Copyright 31 December 1964 by Anatole De Grunwald Productions—Metro- Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. Released through Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. New York opening at the Radio City Music Hall: 13 May 1965. London opening at the Empire, Leicester Square: 31 December 1964. Australian release: 18 March 1965. 122 minutes.
SYNOPSES: (1) Unaware that his wife is conducting an affair with his assistant (Edmund Purdom), an aristocrat (Rex Harrison) buys a Rolls Royce as a present for his wife (Jeanne Moreau) on their wedding anniversary. (2) An Italian photographer (Alain Delon) has an affair with a mobster's moll (Shirley MacLaine), who is forced to send him packing when the mobster (George C. Scott) returns from a business trip to the USA. (3) A rich widow in Trieste (Ingrid Bergman) hides a patriotic Yugoslav (Omar Sharif) from the Nazis.
NOTES: Filming commenced in London on 6 April 1964. Locations were photographed in England, Italy and Austria Film debut of Art Carney Last film of director Anthony Asquith, who died in February 1968.
COMMENT: Disappointing. Considering the amount of talent both in front of and behind the camera, I would have expected a far livelier, far more entertaining film than this languidly handled, tedious and simple-minded affair. Although Asquith's direction remains stolidly heavy-handed throughout, the main fault, of course, lies in the writing. The idea had great possibilities. Look what Julien Duvivier and company did with a simple tail-coat in Tales of Manhattan (1942)!
The First Episode is undoubtedly the most interesting and amusing by far. A sly comedy of manners, it features the debonair Rex Harrison, ideally cast and in great form. Rex can make even the dullest lines seem moderately witty. Moreau and Purdom adequately hold up the other corners of the romantic triangle. More importantly, there are some great supporting cameos, including Gregoire Aslan's flustered ambassador, Michael Hordern's confident car salesman and Lance Percival's bit as his disappointed assistant. Roland Culver and Moira Lister are also on hand (you have to be quick to glimpse her), plus cult favorite, Isa Miranda. This great line-up helps disguise some rather thin material, as well as Rattigan's consistently stodgy direction.
With the Second Episode, Rattigan's writing becomes more shallow, its deficiencies emphasized by the inane miscasting of George C. Scott as an Al Capone-type gangster. Fortunately Alain Delon's charming photographer and the fascinating Italian location scenery help make this segment reasonably watchable. Carney is okay and Miss MacLaine tries hard.
The Bergman piece comes across as a pretty poor misjudgment that wastes her talents. Fortunately, magnificent scenery comes to the rescue once again, this time aided by lively special effects. Plus Joyce Grenfell (employing her deliciously comic American accent) at the beginning and end of the episode. Riz Ortolani's melodic score also rates as a major asset.
SYNOPSES: (1) Unaware that his wife is conducting an affair with his assistant (Edmund Purdom), an aristocrat (Rex Harrison) buys a Rolls Royce as a present for his wife (Jeanne Moreau) on their wedding anniversary. (2) An Italian photographer (Alain Delon) has an affair with a mobster's moll (Shirley MacLaine), who is forced to send him packing when the mobster (George C. Scott) returns from a business trip to the USA. (3) A rich widow in Trieste (Ingrid Bergman) hides a patriotic Yugoslav (Omar Sharif) from the Nazis.
NOTES: Filming commenced in London on 6 April 1964. Locations were photographed in England, Italy and Austria Film debut of Art Carney Last film of director Anthony Asquith, who died in February 1968.
COMMENT: Disappointing. Considering the amount of talent both in front of and behind the camera, I would have expected a far livelier, far more entertaining film than this languidly handled, tedious and simple-minded affair. Although Asquith's direction remains stolidly heavy-handed throughout, the main fault, of course, lies in the writing. The idea had great possibilities. Look what Julien Duvivier and company did with a simple tail-coat in Tales of Manhattan (1942)!
The First Episode is undoubtedly the most interesting and amusing by far. A sly comedy of manners, it features the debonair Rex Harrison, ideally cast and in great form. Rex can make even the dullest lines seem moderately witty. Moreau and Purdom adequately hold up the other corners of the romantic triangle. More importantly, there are some great supporting cameos, including Gregoire Aslan's flustered ambassador, Michael Hordern's confident car salesman and Lance Percival's bit as his disappointed assistant. Roland Culver and Moira Lister are also on hand (you have to be quick to glimpse her), plus cult favorite, Isa Miranda. This great line-up helps disguise some rather thin material, as well as Rattigan's consistently stodgy direction.
With the Second Episode, Rattigan's writing becomes more shallow, its deficiencies emphasized by the inane miscasting of George C. Scott as an Al Capone-type gangster. Fortunately Alain Delon's charming photographer and the fascinating Italian location scenery help make this segment reasonably watchable. Carney is okay and Miss MacLaine tries hard.
The Bergman piece comes across as a pretty poor misjudgment that wastes her talents. Fortunately, magnificent scenery comes to the rescue once again, this time aided by lively special effects. Plus Joyce Grenfell (employing her deliciously comic American accent) at the beginning and end of the episode. Riz Ortolani's melodic score also rates as a major asset.