12 + 1 (1969)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Nicolas Gessner

Writers:

Marc Behm (writer)
Nicolas Gessner (writer)

Release Date:

1 May 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Mario, a young philanderer, receives 13 antique chairs in a bad state by inheritance and decides to sell off them to get some money...

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman | Based On Novel | Number In Title

Cast

Sharon Tate	...	Pat
Vittorio Gassman	...	Mario Beretti
Orson Welles	...	Maurice Markau
Vittorio De Sica	...	Carlo Di Seta - The Commadatore
Terry-Thomas	...	Albert
Grégoire Aslan	...	Psychiarist
Mylène Demongeot	...	Judy
John Steiner	...	Stanley Duncan
Tim Brooke-Taylor	...	Jackie
William Rushton	...	Lionel Bennet
Lionel Jeffries	...	Randomhouse
Ottavia Piccolo	...	Stefanella Di Seta
Catana Cayetano	...	Véronique
Claude Berthy	...	François
Marzio Margine	...	Pasqualino

Also Known As:

Douze et un (France)
The 13 Chairs
Twelve Plus One (UK)
Una su 13
Una su tredici (Italy) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

France:90 min | Netherlands:96 min | USA:94 min

Country:

Italy | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:M | Finland:K-3 (new rating: 2001) | Finland:S | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

C.O.F.C.I.

Trivia:

Terry-Thomas explains the plot of a book he is reading to Sharon Tate called "My Name Is Lust". The copy of the book he gives her has the title pasted over the cover of an existing paperback novel, the 1969 Corgi Books printing of "The Thing Of It Is" by William Goldman.

Movie Connections:

Remake of L'eredità in Corsa (1939)

Uneven But Frantic

I found this film delightful. It is frantic and fun but somewhat uneven in it's pacing. Vittorio Gassman is quite good as the poor schmuck who unknowingly gives away a fortunate hidden in one of thirteen chairs, and Sharon Tate is delicious in her role as the antique dealer. Had she lived, she may well have made it as a light comedian. It was quite surprising to see Orson Welles in this light comedy. His performance is more understated than the other two stars, but still quite good.