The Art of Love (1965)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Norman Jewison

Writers:

Richard Alan Simmons (story) and
William Sackheim (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

12 July 1965 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Two nimble American rascals turn Paris on it's ear!!!

Plot:

Struggling artist fakes his own death so his works will increase in value.

Plot Keywords:

Painter | Paris France | Valuable Painting | Paris | Beautiful Woman

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

James Garner	...	Casey Barnett
Dick Van Dyke	...	Paul Sloane
Elke Sommer	...	Nikki
Angie Dickinson	...	Laurie Gibson
Ethel Merman	...	Madame Coco La Fontaine
Carl Reiner	...	Rodin
Pierre Olaf	...	Carnot
Miiko Taka	...	Chou Chou
Roger C. Carmel	...	Zorgus
Irving Jacobson	...	Mr. Fromkis
Jay Novello	...	Janitor
Naomi Stevens	...	Mrs. Sarah Fromkis
Renzo Cesana	...	Pepe
Leon Belasco	...	Prince
Louis Mercier	...	Judge
Maurice Marsac	...	Prosecutor
Fifi D'Orsay	...	Fanny
Marcel Hillaire	...	Executioner
Dawn Villere	...	Couchette
Nan Martin	...	Margo (as Nancy Martin)
Victoria Carroll	...	Yvette
Sharon Shore	...	Betti
Astrid De Brea	...	Cerise
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jean Del Val	...	Judge (uncredited)
Brad Johnson	...	Art Collector (uncredited)
Forbes Murray	...	Airport Extra (uncredited)
Paul Préboist	...	Bus driver (uncredited)
Rolfe Sedan	...	Cab Driver (uncredited)
Olan Soule	...	Tourist (uncredited)
Hal Taggart	...	Tourist (uncredited)

Directed by
Norman Jewison

Writing credits
Richard Alan Simmons		(story) and
William Sackheim		(story)
Carl Reiner		(writer)

Produced by
Ross Hunter	....	producer

Original Music by
Cy Coleman

Cinematography by
Russell Metty

Film Editing by
Milton Carruth

Art Direction by
Alexander Golitzen
George C. Webb		(as George Webb)

Set Decoration by
John P. Austin		(as John Austin)
Howard Bristol

Costume Design by
Ray Aghayan

Makeup Department
Larry Germain	....	hair stylist
Bud Westmore	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Norman Deming	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Douglas Green	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Clarence Self	....	sound
Waldon O. Watson	....	sound

Music Department
Joseph Gershenson	....	musical director
Frank Skinner	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Other crew
Harold Belfer	....	choreographer (as Hal Belfer)
Paul Verdie	....	technical advisor
Harold Goodwin	....	dialogue coach (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Cherokee Productions
• Ross Hunter Productions
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1965) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1968) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)

Other Companies

• Cartier  jewels
• DePatie-Freleng Enterprises  titles

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-8 | Sweden:11

Filming Locations:

European Village set, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Cherokee Productions

Trivia:

Mae West was originally offered the role of Madame Coco La Fontaine but the producers refused to let her write her own dialogue, so the part went to Ethel Merman.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Directors: The Films of Norman Jewison" (1999)

Jean-Francois Millet, not Gustave Courbet

Theowinthrop: "There is also a short story by Mark Twain entitled "IS HE DEAD?" about a plot to make a reputation for a prominent 19th Century artist, Gustave Courbet, by him pretending to be dead, and his paintings being sold for larger and larger amounts of cash so that the still living Courbet and his friends make a huge profit." It was Millet, the artist responsible for THE GLEANERS and other works, who faked his death in order to raise the value of his art. Twain later turned the scam into a play, IS HE DEAD?, which finally got discovered in 2002 and produced on stage in 2007.

That said, THE ART OF LOVE has long been one of my "Favorite Films I Haven't Seen in a Long Long Time." The lack of video release is depressing. Hopefully Universal will start a cable movie channel dedicated to its own films, much like Fox Movie Channel (a great place to see long-forgotten flicks like PRUDENCE AND THE PILL).