chowse1 Review of Once More, with Feeling!

Once More, with Feeling! (1960)

Any Summary would include the spoiler

[9/10 · 24 February 2007]

One of three brilliant English Comedies (Indiscreet and The Reluctant Debutante are the others) that showcase witty dialog that is slyly delivered. Tragically, Kay Kendall's last film it's also her best. The combination of The King of Siam (Brynner) and the quintessential English Tea Rose seems unlikely but, having once seen, it's impossible to imagine another couple. Add to that Gregory Ratoff as Symphony ConductorBrynner's agent (One of his many lines about his veracity is, "May my whole troop of Russian Ballet Dancers come down with hoof and mouth disease if I'm lying!") and you have a cross-cultural melange that makes Ninotchka look tepid. The plot turns about Kendall needing a favour from Brynner and the film chronicles how the results come about. A long the way she artfully gets his way for him without quite wishing to do so. (Her quasi-seduction of a violinist by dreaming up "Humperdincks Syndrome" is a classic bit of scripted improvisation.) Brynner as the most egocentric symphony conductor ever is believable because he believes it. In other less skilled hands, it could have been simply loud and annoying. This is a film that was meant to lurch from one situation to another and keep the audience wondering what possibly can happen next. The dialog is worth of Oscar Wilde and the production as a whole has a lushness that is rare then or now. It's a great regret that this is not available in any form and is seldom available for viewing. One hopes this fault will be corrected.