writers_reign Mario Zampi made at least two gray rather than 'black' comedies, both featuring fine ensemble casts; first came Laughter In Paradise and then, a few years later, The Naked Truth, and both of them hold up rather well. In the former the cast were linked by an eccentric Will which called for each beneficiary to fulfil a bizarre request in order to qualify for a share in the will whilst here the characters are linked because they are all victims of attempted blackmail at the hands of Dennis Price, owner, editor and publisher of a 'scandal sheet' The Naked Truth, who notifies each victim of the skeletons in their respective closets and offers them the Hobson's Choice 'pay in a fortnight or I publish in a month'. Inevitably the victims, after failing individually to see off Price, join together to get rid of him which results in a neat ending. Still capable of offering divertissment some seventy years later.

JohnHowardReid Way back in 1957, you were simply not allowed to release a movie in the U.S.A. with a title like The Naked Truth, so this film made its U.S. tour re-titled as Your Past Is Showing! Despite its first-class cast of deft farceurs like first-billed Terry-Thomas, plus Peter Sellers, Shirley Eaton (any movie with Shirley Eaton is automatically a must-see item as far as I'm concerned), Peggy Mount, Dennis Price, Wilfrid Lawson and Dora Bryan, I feel that a stronger director than Mario Zampi would have punched home the comedy with far more impact than Mr. Zampi was able to achieve. Some of the jokes are allowed to run on far too long, but fortunately enough succeed to make a viewing worthwhile – despite the fact that it all comes to a very, very lame conclusion.

Robert J. Maxwell Great cast in this story of a publisher, Dennis Price, who threatens to publish a tabloid magazine spelling out the peccadilloes of many prominent celebrities, including Peter Sellers, Terry-Thomas, Peggy Mount, and Shirley Eaton. Their reputations and happiness are at stake. Price gives them two weeks to come up with a blackmail sum that none can manage.It has its funny moments but the script isn't what it might be. The story is mostly disjointed because the victims don't know one another, so we wind up with four separate threads of victims trying to prevent Price from implementing his scheme.And the humor is all spelled out. Nothing is left to the imagination. If the mystery writer, Peggy Mount, tries to drown the blackmailer, she knocks the wrong man out and tries to drown him in a pond. The attempted drowning is all drawn out and devolves into slapstick. The sprightly musical score tries desperately to underline the comic features of each scene.Among the funnier scenes is Peter Sellers (in one of several disguises) hiding under the bunk he assumes belong to the blackmailer. Instead, a young couple of newlyweds show up and kick off their shoes and kiss voluptuously. Sellers, scooched back against the wall, looks at the two pairs of feet, glances up at the bed, and stares in exasperation at the camera, breaking the fourth wall. (Dissolve.) The show really belongs to Dennis Price, who plays the role of suave villain with aplomb. Even unconscious he seems to wear a superior smirk. He has the cleverest lines too, at times harking back to his splendid performance in "Kind Hearts And Coronets." "I do hope this isn't an appeal to my better nature because I haven't one." It's Sellers who quotes the happy villain of Richard III -- "Why, I can smile, and murder while I smile" -- but it's Price who embodies him.I wish the script had been more taut and the direction less explicit. As it is, it's not a failure, but it's a loose-limbed and lowbrow success.

sol- An interesting premise is worked on well in this delightful British comedy. It has a number of amusing moments, and Peter Sellers is as good as ever in it. Joan Sims, on the hand, has a tendency to overplay her role, but the performers generally do quite well with their roles. It is a bit slow in the build up, but it is great once it gets moving. Some of the shots are definitely too dark though, even if set at nighttime, in that it is hard to see what is happening. I am not sure what, but something in the lighting set up could have surely been changed. With the plot of foiling the plans of a blackmailer, the different unsuccessful attempts start to get repetitive, but they are still amusing. It is a good film overall, even if a bit of a silly one.