Taking an inspiration from his favorite Jacobean play, Ben Jonson's Volpone, fabulously wealthy Rex Harrison hires an out of work actor Cliff Robertson to play an elaborate practical joke on three women who've been part of his life. Robertson's to play his confidential secretary and assistant and to send them letters inviting them to Venice where Harrison is pretending to be dying in his palazzo.

To be sure these are three women to die for indeed. There is Princess Capucine with a title, but little else going for here as she becomes one of those permanent house guests on the Riviera. Then there's movie star Edie Adams originally from the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn whose best days as a film star are behind here and not enough money is coming in to keep up with her lifestyle spending. Finally there is the mysterious and earthy Susan Hayward. Imagine if you will Susan as Rachel Jackson, but with a malevolent twist and you've got her character. She's also a hypochondriac and travels with nurse/companion Maggie Smith.

The joke's proceeding great until Hayward winds up dead and the police in the person of Inspector Adolfo Celi is brought in. Joseph Mankiewica's literate script glides ever so gently from comedy of manners to murder mystery. And not like everyone of them hasn't got reason to do in Hayward. Just see the film and you'll know what I mean.

Sad that The Honey Pot failed to find an audience. Also sad that it was two years from the Stonewall Rebellion, Harrison's bisexuality was not more explicit. In regard to that read Hayward's comments on their lives together and the dialog exchanges between Harrison and Robertson.

In fact The Honey Pot does turn out to be an elaborate joke, but you have to see who winds up winners and losers in this very intelligent and witty film.

Answered by Alok Gupta , an ibibo Guru, at 5:24 PM on January 09, 2009

Hi Shela,

The plot of the movie:

Inspired by a performance of his favorite play, "Volpone," 20th-century millionaire Cecil Fox devises an intricate plan to trick three of his former mistresses into believing he is dying. Although the women are wealthy in their own right, all have good reason to covet his fortune. To assist him in his scheme, Fox hires William McFly, a gigolo and sometime actor, to act as his secretary/servant. Fox is soon visited at his "deathbed" by the three former mistresses: Merle McGill, a fading Hollywood sex symbol; Princess Dominique, who once took a cruise on Fox's yacht; and Lone Star Crockett, a Texas hypochondriac who travels with an enigmatic nurse/companion. As Fox and McFly act out the charade, things take an unexpected turn from comical farce to full-blown murder mystery.

Written by alfiehitchie


Director -Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Producer- Charles K. Feldman

Cast:
Rex Harrison
Susan Hayward
Cliff Robertson
Capucine
Maggie Smith
Edie Adams

Answered by Amit Suri , an ibibo Master, at 5:15 PM on January 09, 2009

The Honey Pot, also known as The Honeypot , is a 1967 crime comedy film made by Famous Artists Productions and distributed by United Artists. It was written for the screen and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and produced by Charles K. Feldman. The screenplay was based on the plays Volpone by Ben Jonson and Mr. Fox of Venice by Frederick Knott and the novel The Evil of the Day by Thomas Sterling. The music score was by John Addison and the cinematography by Gianni di Venanzo.

The film stars Rex Harrison, Susan Hayward, Cliff Robertson, Capucine, Edie Adams, Maggie Smith with Adolfo Celi

Answered by sanjay , an ibibo Guru, at 5:04 PM on January 09, 2009