what's the point of owning a mace, if you don't use it? [june 25, 2005]

I've read Ira Levin's play that forms the foundation of Deathtrap, as well as the stage play with the record run. I even remember this Marathi play called Sadist that has similar plot elements (except it lasted only for about 30 to 45 minutes from 8pm onwards on some weekday on Doordarshan). So, I didn't the benefit of relishing the suspense and the twists that Levin seems to be a master of. Great performances from the cast made the viewing useful. And it's nice to spot all the allusions Levin makes to the works that have been inspirational for his work on thrillers (including Schaffer's Sleuth [references noted before]). Shaffer was also behind The Wicker Man. There are also two complete phone numbers mentioned in the film (516-324-3049 and 516-324-5457) [see also: Sneakers].

At one point in the film Caine gets a line that goes "You two thought that i was going to take that mace and do a Vincent Price?". I wonder if that's a reference to another play that inspired Levin, Patrick Hamilton's Angel Street, which had Vincent Price on the cast roster (the play was the source for the classic film Gaslight).