Omar Sharif Top Ten

 (I recognise this article is very English language focused)

1) Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

2) Dr Zhivago (1965) 

3) Genghis Khan (1965) - no kidding! Surprisingly good.

4)  Top Secret! (1984) - small role but he's very funny.

5) The Tamarind Seed (1974) - decent thriller. 

6) The Burglars (1971) - excellent as a villain in this Belmondo movie. 

7) Funny Girl (1968) - his third hit.

 8) The Last Valley (1971)

9) Mackenna's Gold (1969) - not a good film but he's strong. 

10) Oh! Heavenly Dog (1980) - look, I remember this fondly. 

Book review - "Chasing the Panther: Adventures and Misadventures of a Cinematic Life" by Carolyn Pfeiffer

 I read this because I was keen to read about Pfeiffer's adventures as a producer in the 80s with Alan Rudolph, Chris Blackwell, Shep Gordon etc but there is very little of that. This memoir is mostly about her time in Europe in the 60s - as a student, then working in Italy as Claudie Cardinale's assistant, meeting people like Burt Lancaster, Visconti, Delon and Fellini, then working for Delon (being raped by one of Delon's dodgy bodyguards), then Omar Sharif as an assistant (shagging Robert Bolt), being friends with Nathalie Delon and Geraldine Chaplin, becoming a publicisit then eventually working for Shep Gordon, hanging with Robert Altman, dope with Blake Edwards. 

It's pretty interesting stuff - having Sean Connery put his hand on her leg while Diane Cilento was there, a fling with photographer Terence Donovan etc. There is heart break - a daughter (son of an affair with a married man) dies as a child, she finds true love with a journalist who dies of a heart attack. I wish there had been more on her work as producer. But I enjoyed the book.

 

Capucine Top Ten

 1) North to Alaska (1960) - genuinely funny

2) The Pink Panter (1963) - terrific, holds her own against Sellers and Niven

3) What's Up Pussycat? (1965) - a third great comedy performance

4) The Seventh Dawn (1964) - flawed movie but she's excellent

5) The Exquisite Cadaver (1969) - stylish thriller and she's very well used

6) The Trail of the Pink Panther (1982) - film is terrible but it's fun to see her and Niven married

7) Fellini Satyricon (1969) - again she's well used 

8)  Walk on the Wild Side (1962) - ah look she's not great nor is the film but she and it are interesting

9) Fraulein Dockter (1969) - seducing Suzy Kendall

10) Red Sun (1971) - I'm starting to struggle to find credits by now... but the top five are strong! 

Book review - "Mr Strangelove: A Biography of Peter Sellers" by Ed Sikov (2002)

 Very good book. Emphathetic. Not a hagiography. Has the occasional smart arse aside.  Tries to give all sides. He punched his wife and was a terrible dad and had major mental health issues. Could also be wonderful. He made so many good movies. Managed to keep amazingly relevant - I mean, compare with everyone else around him. He was always at some sort of cutting edge - the Goons, Boultings, Kubrick, peak Edwards, Paul Mazursky, Hal Ashby. Survived a very long cold streak thanks to Clouseau. Fascinating life and career and Sikov does it justice.

Movie review - "The Carey Treatment" (1972) **

 Blake Edwards whined that MGM cut this movie around and I'm sure Jim Aubrey and co did even though it co stars Aubrey's daughter but it's still long even at 100 minutes taking all this time to get going.

The strength of the novel was its fast pace and technical detail, both which aren't conveyed. The faults of the novel - its tropes - do survive. Like the book there's not enough compulsion for James Coburn to investigate - I think they should've made Jennifer O'Neill (who's pretty but whose part is pointless) be the doctor who got arrested and Coburn investigates it to free her because he loves her.

There's some effective bits and it's not a bad story. Coburn is a swinger and groovy but though he spouts the dialogue isn't entirely convincing as a dogged pathologist. Actually O'Nell would've been better in his role because as a woman she might have a reason to defend an abortionist. You know, Raquel Welch would've suited this.

Thereis a scene where Michael Blodgett gives James Coburn a massage that is very homoerotic. Blodgett is an effective villain and there are neat turns from people like John Hillerman.

But it doesn't have Edwards' patented style and gloss. Variety was right it feels like a TV movie. I think the only point to making these sort of films by the 70s was if you made it glossy and had stars in them.

Movie review - "What Did You Do in the War Daddy?" (1966) ***

 A box office flop despite the fact it was from Blake Edwards and had James Coburn coming off Our Man Flint and a concept that would've seemed idea for the cynical sixties I'd have thought - a US unit in Italy comes across a town that wants to surrender after their wine festival, so the Yanks pretend to meet resistance, which brings in the Germans and US superiors. That's funny.

But maybe when you pick at it, it's not - World War Two was a Good War, so they are ducking out of important service. Also why can't they surrender and then do the wine festival? It doesn't make sense. It maybe would've worked if it was near the end of the war and they'd been sent to fight silly battles and there was a better reason to stop - like give the Americans a really villainous gneneral.

The movie falters in terms of characterisation. The leads are Dick Shawn and James Coburn but Coburn's role is sidelined. I think Shawn is meant to be uptight and Coburn laid back but Shawn gets un-uptight pretty quickly and Edwards can't seem to think of things for Coburn to do, or Aldo Ray who's also in there. Operation Petticoat had very defined characters - Cary Grant was uptight and by the book, the nurses called havoc, Tony Curtis was on the make... The characters here aren't as fixed. You could cut Coburn and Ray out of the film and made it about Shaw and Sergio Fantoni - actually that's what it should've been.

It looks gorgous, there's some funny bits, it was good to see Shawn in a lead role. I did sense Edwards would've been happier with Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis. But also Edwards liked Coburn - he used him on Waterhole 3 and The Carey Treatment - why not give him more to do. The Italian female doesn't have much of a character, or does Sergio Fantoni (friendly Italian).

Movie review - "Waterhole #3" (1967) **

 Blake Edwards produced this but did not direct - that job went to William Graham who had a solid TV career. It's a lighthearted Western about the search for gold. There's a balladeer Cat Ballou style and a plot where James Coburn comically rapes Margaret Blye.

I was in the mood of a comic Western and Coburn is really well cast and it's gorgeously shot. But the film started slowly, grew more annoying and I ended up hating it.

Three main issues with this film. First the comic depiction of rape - the film really commits to this plot, Blye complains and keeps complaining and everyone laughs and dismisses it and then she falls for Coburn with no motivating scene. Why not just make her horny and try to seduce him? Was rape really funny in 1967? Was it hilariously trangressive or something? They don't even establish Cobun's a good lover.

Second the storyline is unconvincing. It's about the search for gold but there's no really memorable scenes.

Third Carol O'Connor is undercast. This part needed to have more star charisma to match Coburn - like a genuine star, someone old enough to have a daughter, such as, I don't know, Edward G Robinson or someone.

Book review - "Dervish Dust: The Life and Words of James Coburn" by Robyn Coburn (2022)

 Robyn Coburn is an Aussie, married to James Coburn, son of the actor, so this book has an excellent inside track - close to its source but not too close. Certain it''s open about Coburn (I'll use the star's surname more) being a crap father, absent and not interested, and a grumpy old opinionated man. But a fine actor, superb speaking voice, some excellent performances. The book benefits from his letters, thoughts and interviews - as a member of the family the writer has superb access.

Coburn had a fascinating life and career. Tall, deep voiced, silver haired. He got professional work quite quickly. Benefited from being able to study under the GI Bill (he was drafted in the early 1950s but was in Europe not the Korean War). He always seemed to be able to support himself via advertisements - when starting out and later on. When he began getting TV work the jobs came thick and fast - he was ideal as villains in Westerns and played a lot of them. His film career was respectable quickly too - Ride Lonesome then The Magnificent Seven. He had a great run as a second lead. The Flint films turned him into a star but his actual period as a top level name above the star wasn't long. But 1980 there were no more film leading roles, and TV didn't give him that much longer either. But he always had his voice and cameos.

A genuine hippy. Managed to link to popular culture in odd ways - a mate of Bruce Lee's, in the Band on the Run photo, a rejected Cosmo nude centerfold (the one before Burt Reynolds), a big car importer, in some films edited badly by Jim Aubrey. 

He had a great 60s and pretty good 70s. Things went south in late 70s and took a while to bounce back. Won an Oscar with Affliction but that didn't so much for his career. Managed to appear in some iconic films though. Made a LOT of flops.

Movie review - "The Notorious Landlady" (1962) **

Odd fish. Jack Lemmon is an American diplomat in London who moves into a rental owned by landlady Kim Novak who is American. Fred Astaire is Lemmon's boss and Lionel Jeffries steals the film as a British cop. Turns out the rumour is that Novak killed her husband.

Some talented people - the script is credited to Larry Gelbart and Blake Edwards, Richard Quine directed. Lemmon acts his tail off. Novak tries as she always seemed to and is erratic in her way - charismatic, beautiful, poor then effective in the one scene and back again.  That English accent in her opening scene is pretty whiffy.

It doesn't work. I like these actors. It's a little all over the shop. Why is it in London? As a farce it's spread out. Is it funny? You could cut Astaire out of the film. Lemmon never believably falls for Novak, even if she does look good and goes topless in a bath (flashes a bare back - the times were a changin').

I mean it's got stars. It's not in colour. I don't know what to think or say. It annoyed me. Wasn't for me.

Movie review - "The Tamarind Seed" (1974) ***

 Julie Andrews goes back into spy territory, as a British secretary romancing a Russian diplomat Omar Sharif. They're not a bad team. I bit weird. Andrews is so sensible and mannered as usual but she is a star and she suits the character - as a sensible woman with a taste for running off with married men. Andrews is recovering from one affair, and starts another. Sharif plays his role like a Latin lover but that suits him.

The film has pleasures. John Barry's lush score, Maurice Binder's credits, both James Bond like. Smart characters. Excellent support cast - Sylvia Syms is superb as the wife of gay spy Dan O'Herlihy, Syms is shagging Bryan Marshall who works for Anthony Quayle, who is also excellent as a head spy. Russian spies include Oscar Homolka and Kate O'Mara (office girl). I like how it was set in Barbados. There's a shoot out at the end.

I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. 

Top Ten Blake Edwards

 1. Operation Petticoat (1959)

2. Days of Wine and Roses (1963) 

3. Breakfast at Tiffanys (1961)

4. The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1975) - limiting it to one in this series

5. 10 (1979)

6. SOB (1981)

7. Victor Victoria (1982)

8. Skin Deep (1989)

9. The Great Race (1965)

10.Experiment in Terror (1962)

Book review - "A Splurch in the Kisser: The Movies of Blake Edwards" by Sam Wasson

 Interesting analysis of Edwards' films. I was hoping for a more traditional biography because Edwards had such a colourful life and put it into his films. Not what I wanted but on its own terms worth a read.

Movie review - Panther#9 - "Son of the Pink Panther" (1993) **

 Blake Edwards tries again this time with Roberto Begnini who actually isn't bad. The repeats of Herbert Lom and Burt Kwok maybe hinder him more than help as does an uninspired plot with Robert Davi kidnapping a princess. This is terrorism-y and doesn't feel inherently Pink Panther.

Nice to see Claudia Cardinale, I guess. The film isn't bad as a Begnini vehicle. As a Pink Panther movie it's uninspired. Tired storyline. Feels very European - there's no English or American characters. Davi feels miscast.

Movie review - Pink Panther#8 - "Curse of the Pink Panther" (1983) *

Ted Wass had his moment in the sun, with this and Sheena. It was a rough ask for him to step into Sellers' shoes - Dudley Moore, who was offered it, would've been more ideal. Ditto Rowan Atkinson.

Wass tries. I think Blake Edwards was trying to turn him into Harold Lloyd. That's not a bad idea in theory.

But it's not a very good movie. You're always conscious of Sellers. It's hard for Wass. He doesn't get that much screen time.

Joanna Lumley plays a different role. I'm glad Herbert Lom got a paycheck as well as David Niven and Capucine. And Robert Wagner. Hilarious for Roger Moore at the end. It's all very retro - a throwback to the 60s with Lom and Burt Kwouk. Wass didn't really have a chance.

Movie review - Panther#6 - "Revenge of the Pink Panther" (1978) **

 A bigger role for Cato and some funny stuff but a lazy set up - Robert Webber decides to kill Clouseau to prove that he's tough... I mean, what's that? Dyan Cannon is always good but she doesn't have much to play - "the girl". Lesley Anne Downe's spy in the previous film was a lot more fun. Give Clouseau a girlfriend with difference - Herbert Lom's wife or something.

I didn't like this as much as the previous two.

Movie review - Pink Panther#7 - "Trail of the Pink Panther" (1983) *1/2

 Jeez, Blake, did you need the money that badly?

It is nice to see outtakes from other Panther movies that we hadn't seen before - even if that would've been better suited for a doco. But when they start showing old clips the film got annoying.

Random plot lines like Joanna Lumley becoming important half way through, Robert Loggia as a mafia boss. I liked that David Niven and Capucine got married. Sad that Niven had to be dubbed.

I didn't mind this for the first bit but it was increasingly annoying as it went on. It's just so greedy.

Movie review - Pink Panther#5 - "The Pink Panther Strikes Again" (1977) ***1/2

 Very funny. Simple concept - Herbert Lom tries to kill Clouseau - works brilliantly because it builds on the premise, i.e. the world sends assassins to kill him. Lesley Anne Downe is hilarious as a Russian spy who falls for him. Omar Sharif plays an assassin in a short scene.

Movie review - Pink Panther#4 - "The Return of the Pink Panther" (1975) ***1/2

 Classy. Fun. Christopher Plummer looks very handsome in the beginning but his hair is messy later on. Great role for Catherine Schell. Nice locations. Sellers in good form - it's great to see him after the ten year break. This really revived his career - that and for Edwards. Plenty of style and laugh out loud moments. Herbert Lom has a ball - the supporting characters in these films were underrated.

Movie review - Pink Panther#2 - "A Shot in the Dark" (1964) ***

 The second Clouseau film is based on a play that had nothing to do with him, but is the one that introduced Dreyfuss (Herbert Lom) and Kato (Burt Kwouk).  It's not bad - very French. Elke Sommer is fun as the maid Clouseau believes is innocent despite all evidence to the contrary. Some slapstick. A lot of slapstick actually. I did prefer the first movie but this has it's own style. A decent mystery.

George Sanders looks old. Bryan Forbes makes a cameo in the nudist sequence.

Movie review - Pink Panther#1 - "The Pink Panther" (1963) ***1/2 (re-watching)

 Bright. Fun. Peter Sellers' part is a lot smaller than you think. Capucine is fabulous. David Niven fun. Claudia Cardinale gorgeous. Robert Wagner is fun too even if he's required to play a sex pest. There's breezy European locations - ski fields, small towns, etc.

It's a film of set pieces: shenanigans in a bedroom with Capucine trying to hide Niven and Wagner from Sellers, a long flirtation between Niven and Cadinale (he is too old for her but kind of gets away with it because it's Niven), the finale chase scene with men in gorilla outfits.

Credits and theme tune are deserved classics. Cardinale should've given her jewel back to the people.