Fantômas contre Scotland Yard (1967) - film review

The criminal mastermind Fantômas returns with a new dastardly scheme: to impose a right-to-live tax on the rich.  One of his victims, the wealthy Lord McRaschley, has no intention of giving in to Fantômas’ threats.  He invites Juve and Fandor to his castle in Scotland to lure the master criminal into a trap.  Unfortunately, he has not reckoned with Fantômas’ evil cunning...

The third instalment in the 1960s series of Fantômas films sees Louis de Funès and Jean Marais united for the final time in the by now familiar blend of slapstick comedy and crime thriller.  Although marginally better than the previous two films in a number of areas (notably the plot and the direction), there is little in the way of new material and the kitsch comic strip formula is looking a little tired and familiar.

Needless to say, the lead actors are on fine form, with de Funès at the height of his powers as a comic actor and Marais having plenty of opportunity to indulge his whim for action stunts.  Yet again, Marais’ sublime performance as the sinister green-skinned Fantômas is overshadowed by de Funès’ comic excesses, reminding us once more of the genuinely great Fantômas film which managed to slip through director André Hunebelle’s fingers.

© James Travers 2007

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