Tue 16 Nov 2021
An Archived Mystery Review by Barry Gardner: KYRIL BONFIGLIOLI – Don’t Point That Thing at Me.
Posted by Steve under Reviews[6] Comments
KYRIL BONFIGLIOLI – Don’t Point That Thing at Me. Charlie Mordecai #1. Weidenfeld & Nicolson, UK, hardcover, 1972. US title: Mortdecai’s Endgame. Simon & Schuster, hardcover, 1973. Also published in the US under the British title by International Polygonics, paperback, 1990. Film: Mortdecai, 2015, starring Johnny Depp and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Here’s another author that I’m sure most of you are familiar with, but whom I’ve never read. I keep stumbling across these large holes in my education.
The Honorable (not) Charlie Mortdecai, art dealer, is involved in an intricate scheme to smuggle a stolen painting to America for an unscrupulous millionaire. The millionaire and another Englishman decide to blackmail a British public official, unfortunately, and this brings Charlie to the attention of Great Britain’s version of the OGPU and its brutally smarmy head-an old schoolmate of Charlie’s.
Now begins a hare-and-hounds that leads to America (where Charlie encounters some lethal US Government agents), leaving bodies strewn along the way.
This is written in that mannered, bitchy English prose style that I absolutely love, though I imagine it’s anathema to some people. It’s one of those books that I enjoy just for the voice, characters, and dialog, and don’t worry a lot about the plot.
“Farce” probably wouldn’t be a bad description, though that’s a line of demarcation I’m never quite sure where to draw. Mortdecai is as engaging a villain as I’ve come across in a long time, and I thoroughly enjoyed him and his exploits. There are two more of these, and now I’ve got to hunt them up.
The Charlie Mortdecai series —
Kyril Bonfiglioli:
Don’t Point That Thing at Me. Weidenfeld 1972
Something Nasty in the Woodshed. Macmillan 1976
After You with the Pistol. Secker 1979
Kyril Bonfiglioli & Craig Brown:
The Great Mortdecai Moustache Mystery. Black Spring 1996
November 16th, 2021 at 10:04 pm
I love the books. Sadly the film is one of the worst excuses for a movie in my film watching career.
I’ve read a few of the books now though, and they are a delight.
November 16th, 2021 at 10:08 pm
I really don’t know how Johnny Depp manages to keep making movies. He may be a fine fellow, but I’ve never seen him in a movie I liked. And MORTDECAI, which I haven’t seen, was one of the bigger bombs of all time.
November 17th, 2021 at 8:07 am
I have the books (all three in one large trade paperback) on the shelf not three feet from where IO’m sitting, but (here’s a surprise) haven’t read any of them.
Agree on Johnny Depp. These days I am amazed anyone hires him.
November 17th, 2021 at 9:01 am
“…enjoy just for the voice, characters, and dialog, and don’t worry a lot about the plot.”
You nailed it down tight!
November 19th, 2021 at 10:19 am
Another Mystery*File review of this work by William Deeck: https://mysteryfile.com/blog/?p=48655
November 19th, 2021 at 11:20 am
Ha! Thanks, Bill. I’d totally forgotten that Bill D had reviewed this one, but so he did. He gives quite a bit more info about who Mortdecai is, for anyone who’s new to his adventures,