Le avventure e gli amori di Moll Flanders

It can be interesting to look at films from years ago and see how one's views have changed. I saw this when it came out in 1965, and again when it was revived a few years later. I quite enjoyed it then, although the critics were not impressed, however it must be fifty years since I last saw it, so when I saw that Talking Pictures TV were showing it, I set my TV to record it so that I could watch it at my leisure. Looked at today, my impression is that it has not aged at all well. There seems to be a lot of energy expended to little effect. At times, it resembles a Carry-on movie, and it hardly helps that Kim Novak seems to be miscast. However credit is due to Leo McKern playing Richard Johnson's sidekick, who adds some much needed fun to the proceedings. It has a good supporting cast, but I can't help but feel that with this cast, it really should have been a lot better.

Watchable, faintly amusing adaptation of Daniel Defoe's novel "Moll Flanders", chronicling the sexual misadventures of an orphan-turned-servant girl in the 18th century who marries her employer's foolish son and quickly becomes a widow. Working as a maid to a titled lady, she is determined to find a wealthy husband, but instead finds herself attracted to a suave highway robber. Director Terence Young and a solid assemblage of talents can't quite breathe life into this British-made comedy, much of it seeming like a distaff "Tom Jones". There are lively moments along the way, although Kim Novak just squeaks by as Moll (a good sport rather than a star performer, she's upstaged by the randy supporting cast). The production is meant to be plush and the screenplay is meant to be bawdy, yet both are disappointing. Novak and Richard Johnson were briefly married in real life. ** from ****

This movie has to be one that shows off Kim Novak at her most luscious. It's too bad there wasn't enough showcasing! It's also too bad that this movie was made as a COMEDY unlike the newer PBS version. The only consolation, once again, is the luscious Kim Novak.

The best things about TAAOMF were the settings and the stream of well- known and not so well-known names and faces from British cinema, some in very small roles. Richard Wattis looked quite handsome in his period wig, but Derren Nesbit appeared a bit ridiculous in his period hairstyle - though, to be fair, his character was a foolish fop.

At 32 Kim Novak was a little too old to portray a Moll whom I took to be in her late teens but she did well enough. The great George Sanders provided some weight to the proceedings.

Kim Novak was at the height of her career fame and after filming Strangers When We Meet, The Notorious Landlady, Boys Night Out, Of Human Bondage, Kiss Me Stupid, Kim Novak starred and I mean starred in the film version of Defoe's class "Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders. Kim Novak -in red hair in this movie- is sensational, sexy, a great star turn in this movie filmed entirely in England. It was supposed to be a riff on "Tom Jones" but instead became a fine film on its own right.

Terence Young -whom I read Kim Novak enjoyed working with- is a fine director and paced this comedy well with great support from a cast of pro's Angela Lansbury, Vittorio De Sica, Daniel Massey and a man Kim would marry Richard Johnson. (The marriage was a quick one and now Kim Novak has been happily married for nearly 40 years to Dr. Robert Molloy). Novak remains friends with Richard Johnson.

Back to Terence Young, Ms. Novak who had a unfair reputation of being difficult to work with proved far from the truth as Directors such as Alfred Hitcock, Billy Wilder, Otto Preminger, Joshua Logan, George Sidney, Delbert Mann all had high praise for the sleek Kim Novak's acting ability. One of Novak's great directors Richard Quine fell deeply in love with the star and his films especially 'Strangers When We Meet' reflect the deep love Quine had for the star.

Kim Novak- A real Movie Star!- made her most famous film Hitchcok's Vertigo with James Stewart at Paramount on loan out from Columbia and also this is a Paramount film. Two of Kim Novak's finest performances were in Paramount movies!

Kim Novak to me is one of the more under-appreciated stars in Hollywood. With a body of work that includes Picnic, Man With The Golden Arm, Vertigo, Bell Book and Candle, Strangers When We Meet, Kiss Me Stupid, Of Human Bondage, Moll Flanders, and later on her wicked star turn in The Mirror Crack'd Novak worked with the greatest of Hollywood stars: Elizabeth Taylor, James Stewart, Rita Hayworth, Fred Astaire, Roz Russell, William Holden, Judy Holiday, Jack Lemmon, Jane Wyman, Rock Hudson, Frank Sinatra, Peter Finch, and all had positive things to say about working with this fine actress.

I recommend this delightful film.

Williwaw