Monsieur Cognac

Nobody was apparently happy with this frolic about a tippling French movie star--a French poodle--certainly not co-screenwriter Waldo Salt (who openly disparaged the film) nor star Tony Curtis, whose last film this was with stable studio Universal. The dog, "Monsieur Cognac", has an educated palette for fine wines and brandy--and a jealous streak when one of his human handlers (Christine Kaufmann) falls in love with an American jazz musician touring Paris. It's a completely harmless, appropriately nonsensical romp with a very mild-mannered Curtis blithely sharing the screen with a scene-stealing canine who understands English (filmed in Hollywood, nobody speaks much French here and the travelogue shots are all from stock). The opening 30mns are perhaps best (frosted with Morton Stevens' lovely jazz-lite score); after that, "Wild and Wonderful" gets more wild than wonderful, becoming almost a different picture altogether. It culminates with a free-for-all in an elegant manor during the taping of a live TV show. The laughs are still there, but the early promise has already been buried like a doggy bone. Kaufmann was then-married to Curtis; they have an unforced rapport and lovely chemistry. ** from ****

The movie has an unusual twist. With the dog as the jealous other. A great plot & stars. Loved the movie, loved Christine & Tony & the Pup! Have seen it many times will see it many more!

The second of two pictures that Tony Curtis made with his second wife was this rather average comedy Wild And Wonderful. Tony Curtis and teenage Christine Kaufman caused a bit of scandal in Argentina where they were shooting Taras Bulba. They married when that shoot was over. According to Curtis in his memoir his storybook Hollywood marriage was over with Janet Leigh before he met Kaufman. But it's not how Hollywood legend has it.

Nothing terribly outstanding here. Curtis has married Kaufman who is the owner of celebrity French poodle Cognac, a star of French TV. Cognac wants to be the only man in Kaufman's life and takes every opportunity to let ony know it.

A collection of familiar players both American and continental are in the cast including Larry Storch who knew Tony when he was Bernie Schwartz of the Bronx.

Curtis insisted this wife retire after marriage and Kaufman gave up her career. When they broke up she returned to her home in Germany with her daughters by Curtis and resumed working. She remained a star there and never worked in America again.

This film is all right, but I recommend seeing Taras Bulba far more.