Une histoire de Monte Carlo

The whole film lacks sparkle and pace. Dietrich and De Sica look elegantly frozen in time as they mouth a dialogue stuffed full of half-baked innuendos. There is absolutely no chemistry between them at all. Dietrich looks as though she had been on a starvation diet and wiggles her way across the screen in some extremely tight dresses without the slightest hint of sex appeal. Even when the film was made it must have seemed old-fashioned. Now it looks as though dinosaurs still roamed the land. Just about watchable for the locations and as a curiosity for Dietrich fans. Technically, the film is interesting as being one of the first to use the Technirama process, which rivalled Cinemascope but used a larger frame size, so the picture is much clearer. Whether this benefited the actors is debatable but the scenery is pretty good. The whole film is available on YouTube but of course the quality is nothing like the original.

Act One: Marlene Dietrich and Vittorio De Sica have lost their sizable fortunes and more in the Casino. Now they are adventurers, putting up a front and looking for a rich spouse. They find each other, fall in love, and discover they are both broke.

Act Two: Retired American rich man Arthur O'Connell and daughter Natalie Trundy sail into the harbor on their new-bought three-masted ship. They set their caps at Miss Dietrich and De Sica.

Writer-director Samuel Taylor has written himself a problem play: how to make these four unlikable types appealing to the audience. The Europeans are selfish and lazy. The Americans are brash and boorish. What saves all of them in the audience's eye is their ultimate honesty and Giusepppi Rotunno's dazzling views of the harbor.. But it's a close thing. With Jane Rose, Mischa Auer, and Carlo Rizzo.

I have to reluctantly agree to just about everything I've read in the reviews attached to this movie. Just as the characters They are portraying, Miss Dietrich and Mr. DiSica must have needed the money they could earn from this. And like a lot of other performers there was probably a bit of 'what else am I going to do -stay home?' At least they got to go to Monaco and probably stay in first class hotels. I was not in the least bit disappointed in the job done by Jean-Louis in regards to Miss Dietrichs wardrobe. Fortunately for me I will watch a film just to see the gowns. But I really read all of the reviews out of curiosity to see if anyone noticed what I think is true about this movie and that is as best as I can remember there's not a single close-up of Miss D. Well known for being almost fanatical about her image I propose that this was her own doing as a way of protecting herself from the usually snide and sometimes vicious critics who love to take aim at aging actresses in a way that their male counterparts usually do not have to suffer. I would watch it again and let many other aging actresses keep me company on late night television. I have seen recent films that cost 200 times more to make that still have less entertainment value.

All the ingredients are here: glorious Technirama, Cote d'Azur setting and two charismatic leads. What on earth has gone awry?

The screenplay is by Samuel A. Taylor, an accomplished Broadway playwright who adapted his 'Sabrina Fair' and 'Avanti' for film as well as contributing to the screenplay for 'Vertigo'. Unfortunately he cannot direct. The film has neither sparkle nor momentum and there is some decidedly dodgy dubbing. There are admittedly a few good scenes and the production values are great but the film disappoints. The anticipated chemistry between Marlene Dietrich and Vittorio de Sica as two inveterate gamblers down on their luck is alas, lacking. De Sica is immaculate but Dietrich somehow misfires.

What a pity that neither Dino Risi, who wrote the original story nor Billy Wilder who brought Taylor's 'Sabrina Fair' and 'Avanti' to the screen were not on hand to work their particular magic. Ironically Wilder was to direct Dietrich's next film 'Witness for the Prosecution'.

One of the best lines in the film goes to de Sica who says that the gambler's most precious commodity is 'Hope'. A sentiment that might easily apply to actors! This superlative actor/director was known to be frequently short of funds because of his addictive gambling. He must have felt very much at home here!

A continental dream team of Marlene Dietrich and Vittorio DeSica team up for Montecarlo a place that was big news in 1957 because of a wedding that took place there. It was a natural that someone would have done some kind of Monaco based story because of the wedding of their reigning Prince Rainer to American film star Grace Kelly.

There was however little chemistry between Dietrich and DeSica. I think both of them did the film because of the opportunity to spend time on the Riviera. That's as good a reason as any I've ever heard.

The two stars are a pair of fortune hunters. Both have lost heavily at the gaming tables and each spies the other as a possible mark. When the horrible truth sinks in that they've only combined their debts they decide to team up and get richer respective partners. They decide on a father and daughter duo of millionaires.

Highlight of the film is Marlene Dietrich trying to seduce her mark Arthur O'Connell with a vamp version of Back Home In Indiana. Bet you never thought of that as a torch song. But when Marlene does it in her inimitable style it has possibilities.

But what I can't figure out is why DeSica was given 18 year old Natalie Trundy to go after. I mean the writers couldn't have had him trying to work O'Connell's sister instead of a daughter? He really comes across as a dirty old man. It's the main weakness of the film.

Among the supporting players is Italian comedian Renato Rascel who would co-star with Mario Lanza in The Seven Hills Of Rome the following year. He plays a pawnbroker who wants his tickets redeemed or Marlene's jewelry. Seems as though she had an agreement with Rascel's brother to allow her to wear the jewels for the casinos. Rascel wants an end to that practice and he and Dietrich have some great scenes together.

The wide screen color cinematography of Monaco and the Riviera are absolutely breathtaking. I'm glad color was used for this beautiful spot on the planet.

According to a recent biography of Marlene Dietrich, Vittorio DeSica had two great passions, pursuit of young girls in real life like Natalie Trundy and the gaming tables. He was a candidate for Gamblers Anonymous, DeSica when he won financed his films that way. Many a day's shoot was held up because of DeSica's late night hobbies.

Still Dietrich's legion of fans world wide will like the film and enjoy a glimpse of Montecarlo at the beginning of the Princess Grace story.