to treat a lady. That with its star Rod Steiger as theater owner and half a** art food & wine connoisseur Christopher Gill going around New York City in a number of disguises murdering single elderly ladies by getting access to their apartments. What are the reason for Gill's strange and murderous behavior is soon discovered by NYPD Jewish cop Morris "Moe" Brummel, George Seagel, almost by accident. It's Moe's annoying and overly pesky Jewish mother Mrs. Brummel, Eileen Hacket, who's always on his case in Moe not making something of himself like his big brother, or my son the doctor as Moma calls him, who's making more money in one day that he's making in two months. Despite the film being about a serial killer on the loose the interaction between, which at times is hilarious, Moe & Moma is by far the most interesting and entertaining scenes in the entire movie.Moe for his part gets involved with the neighbor of Gill's first victim Mrs. Mulley,Martine Bartlett, the pretty Kate Plamer, Lee Remick, who was the only witness to her murder. It the publicity hungry Gill who was greatly impressed with Det. Moe's description of him as being a master criminal who soon began contacting him about his latest or soon to be latest murder. With Gill's string of murders going up to five or possibly six, I'm not quite sure, victims he decides to change his MO, mode of operation,in targeting Kate . It's Kate who's now having a serious romance with lucky Moe who now became his #1 rival for Moe's attention. It's here where Gill screws himself up by coming out in the open and getting very personal with Det. Moe in trying to make his girlfriend Kate victim # 6 or #7.****SPOILERS**** You an soon spot a very strange connection between both Det. Moe Brummel and serial murderer Christopher Gill and it has to do with their mom's who for the most part dominated and controlled their lives. And it was abused son Moe who didn't take his Moma's words, in what a failure he was, all that seriously who was able to lead a more or less normal life. But in Gill's case in not living up to his mother, who was a famous stage actress, high expectations of himself he completely freaked out. Not being able to take out his rage and frustration on his long deceased mom Gill took them out against the next best thing or persons. Those helpless and elderly ladies who reminded him of her whom he ended up murdering.

I just saw the musical theater production of "No Way to Treat a Lady" last week. When I found out that there was a 1968 film that preceded this musical version (with music, book and lyrics by Douglas J. Cohen) which debuted in 1987, I wanted to see and compare how the film and theater versions interpreted the story. Both movie and play were based on a well-reviewed 1968 novel by William Goldman (who also wrote "The Princess Bride").The two versions had the same story of course. There was a failed actor named Kit Gill who had an oppressive relationship with his Broadway diva mother. Upon her death, his twisted mind turned to killing senior women who reminded him of his mother, wearing various disguises to gain their trust. On his tail was a NYC detective Mo Brummell, who was still tied to his overbearing mother's apron strings. There is a side plot of Mo meeting and falling in love with pretty museum hostess. While the theater version was a musical and had a heftier amount of lighthearted comedy, this film was definitely a more serious telling, with the comedy so much darker in tone. I noted that the play echoed a lot of situations and lines from the film, especially those that involved the female characters. I felt the play actually told the story much better. The ending of the movie felt very contrived and relied too much on coincidence, unlike the play when the resolution was a lot more logical.Rod Steiger really played Kit Gill very sinisterly. He was excellent in his various disguises, quite over the top, especially the plumber and wig-maker. George Segal does well as the mama's boy Jewish cop. He played it quite laid back. The stereotypical annoying Jewish mom was played with glee by Eileen Heckart. Mo's love interest in the film was named Kate Palmer (played by Lee Remick), while in the play the name was Sarah Stone. The musical version had an additional conceit that all the victims of the killer were all played by the one actress who also played the mother! This of course brings to fore that these victims reminded Kit of his mom. Now I want to read the book! By the way, as a bonus, this film version also features a young David Doyle (of the Charlie's Angels TV series) playing a cop! It was good to see him here.

During a hot Summer day in New York City, in the Theatre District around 44th Street, I noticed a large crowd and decided to find out what was going on. I noticed a man getting his hair brushed and make-up being applied to his face and it was Rod Steiger who was getting ready to walk into a theatre as (Christoper Gill),"W.C.Fields & Me",'76. Steiger played a very mentally disturbed actor who was abused by his mother and decided to perform perfect murders, playing roles as Priest, Plumber and many other roles, using plenty of lipstick. Lee Remick,(Kate Palmer)," Days of Wine & Roses",'62, looked very charming and sexy. Kate meets up with detective Morris Brummel,(George Segal),"For the Boys",'91, who is investigating all these murders. This film has comedy between Kate and Morris and it is a great entertaining film.