Girls, You Have GOT To See "Specialty Of The House"!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 Darlings, let me tell you, they say that if any of us stepped into the kitchens of the finest four star restaurants in the world, none of us would ever eat there again.  Famed mystery writer Stanley Ellin took this idea to the extreme in his famous 1948 short story, "The Specialty Of The House," and that extreme was honored in its dramatization on "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" in 1959.  Only in the Hitchcock version, the extreme, though tastefully rendered, is a bit more literal.

                                  Both story and film concern a businessman, Mr. Laffler (a perfectly cast Robert Morley) who is obsessed with dining regularly at Sbirro's, an establishment that looks like a hole in the wall, but is actually a four star dining club that serves the same meal every night, and on "special" nights serves the title, which is "lamb Armistran."  Mr. Laffler brings with him his business associate Mr. Costain, portrayed by Kenneth Haigh, to initiate him into the mysteries of fine dining.  The proprietor (but proprietress here) of the place is on hand; Sbirro is portrayed by Madame Spivy, and, having recently seen "An Unlocked Window," I thought that maybe they were going with the Woman-Is-Really-Man ruse. But no; though she appears to be from the Hope Emerson school of glamour, Sbirro here is actually a woman.

                                It seems the specialty is only served at intervals, such as when a member resigns. At which point, a picture of the former member goes on the gallery wall, and the total membership always stays at 40. No more, or less. And it is entirely a men's club.

                                  Do any of my girls have an idea where this is going????????

                                 Mr. Laffler has two wishes. To become a lifelong member, and to get to see the inside of the kitchen, where his favorite dishes are prepared.  Both wishes are granted, at which point we see Mr. Laffler meeting the chef, cleaver in hand.  Mr. Laffler is not only to see how the specialty is made, he is about to become...........

                                  But I think you can guess, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  Girls, this is an absolute hoot!  Mr. Morley played variations on this role in both "Who's Killing The Great Chefs Of Europe?" and "Theatre Of Blood."  Madame Spivy is high camp as Sbirro.  And for the more culinary minded among us, either you will never dine out again, or your morbid curiosity will cause you to feast on a lamb dinner after watching this.   I may even have lamb tonight!!!!!!!!

                                      Yum yum, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!