The fatal flaw lies in the alienation of the audience. In successful screwball comedies, the eccentric protagonist is usually endearing or brilliant despite their quirks (think of Peter Sellers' Inspector Clouseau, whose incompetence is born of naive confidence). Mortdecai, however, is written as distinctly unlikable: he is sexist, selfish, and generally incompetent. The running gag involving his mustache—which his wife (Gwyneth Paltrow) finds repulsive—becomes a metaphor for the film itself: a forced affectation that creates a barrier between the protagonist and the audience. Depp

An unfinished fourth novel, The Mortdecai ABC , was completed by Craig Brown and published in 2018.

Kyril Bonfiglioli wrote only three Mortdecai novels. They are brilliant, foul-mouthed, and deeply British.

"Mortdecai" is a peculiar film that feels like a mishmash of various genres, never quite settling on one tone or style. Johnny Depp stars as the titular character, Morton "Mort" Mortdecai, a wealthy art dealer with a penchant for getting entangled in high-stakes adventures.

For those who missed the train wreck (or are just curious), Mortdecai follows the Honorable Charlie Mortdecai, a dissolute, foppish, and bankrupt British art dealer. He lives a life of champagne, debt, and smutty innuendo with his stunningly patient wife, Johanna (Gwyneth Paltrow).