Le prophète

After her hot streak in Hollywood cooled down in the late 1960s, Ann-Margret turned to Las Vegas and television variety shows before "Carnal Knowledge" rescued her from a TV series. But prior to Vegas, she did a number of films overseas, this one being her second (following the international success of "The Tiger And The Pussycat"). Reunited with "Pussycat" co-star Vittorio Gassman, A-M is delightful playing a motorcycle-riding honey in Rome who befriends a mountain hermit lured out into society, where the media is now declaring him a soothsayer. The rank production values and sloppy English-dubbing aside, there's some worth in the relationship which develops between the two leads. It took guts for Ann-Margret to leave the mainstream as she did, and though the handful of pictures she made at this time weren't wildly successful in the States, at least she gave her all (and looks great to boot!). I got a few minor laughs out of "The Prophet", a scrappy, spaghetti-comedy; it isn't too memorable but it does have some imaginative flourishes and a thoughtful finish. Worth-finding for Ann-Margret's devotees. ** from ****