La volpe e la duchessa

This is a rather naughty little film, with a lot of Goldie Hawn on view at times. It is however done with such a lovely sense of fun and mischief that my kids and I watched it many times with great enjoyment.

Goldie sings some fun songs - including one about fruit, naughty fruit - and goes adventuring across the Old West in the company - at times - of the handsome and talented George Segal. [My favourite GS film, this one!] There are some sidesplitting scenes - for both audience and Goldie's clothes - and there is a very well-trained horse.

Best of all is the running gag! - How many times did you....? - Including this time? Once!

I use it all the time!!!

1976 was probably a crucial year in gauging the status of the Western as a feasible Hollywood film genre: apart from well-regarded titles like THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES and THE RETURN OF A MAN CALLED HORSE, you had to contend with some notorious flops, of both the art-house – Robert Altman's BUFFALO BILL AND THE INDIANS OR, SITTING BULL'S HISTORY LESSON and Arthur Penn's THE MISSOURII BREAKS – and the spoof – THE DUCHESS AND THE DIRTWATER FOX and THE GREAT SCOUT AND CATHOUSE THURSDAY (which I've yet to catch up with) – variety. The star rating I gave to the film in question is an indication that it wasn't, in fact, as disastrous as contemporary (and even more recent, in view of its release on DVD) reviews would have you believe and I'd say it's even worthy of earning a place in my collection…which should, of course, imply that it has rewatchability value.

Goldie Hawn, George Segal and his amiably clumsy horse Blackjack are practically the whole show here and this is clearly one of those movies which rely heavily on the charisma (or lack thereof) of its leads for its success or otherwise. The screenplay does have some good lines – including an amusingly protracted stagecoach conversation (supposedly in French) between the two stars which actually incorporates slangy English, French, Italian, Spanish and some Latin, too – but the plot is rather too thin to sustain the film's length. Hawn is a saloon entertainer/hooker with ideas above her station: she gets to wear tarty outfits, sing a bawdy song in an English accent and board the aforementioned stagecoach to become "The Duchess" of the title, an English governess to a host of kids borne by a wealthy Mormon; on the other hand, Segal is a luckless womanizing cardsharp who keeps getting caught cheating and finding himself at the wrong end of the noose; he eventually manages to abscond with $40,000 in stolen loot to the eternal chagrin of a ramshackle band of outlaws. The bag containing the money changes owners more often than these characters take a bath and, along the way, Hawn and Segal finally make love aboard a canoe approaching some deadly rapids, take refuge in a Jewish wedding ceremony and are bound together and left to roast under the baking desert sun. The change in mood towards the end – where Segal is repeatedly shot in the final confrontation with the gang – is far from smoothly handled but the open-ended conclusion nevertheless manages to end the film on a lighter note.

I first saw this film when I was about 10 & thought it was a great film. Saw that it had been recently released on DVD & decided to take a trip down memory lane to see if Goldie was as hot in the movie as I remembered......she was. The film starts off pretty funny & moves along at a good pace. Some good gags, some good dialogue & a bit of slapstick. But what I think lets the film down is the finale. It just peters out & is a bit of a damp squib.

George Segal & Goldie Hawn work well together & I'm surprised they didn't do anything else together. All in all an enjoyable little film...if only for Goldie Hawns dance routines.

This is an amusing and funny western comedy romp with two great comedian actors : George Segal and Goldie Hawn. Once upon a time, if the rustlers didn't get you , the hustlers did , dealing with a frontier hooker : Goldie Hawn and a saddle tramp : George Segal attempting to make a buck in the Old West, as they form a charming couple of experts . Both of whom join forces to deceive , rob and swindle to unfortunate people . The Wild Wild West has never been funnier ! The most likeable pair of rogues I have met since Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid ! Together , they'll show you how the West was Fun ! A card up his sleeve . A noose around his neck . It's George Segal as the Dirtwater Fox . A wiggle in her lips. Larceny in heart of gold . It's Goldie Hawn as the Duchess . He starts out as a simple card-sharp and ends up with 40.000 dollars , three bullet holes , and the only saloon-dancing Duchess in the West !

This Western-comedy romp clicks here and there , getting entertaining moments and to have fun enough . Period Western strung together with several attempts at humor , all about a musical-hall dancer who meets a bumbling shark on the make . Well played by a very sympathetic duo , George Segal and Goldie Hawn , both of them are frankly good . Being assisted by an acceptable but little known support cast , such as : Conrad Janis , Thayer David, Jennifer Pryor and brief appearance by Richard Farnsworth as a stage coach driver , among others .

It contains an evocative and colorful cinematograhy by Joseph F. Biroc who photographed various Robert Aldrich films . As well as lively and jolly score by Charles Fox with plenty of musical background from dance hall numbers performed by Goldie Hawn who sings a number of attractive songs . The motion picture was professionally directed by Melvin Frank, though it has some failures , gaps and flaws . Frank was a fine writer/producer/director who made various films of all kinds of genres with penchant for comedy . As Melvin directed the following ones : "Lost and found" , "Court jester" , "The Prisoner of Second Avenue" , "Touch of Class" , "Walk like a man" , and his most successful movie was : "The Front" starred by Woody Allen . Rating : 6/10 . Passable and acceptable Western comedy , though neither extraordinary , nor notable , but decent . The flick will appeal to Goldie Hawn and George Segal fans .

I liked this movie. It is a bit dated and it does lose the thread a bit at times, but generally is funny and spontaneous. I really wondered if some of the humor was unplanned. For example, when the Fox turns the corner on his horse and falls off. It really looks like this wasn't in the original script but it happened anyway. I particularly liked the song Don't touch my plums and especially when Goldie sings it to the Mormon family. Goldie Hawn is at her finest and suits the role she is playing. Watch it when you want to smile or need cheering up and don't want to think too deeply! We watched this by accident on TV last night and I managed to stay awake all the way through (ask my husband, that's amazing!)