La ceinture de chasteté

"The Chastity Belt" should be better regarded. Okay, it's not great cinema, but it is a frolicking romp of a flick with a few subdued late-60's naughty bits, a libertine Pasollini feel to it's general proceedings, and a great overall look. Tony Curtis (so under-rated) plays a knight in hot pursuit of the key to unlock Monica Vitti's ... um ... armor. Curtis is great clever fun, lampooning the movie star image he cultivated in films like 'Taras Bulba,' 'The Vikings' and 'Spartacus.' Monica Vitti had to be at her most beautiful just at that moment of the world, so ravishingly beautiful is she here. The great cinematographer Carlo Di Palma shot the film after he shot three classics for MIchelangelo Antonioni and before he shot ten distinctive films of Woody Allen's mid-career. Danilo Donati provides the costumes. Donati has been Oscar-nominated, like, six times, winning two Oscars for Zefferelli's 'Romeo and Juliet' and Fellini's 'Casanova.' He should've been nominated for this one; his work is eye-popping and yet historically accurate. It's true that this movie won't change your life and it has some slow and even confusing patches and not enough nudity or raucous goings-on to make it completely noteworthy. It's also, on occasion, poorly dubbed. However, anyone interested in Curtis or Vitti, or anyone interested in a sometimes-funny outing with a film that's quite unusual and far better and far more adventurous than most comedies made today, should enjoy this one.

Comic medieval romp which, as can be surmised from the title, concerns the battle of the sexes; not bad overall, but not sufficiently inspired either (despite willing performers and interesting credits – while an Italian production, the script was co-written by Larry Gelbart!).

The film is generally entertaining, flavorful, even mildly saucy and, yet, emerges as a somewhat hit-or-miss affair – with at least as many flat spots as bright ones (the latter thanks largely to the delightful presence, in both senses of the word, of Monica Vitti…even though, in retrospect, her modern style of acting seems incongruous within this particular milieu!). The male lead is played by Tony Curtis – spoofing his own image in Hollywood films of this type (incidentally, I should be watching him presently in THE BLACK SHIELD OF FALWORTH [1954]). Also in the cast is Englishman John Richardson (a "Euro-Cult" regular during this era) as an errant knight who loses a contest with Vitti (disguised as one herself in an attempt to reach Curtis, currently engaged in Holy War) and thus sworn to undying loyalty…even if he's himself eventually revealed to be royalty operating incognito! Nino Castelnuovo appears as Curtis' jovial yet frustrated squire – since the latter is seen exercising his droit de seigneur with the ladies at every opportunity, leaving Castelnuovo "the leftovers"! Towards the end of the film, Hugh Griffith also pops in for an unremarkable bit as a Muslim who abducts both Curtis and Vitti to his palace – one to convert to Islam, the other to add to his harem.

Buoyed by a lively Riz Ortolani score, this takes a light comedy approach to the subject matter wherein Curtis and Vitti's consummation of their relationship is continually thwarted – either by tradition, exigencies of State, or their own selfish pride. Even when the two have finally made up and are willing to honor their marital vows, they first lose the key to the chastity belt and, when eventually retrieved, discover that it has been exchanged with that belonging to the Empress herself!

If you are expecting to see some skin, forget it. The movie poster shows more than in the movie.

When the knight brings in the chastity belt, you hear her struggles off screen, then you see a fully clothed Monica slide down the wall and a "clank" when she hits the floor. Saw the film once back then. Never since. A waste of good time.

Movie that mixes comedy and fantasy in a medieval setting full of historical misunderstandings and false clichés. Fun but not great. A plot that clings to itself with a cheerful ending.

Tony Curtis, excellent in "The Defiant Ones", "Some Like It Hot", "The Boston Strangler," here is worthy of mercy. Monica Vitti, one of the best actresses of all time, here she is pathetic. John Richardson, Tumak of "One Million Years BC", has a small, insignificant role. The whole movie is nothing more than a big waste of time. Zero stars!