To me, this movie is perfection.

Good concept, poorly executed.

Don't listen to the negative reviews

Crappy film

Being an innocent eighteen year old in 1965, we were in downtown Minneapolis, trying to figure out a movie to see. At that time there were nine or ten movie houses in the downtown area, long before the Cineplex. We chose this film, not knowing a thing about it, and it proved to be one of the strangest I've seen. I'm still trying to figure it out. Evelyn Waugh, one of my favorite writers now (had never heard of him at the time) penned this satire on the funeral industry. There are so many great performances here, with Bobby Morse (How to Succeed in Business) leading the way. Jonathan Winters and Rod Steiger are stellar as offbeat characters. The doe eyed, somewhat air-headed Miss Thanatogenis (of course, Miss Death) is really into embalming and wants to break through the glass ceiling (so to speak). She is being wooed by Morse and Steiger. Of course, much centers around the business of funerals and what can be done to make them continue to prosper. Thanatogenis sees embalming and looking good as an art and suffers for it. Anyway, the people I was with said it was the worst movie they had ever seen and choosing it ruined the evening. I didn't know what to think. Now I realize it is a genius work and one of the darkest comedies of all time.

After reading the loved one not once but twice in a week I knew I had to see this movie. I had to order it from the US because I couldn't find it here in Australia. I was looking forward to seeing the movie and it didn't disappoint. My version is in black and white but that does not bother me. The movie differs slightly from the novel but I think the deviations are in the spirit of the book. The standout performances were Rod Steiger as Mr Joyboy, Anjanette Comer as Aimee and the one and only Liberace as a coffin salesman. I also have to give an honourable mention to the young actor who plays the science geek. This film could be remade today but you would have to choose the cast very carefully. If you love the book, I think you will love this film too. Enjoyed it so much now one of my favourites.

There are those who would have you believe that The Loved One is some sort of ingenious satire or comedic classic. Forget that! It is a boring, disconnected little movie with very little to sell. The first and foremost disaster of this flick is its primary star, Robert Morse. Never have I seen Morse perform any role convincingly or with any trace of humor or comic ability. This picture could well be his worst outing, in which his talentless persona is on screen most of the time.John Gielgud plays John Gielgud, as always. Jonathan Winters disappoints in a dual role as the heavy and his relative, a light heavy. It is rare for Winters to fail, and says a good deal about direction, or lack of it.The remaining cast, which includes James Coburn, Rod Steiger, Milton Berle, Robert Morley, Tab Hunter, and Anjanette Comer, all crash and burn on the total lack of a script or plot (no pun intended), and the absence of any skilled direction. Liberace alone comes through with an understated and humorous performance; humorous but not funny. The black & white film format is not used to advantage, and just makes the Loved One look like a cheap-jack B-movie.One to avoid.

Made in 1965, "The Loved One," based on a novel by Evelyn Waugh, was highly publicized when it first came out. Brilliantly directed by Tony Richardson and with a magnificent and bizarre cast, it's the penultimate black comedy. It totally sums up the '60s youth movement of anti-tradition, anti-war, and anti-establishment.The basis of the story is that young Dennis Barlow (Robert Morse) comes over from England to visit his uncle (John Gielgud), a Hollywood studio artist who, shortly after Barlow's arrival, is fired by a clueless studio head (Roddy McDowell) and promptly hangs himself. This leads Barlow to the Whispering Glades cemetery, where death is both an art form and a religion. Barlow becomes involved with a young cosmetician, Amy (Anjanette Comer) and meets some real characters, including the embalmer, Mr. Joyboy, who is saving up for a big tub for his big mother.This is a satire with lots underneath it and probably one of the most off-beat casts ever assembled, everyone from Liberace to James Coburn, and what was probably Dana Andrews' final A-list role. Somewhere along the line, off-type casting went out of fashion, which is one reason why we are burdened with so much mediocrity today. A page from Richardson's book would liven up many a film.Dark, sometimes gross, sometimes hilarious, sometimes wild, "The Loved One" is not for everyone and its message probably won't be appreciated by the younger generation. Still, it's worth seeing.