The 1967 film "The Honey Pot" is loosely based on the 1606 English play Volpone by English playwright Ben Jonson along with two more recent novels. The film is set in Venice, Italy, where wealthy Englishman Cecil Fox lives as a respected wealthy resident. Mr. Fox is getting older and decides to emulate the main character of Volpone by letting people know that he is dying and then watching them chase after his money. Mr. Fox informs three former girlfriends that he is dying and invites them to his Venetian palazzo (palace), where he will announce whom he will name in his last will. The three women arrive and one brings her maid. Mr. Fox hires an unemployed actor, William McFly, as his assistant in the scheme. At one time there are several 1960's Italian 500 lire silver coins shown on a table where Mr. Fox and McFly are playing cards. Mrs. Sheridan carries a roll of American quarters (25 cent coins) which she uses as a weapon and from which she dispenses "tips." The roll also provides an important clue to solving a mystery.

The background of the title is a Venetian theatre performing the 1606 play Volpone. In modern day Venice (Italy), a man arrives at a palazzo (palace house) by boat.

He hold some silver coins which are most likely the Italian 500 lire silver coins shown later. He enters the house and is taken to see the resident, Englishman Cecil Fox.

William McFly is an American law student who dropped out of school to become an actor, a profession that he not been successful in. Mr. Fox tells McFly that he is looking for an intelligent and versatile assistant to help him stage a play or prank targeting three of Mr. Fox's former girlfriends.

Mr. Fox begins with some instruction.

Some playing cards and Italian silver 500 lire coins appear on a table.

A closer look at the coins:

The coins are Italian silver 500 lire coins which were minted in Rome from 1958 to 1967 for circulation and later only for collectors. It is possible that the film producers chose these coins due to the Renaissance design on them.

A Italian silver 500 lire coin:

Silver, 29 mm, 11.00 gm
Obverse:
Head of woman in Renaissance dress facing left
GIAMPAOLI (Engraver)
Reverse: Christopher Columbus's three ships sailing to right
REPVBBLICA ITALIANA L. 500, R at bottom (Rome Mint)
VEROI (Engraver, small letters in ocean waves)
Edge: REPVBBLICA ITALIANA and date 1966

The three women invited are wealthy Texan Mrs. Lone Star Sheridan, former film actress Merle McGill, and Italian Princess Dominique. The first woman to arrive is Mrs. Sheridan who is accompanied by her maid/nurse Sarah Watkins. One of Nurse Watkins' duties for Mrs. Sheridan is to manage her sleeping pills.

She is a rough Texas woman and pays off the 7000 lire boat ride bill in American money. At the time the Italian lire was 625 to the American dollar making the bill $11.20.

Mrs. Sheridan always carries rolls of American quarters (25 cent coins). These rolls are $10.00 rolls which contain 40 quarters. She hands two quarters to the boatman.

She calls them "four bits", as "two bits" is an old American term for a quarter dollar. The next two women arrive at the palazzo.

The princess is an elegant Italian woman and she is followed by another American.

Merle was a teenager who Mr. Fox met in America and whom he promoted as a film actress. The women are lodged in different rooms at the palazzo.

Mrs. Sheridan explains that she carries quarter coin rolls as a weapon: "Did you know that with one of these in your fist it's like hitting a man with a hammer?" The quarter roll is then shown.

Such a roll would contain 40 quarter coins worth $10.00. The three women argue with each other and try to impress Mr. Fox. Mrs. Sheridan claims that she and Mr. Fox were married in a "common-law" marriage and that legally she is entitled to all of his money. William McFly and nurse Watkins become friends. McFly explains the details of Mr. Fox's "play" to her including the fact that Mr. Fox is in good health.

The comedy ends when Mrs. Sheridan is found dead in her bed, a victim of a sleeping pill overdose. An Italian police commissario (inspector) is called to the house.

No one is sure whether Mrs. Sheridan's death was an accident, suicide, or murder. At home, Commissario Rizzi lives with his wife and three daughters.

They are watching the 1957 to 1966 American television program "Perry Mason" and Commissario Rizzi explains: "If it were not for Signor Perry Mason, every week, in America, an innocent person would be convicted of murder."

Mrs. Sheridan's death is followed by the death of Mr. Fox, a mysterious death as everyone now knows that he was in good health. McFly also explains that Mr. Fox was financially broke and killed Mrs. Sheridan so that he could obtain her fortune via their "common-law" marriage. Mrs. Sheridan's quarters become a clue when Nurse Watkins finds one in Mr. Fox's room.

She shows the quarter to McFly.

The group gathers for the reading of Mr. Fox's last will.

Mr. Fox left everything to Mr. McFly who is asked in the will to designate one of the women as the beneficiary.

They all believe that the will is meaningless as Mr. Fox has no assets.

He holds up the roll for everyone to see.

McFly explains that Mr. Fox liked money and took the rolls of quarters from Mrs. Sheridan's purse while swapping his real sleeping pills for her pills. Nurse Watkins asks that McFly sign the will over to her and she will keep it souvenir of their adventure.

The commissario reminds William McFly that Mrs. Sheridan's money will go to Mr. Fox and then to Sarah Watkins.

William pursues Sarah through the rainy streets.

Rex Harrison as Cecil Sheridan Fox
Cliff Robertson as William McFly
Susan Hayward as Mrs. Lone Star Crockett Sheridan
Capucine as Princess Dominique
Edie Adams as Merle McGill
Maggie Smith as Sarah Watkins
Adolfo Celi as Commissario Rizzi (Police inspector)
Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Writers: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Based on Mr. Fox of Venice by Frederick Knott, The Evil of the Day by Thomas Sterling, and the 1606 play Volpone by Ben Jonson