Friday, October 10, 2014

Movie review - "The Perils of Pauline" (1967) **

This was a pilot for a TV series that never eventuated - the producers shot some extra footage and released it as a feature instead. I didn't know much about it except it starred Pat Boone - although the actual lead is someone called Pamela Austin, a model turned actress who plays the title role. Austin is pretty, likeable and lively as the orphaned girl who has a series of adventures throughout the world, all shot on the backlot - the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Russia, the US.

The basic story has Austin and Boone as childhood sweethearts at the orphanage - he goes off to make his fortune to marry her, and spends the rest of the running time of the movie trying to be reunited with her.  They are constantly thwarted by the fact men keep falling in love with Pauline.

There's a surprisingly strong emotional undercurrent to the story - Austin and Boone are soulmates, and just want to get married, but others stop them: lecherous sheiks, pukka sahibs (Terry Thomas!), Russian secret agents, Italian film directors, cosmonauts, gorillas, etc. It's a repetitive storyline, though - Boone and Austin are about to get together, but something stops them - and has the cheerful racism of films of this era (horny Arabs, midgets in Africa).

It is is full of energy and never lets up. The movies it most reminded me of were the 60s AIP beach party comedies, with Frankie, Annette and Buster. Boone throws himself into his silly role with much enthusiasm (although was he losing his hair) and everyone hams it up. Little kids will like it, especially girls who might identify with Pauline.

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