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Sunday, May 13, 2018

ROMANOFF AND JULIET (1961)

Peter Ustinov’s most successful play, a sub-Shavian Cold War political comedy, now looks hopelessly timid, good-natured, but toothless in his self-directed film adaptation. He’s ‘The General,’ King of Concordia, a make-believe Ruritanian country sitting on a tie-breaking vote at the U.N. Now back home, and offered gifts & bribes from the Soviet Union & the U.S., Ustinov refuses both, the only safe choice. Instead, he plays matchmaker for Romeo & Juliet-like lovebirds, Universal contract players Sandra Dee (peppy daughter of the American ambassador) and John Gavin (accent-challenged son of Russian ambassador Akim Tamiroff). Ustinov probably had something along the lines of Shaw’s THE APPLE CART in mind, but the comedy & politics are warmed over & even handled, too easy/too obvious to leave a mark. There’s still some modest fun: an international roll-call vote with Ustinov voicing all responses in silly voices; an unexpectedly charming scene between Dee and Rik Van Nutter, the nice American guy she turns down; but hardly enough.

DOUBLE-BILL: Peter Sellers’ film breakthrough came in an equally tame Cold War political comedy, THE MOUSE THAT ROARED/’59. OR: Ustinov’s big directorial leap forward on his next gig, a superb adaptation of BILLY BUDD/’62 with Robert Ryan, Terence Stamp, Melvyn Douglas & himself.

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