The Maltese Bippy

Hot off TV's hit series Laugh In, the comedy team of Dan Rowan and Dick Martin headlined this 1969 horror-comedy-mystery vehicle, a resounding box-office flop that is partially credited for killing their joint career. The Maltese Bippy is not all that bad...but not especially good either, a silly trifle from comedy director Norman Panama that finds the comic pair playing shady showbiz impresarios who are trying to sell a creepy old mansion in Flushing, NY. Neighboring Eastern European no-goodniks, covetous of secret treasure on the premises, convince Martin's character that he's a werewolf. Even with a daffy fake-out opening and ending (three endings, in fact), the material here mostly goes nowhere. And while the comedians' slick gag timing is as solid as it was in prime-time, it worked better in their emcee roles than in the lackluster schtick here. A minor cult curio boasting a fine ensemble cast that includes Julie Newmar, Robert Reed, Carol Lynley, Mildred Natwick, and Fritz Weaver, this is an optional purchase, at best. (C. Cassady)