O Escândalo da Princesa

In 1960 this film did not receive audience attention because there were other film being shown that the public wanted to see, like "Psycho" and many other films. Most Sophia Loren films were not as popular in America and so Carlo Ponti brought his wife back to Europe and she made a very successful film, "Two Women" which won her an Academy Award and brought Sophia great notoriety. In this picture, Sophia plays the role as Princess Olympia who is a very wild and beautiful young lady who gets into all kinds of trouble. Sophia rides her horse one day and an American named Charlie Foster, (John Gavin) and his automobile scares the horse and the Princess falls to the ground and she plays games with Charlie making believe she is hurt, but she really likes him and wants to spend the night with him in a lodge. Charlie has no idea this pretty gal is a Princess and they both get along very well, with her sleeping in his pajamas and her waking up and the bottoms of the PJ's are missing. This is a great comedy and Maurice Chevalier, (Prince Philip) gives a great supporting role as Princess Olympia father along with Angela Lanwsbury, (Countess Lina) who is a gossip and trouble maker getting into everyone's private lives. Michael Curtiz directed this picture and he was a famous director who produced many great films.

This bantam weight of a comedy really has not much going for it. It is so light you could knock it down with a feather. I was so bored I decided to do some crossword puzzles while listening to the dialog and missed absolutely. Princess/Royalty Sophia is expelled from the court. She wants to marry a well to do royal but an indiscretion with an American visitor, the always bland for extremely good looking John Gavin - well, he's not really bland: He just speaks in a monotone way and doesn't vary his technique much - threatens to derail the impending nuptials. Poor second-billed Maurice Chevalier in a role he would play many time again as the cantankerous old matchmaker after perfecting it in Gigi dawdles through the movie singing sweet melodies that move absolutely no one. Wide Screen cinematography and Technicolor is exquisite and the costumes worn by Sophia define her figure to goddess like status. But when in a romantic comedy you are rapturing over the sets and costumes you know something is wrong. P.S. Poor Michael Curtiz!

A lot of talent was wasted in this uninspired remake of 'His Glorious Night', based on a Molnar Play. The lovely Sophia Loren is beautiful to look at as a spirited Ruritanian princess falling in love with the stereotyped brash American industrialist. There are no new ideas here. Visually, it's appealing, but with all the talent involved, it should have been much better.

I like it a lot. It is funny. Has some funny scenes and some funny characters.

Now, I didn't say that it is a comedy that will make you laugh a lot, but you might watch almost all of it with a smile on your face, at least I know I did.

Sophia Loren looks great in it and from what my sister told me the guy looks very good also.

(Maybe guys could learn something from the man in this movie.)

I gave it a 10 because I think it is one of the best of it's kind. (By the way, if you know better ones please let me know. 10x)

PS: I think is a nice movie to watch with a girlfriend/boyfriend.

Sophia Loren--in a succession of lavish gowns, her hair tinted a honey-brown--looks every inch the princess in this surface-pretty remake of 1929's "His Glorious Night", adapted from Molnar's play "Olimpia". An American businessman from Pittsburg travels overseas and falls in love with mercurial royalty from Ruritania; she has breached protocol by even being seen with this "peasant", so in order to keep him quiet she agrees to spend a weekend with him in the country. Wily Maurice Chevalier, as Sophia's father, gets to sing a little and make eyes at the ladies, and his polished comic timing is a welcome relief to the empty, useless bantering of the young lovers. As Loren's gallant guy, stiff John Gavin talks as if he's being dubbed by a ventriloquist (he has no music in his voice). Sophia doesn't have the witty lines of the older players (nor that of Angela Lansbury as a competitive Countess), though she gives more to this puff-piece than most actresses would have. A few funny lines do lighten the load, yet it's largely forgettable. ** from ****