Jack Lemmon has an oddly specific line near the end of this; 'I didn't like the setup. I didn't like the characters involved'. It's almost as if Billy Wilder and long-time writing partner IAL Diamond wanted to explain why this never overcomes the amoral heart of the plot to entertain and satirize like their best work. Still, Walter Matthau (in the first of 11 films with Lemmon) is good value in an Oscar-winning turn, even if he did hold up production by inconsiderately having a heart attack halfway through filming.

A rather pedestrian adaptation of Liz Moore's excellent crime novel. There's a good sense of place and Amanda Seyfreid is solid, but it lacks the depth and sadness of the book.

I wouldn't say Michael Sheen's impersonation of Brian Clough is the best in the movies. But it's in the top one.