Trivia: The scene where Woody Allen's character celebrates his birthday on the wharf was filmed on December 1, 1964 - Woody's 29th birthday. Banned in Norway because of a scene where Peter Sellers tries to commit suicide by burning himself wrapped in a Norwegian flag. The movie began as a semi-autobiographical project for Warren Beatty with Woody Allen writing the screenplay. Eventually Beatty's role became smaller than originally intended and producer Charles Feldman ignored his request to cast his then-girlfriend Leslie Caron instead of Capucine. Beatty then left the project and his role was taken by Peter O'Toole. The title is a line Warren Beatty used on his girlfriends at the time. Dr. Fassbender's line about Rita, played by Ursula Andress, "knowing James Bond" was ad-libbed by Peter Sellers, which explains why Ursula Andress laughs out loud afterwards. Andress played Honey Ryder in the first James Bond film, Dr. No.
I had no idea when I got this movie that Woody Allen wrote the screen play, or for that matter that he was in it. The problem with that is that his parts, excluding the big hotel finale at the end, seemed to be shoehorned into the movie. They really didn't fit. They were funny, yes. They showed Allen's future brilliance, yes. Did they belong in the movie? No. Peter Sellers, on the other hand is a comic genius. I saw him in Dr. Strangelove and the Pink Panther movie, but I don't remember ever seeing him in anything else. I will have to seek out his other films, this man is just plain funny, from his comic timing to his outrageous accent. Then there is Peter O'Toole. He can be serious, he can be funny, I think he can be just about anything he wants to be. In this one he was charming and engaging, which his character was supposed to be, and he was funny. His timing went really well with Sellers timing. After it was over I was wondering, if they had tried to make this movie today, could they have pulled it off. I don't think so. First, you would have to find someone to play the Sellers role and then the O'Toole role and I could not think of a pair of actors that would be able to work together like those two.
Next Up: "X", This Week's Clue: This movie has way too many Baldwins in it. Nobody guessed correctly so I am off the hook for this week, I still owe Amanda, Mick, and Anonymous Ken movies, I have Amanda's and Mick's choices (they should be out this coming week)...but not AK's. Here are the guesses:
Walk The Line - A chronicle of country music legend Johnny Cash's life, from his early days on an Arkansas cotton farm to his rise to fame with Sun Records in Memphis, where he recorded alongside Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins.
Wedding Crashers - John Beckwith and Jeremy Grey, a pair of committed womanizers who sneak into weddings to take advantage of the romantic tinge in the air, find themselves at odds with one another when John meets and falls for Claire Cleary.
What Dreams May Come - Chris Neilson dies to find himself in a heaven more amazing than he could have ever dreamed of. There is one thing missing: his wife...
Watchers - Based on a novel by Dean Koontz. A boy takes in a stray dog, later finding out that its an ultra-intelligent runaway from a genetic research lab...
When Harry Met Sally - Harry and Sally have known each other for years, and are very good friends, but they fear sex would ruin the friendship.
Waterworld - In a future where the polar ice caps have melted and most of Earth is underwater, a mutated mariner fights starvation and outlaw "smokers," and reluctantly helps a woman and a young girl find dry land.
Westworld - A futuristic amusement park becomes a deathtrap when the androids and computer systems used in it begin to murderously run amok.
Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf - A bitter aging couple with the help of alcohol, use a young couple to fuel anguish and emotional pain towards each other.
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1 comment:
I'm guessing "Xchange" for your x movie. It only has one Baldwin in it, but one is too many to me.
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