查尔斯·克莱顿

Classic British comedy adapted from a James Thurber story about a tweed manufacturer's elderly accountant who devises a plan to save the company from an American takeover bid. The arrival of an efficiency expert from the States causes enough of a stir but, when it turns out to be a woman, the old-fashioned number cruncher declares war. Man-eating businesswoman, Angela Barrows is sent by her US company to Edinburgh to investigate export opportunities. She meets businessman Robert MacPherson en route and he persuades her to help bring his company into the 20th century. The staff, lead by Mr. Martin, have other ideas and a battle between the old and new business methods breaks out.

一部令人忍俊不禁的喜剧。四个贼人在策划一桩钻石盗窃案，成员有患有口吃的肯（麦克·帕林 Michael Palin饰）、乔治（汤姆·乔治森Tom Georgeson饰）、乔治的女友旺达（杰米·李·柯蒂斯 Jamie Lee Curtis饰）——碰巧肯把他最爱吃的鱼也称为“旺达”、奥托（凯文·克莱恩 Kevin Kline饰）。尽管盗窃过程发生了小插曲，几人还是得到了价值连城的宝贝，怎料麻烦事却一桩接一桩。 　　旺达和奥托出卖乔治向警察告密，乔治被捕，钻石却被他藏了起来。为了打听钻石下落，旺达色诱乔治的律师利奇（约翰·克立斯 John Cleese饰），险些被利奇自己捉奸在床。慌乱逃脱的旺达遗留了一条项链在利奇家，上面有打开钻石宝盒的钥匙。 　　旺达沮丧万分，千方百计问利奇要回项链，欲速不达的她闹出了幕幕笑话，那边厢凶神恶煞的肯又即将杀到……

本片以一个鬼怪故事为骨架，叙述了五个鬼故事。建筑师沃尔特·格兰杰到郊外一个农庄去洽谈业务。他感到农庄像旧地重游，原来他做过一个可怕的怪梦，屋里所有的人都在梦里出现过的。当他向客人谈及这怪事时，范医生发表自然怀疑论的看法，从而引出每个客人叙述了—段自己亲身经历的鬼故事。影片的结局是原来这一切都是那位建筑师的—场恶梦。英国电影评论家狄妮斯·鲍威尔对本片评价很高，他指出，影片的“许多材料是专为电影而写的... 　　五个故事 　　《柩车车夫》的故事讲汽车比赛驾驶员休·格兰杰因汽车赛受伤，躺在病房里。半夜，看见窗外停着的柩车边车夫向他招手。第二天他见到—辆双层公共汽车的售票员正是半夜见到的那个车夫。他不敢上车，几分钟后，这辆双层公共汽车失事翻车。《圣诞节故事》讲有一年圣诞节，姑娘萨利参加聚会。大家玩捉迷藏，萨利安慰一个孤独哭泣的小男孩。事后，有人告诉她，小男孩早在几年...

Classic British comedy adapted from a James Thurber story about a tweed manufacturer's elderly accountant who devises a plan to save the company from an American takeover bid. The arrival of an efficiency expert from the States causes enough of a stir but, when it turns out to be a woman, the old-fashioned number cruncher declares war. Man-eating businesswoman, Angela Barrows i...