Five Golden Hours (1961)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Mario Zampi

Writer:

Hans Wilhelm (writer)

Release Date:

February 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

The Escapades of a Merry Widow With a Credit Card at the Cemetery!

Plot:

A petty crook gallantly consoles wealthy widows and is doing all right in his chosen profession until...

Plot Keywords:

Independent Film

Cast

Ernie Kovacs	...	Aldo Bondi
Cyd Charisse	...	Baroness Sandra
George Sanders	...	Mr. Bing
Kay Hammond	...	Martha
Dennis Price	...	Raphael
Clelia Matania	...	Rosalia
John Le Mesurier	...	Doctor Alfieri
Finlay Currie	...	Father Superior
Reginald Beckwith	...	Brother Geronimo
Avice Landone	...	Beatrice
Sydney Tafler	...	Alfredo
Martin Benson	...	Enrico
Bruno Barnabe	...	Cesare
Ron Moody	...	Gabrielle
Leonard Sachs	...	Mr. Morini

Also Known As:

Cinque ore in contanti (Italy)

Runtime:

UK:89 min | USA:90 min | West Germany:90 min

Country:

Italy | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Mario Zampi Productions

Trivia:

According to Michael Bentine's, "Memoirs The Long Banana Skin", Bentine started filming a supporting role in this project but was taken ill and replaced by another actor.

Quotes:

Gabrielle: Ah, that Roberto. But why did he have to cheat?
Raphael: Debts! More than 160 million lire. And he figured that by gambling with our money he could pay off his debts and us. But...everthing just went pffff!
Gabrielle: And that's when he went...over the cliff?
Raphael: Oh, no. No. He told Sandra about his predicament and she, nice girl that she is, gave him all her jewellery but that went pffff in the same way.
Gabrielle: Well, it was decent of Sandra to have given him all her jewellery.
Raphael: As matters now stand, you'll get back about 2 million lire. We've attached the house.
Gabrielle: Is that so?
Raphael: We've given Sandra about six weeks to pay back the money and if she can't, well, pffff goes the house, everything in it.
Gabrielle: But I still pity Sandra.
Raphael: Oh, you do, do you?
[...]

OK, I'll Watch It

I'm sure that technically, this movie can be watched without serious worries that it will induce a coma. However, acute lethargy, loss of focus, and boredom are indicated. I know this because I sat through the whole thing, and no long term deleterious effects seemed evident. Very little else was on that early in the morning, and TCM offered it up without commercials so I thought, OK, I'll watch it.

I've never been a huge Ernie Kovacs or Cyd Charisse fan, and after watching this movie, I can't say I'm gonna start ordering their DVD's anytime soon. I mean, it wasn't horrible. The production values were good and the acting was fine. I think the real problem was the script here. The TV Guide review said it was a comedy, but there just wasn't a whole lot of "the funny" happening. I've been around longer than this movie, so I think I'd have noticed.

It didn't give me any nightmares though, so I bumped it from three to four stars. I'm just that nice a guy.