Most of the recent reviews here are down on this film, one calling it 'catastrophic' and another reviewer claiming to have not laughed once. Well, I don't know what film they watched. Sometimes there's just no accounting for taste.
Plot In A Nutshell: An elderly British aristocrat (Sophia Loren) recounts her earlier life and love affair with a petty criminal and budding anarchist (Paul Newman), while being pursued by a British lord (David Niven).
First off, this is a comedy and needs to be understood as such. Second, it's very much a British comedy, screenplay and direction by the esteemed Peter Ustinov. Not much slapstick. It's all in the dialogue. And while there are comedic situations throughout, I'd say the best lines are reserved for Niven's character, the British lord. Here are a few examples:
Lord Lendale (Niven) is trying to identify an assassin among a crowd of people. He picks out a man and asks Loren's character if he is right. "No," she says, "that's the Paris Chief of Police." Lendale replies "Oh, so close!" Lol how can you not laugh at that. Another time, Loren's character steals a valuable object from Lendale. Lendale readily forgives her and says "it's OK. I'm a duke, so that just means my ancestors learned to steal earlier than other people." Hilarious! If you don't find these lines funny, I don't know what to say. I was amused throughout this film and am glad I didn't listen to the naysayers here.
This is not an Oscar winner and it's not trying to be. It's a fun bit of satire and in that vein, I think Ustinov succeeded rather well. I'm not sure what other reviewers expected to see here.
8/10. Would I watch again (Y/N)?: Yes, absolutely.
Plot In A Nutshell: An elderly British aristocrat (Sophia Loren) recounts her earlier life and love affair with a petty criminal and budding anarchist (Paul Newman), while being pursued by a British lord (David Niven).
First off, this is a comedy and needs to be understood as such. Second, it's very much a British comedy, screenplay and direction by the esteemed Peter Ustinov. Not much slapstick. It's all in the dialogue. And while there are comedic situations throughout, I'd say the best lines are reserved for Niven's character, the British lord. Here are a few examples:
Lord Lendale (Niven) is trying to identify an assassin among a crowd of people. He picks out a man and asks Loren's character if he is right. "No," she says, "that's the Paris Chief of Police." Lendale replies "Oh, so close!" Lol how can you not laugh at that. Another time, Loren's character steals a valuable object from Lendale. Lendale readily forgives her and says "it's OK. I'm a duke, so that just means my ancestors learned to steal earlier than other people." Hilarious! If you don't find these lines funny, I don't know what to say. I was amused throughout this film and am glad I didn't listen to the naysayers here.
This is not an Oscar winner and it's not trying to be. It's a fun bit of satire and in that vein, I think Ustinov succeeded rather well. I'm not sure what other reviewers expected to see here.
8/10. Would I watch again (Y/N)?: Yes, absolutely.