Boulevard du Rhum

During the prohibition period, the three-mile zone on the American coast was a busy shipping area. This was the only place where alcohol smugglers could get their forbidden goods past the coast guard and to the thirsty souls of America. The powerful but somewhat stupid Captain Cornelius von Zeelinga (Lino VENTURA) also travels along this "rum boulevard" on his various ships. On his journeys between Cuba, Jamaica and America, the film fan repeatedly sees adventure films with the popular silent film diva Linda LaRue (Brigitte BARDOT), who knows how to enthuse her audiences, especially in skimpy leopard skin costumes. One day the captain actually gets to know the blonde beauty. This is accompanied by the most hair-raising events. Because the voluptuous diva is not only followed by her film family (Guy MARCHAND as a dapper screen partner), but soon also by an English lord (Clive REVILL), who even wants to make the cheeky blonde a margravine.

This French film by Robert ENRICO was shot mainly in Mexico and Belize (formerly British Honduras). Without a stringent plot, the turbulent comedy is entertaining with its bizarre ideas and slapstick interludes. BARDOT in particular can really put on a great show and shows in various silent film scenes what enormous star power she had. BB also goes all out comedic, so that the film from the legendary French film studio GAUMONT is remembered above all for her presence.

Other than the unmatchably beautiful Brigitte Bardot, there is little reason to see this turkey. She made only one other movie after this, in the same year (1971). The action is mindless except for a bizarre sort of reverse-Russian roulette: instead of a player pointing a gun at his own head and taking his chances, the player stands before a group of armed men with loaded guns, the lights go off, and then he ducks and hopes he can dodge their bullets, as each fires once. Nonetheless, the plot, such as there is, is stupid, the attempt at period-piece farce pathetic, the acting poor (save for Bardot)). The Caribbean scenery is pleasant. The movie is neither funny, nor exciting. The hero is singularly unappealing. Three stars.

Brigitte Bardot's later movies are generally not considered as good as her earlier ones, but 'Boulevard du rhum' is an exception to that. Aged 36 at the time, Brigitte plays a strong supporting role to leading man Lino Ventura. He plays an important runner, smuggling liquor in the time when this was prohibited by some very strict US laws. Unpleasant contacts with the US Coast Guard are part of the story.

With her singing and dancing Brigitte certainly adds a big dimension to 'Boulevard du rhum'. She also provides an element of twenties fashion, thus strongly contributing to this movie's lovely mix of Charleston and Carraïbean moods.

Just sit back, relax, and enjoy 'Boulevard du rhum'. This movie is worth 125 minutes of your time.

Two hours of mostly boredom. No Lino Ventura and no Brigitte Bardot can help at a movie that is concocted from various small scenes that could have been encountered under the umbrella topic of smuggling alcool during Prohibition.

A captain and alcool smuggler lets himself being shot at with live ammunition for money. Then he buys a new ship from the money gained from that exercise, and instead of smuggling alcool, he follows the screenings of a movie star (BB) throughout the Caribbean. Until he finally happens to come across her incidentally at some remote beach. They fall in love, and remain happy until she decides to marry someone else.

That's about the worst that one can do from the topic of 'running rum' during Prohibition.

From my angle, I wouldn't even wanted to watch this one again, if there was nothing else available.

I saw this movie not long ago and i love it ,to me Brigitte Bardot is the most beautiful , charming and divine movie star of all time , in this movie she play something like Pearl White or Musidora a silent movie star sadly this was ones of Bardot last movie role she was starting to getting older and as she once said she don't want to play mothers or older part AS LIZ TAYLOR AND HER WANNA BE SOPHIA LOREN DID good for her she was by this time a living legend and the most famous french movie star of all time, in the movie Lino Ventura a very good actor play the leading part in a very funny way but i just love the movie not only because its very good but because Bardot was in, anything with B,B, TO ME IS WORTH THE TIME AND MONEY