Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Moustroll Good movie but grossly overrated

Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Haven Kaycee It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

Antonius Block I just love this movie. I've seen it many times over my life, and it never gets old. The contrast between squeaky-clean Tony Curtis and dastardly Jack Lemmon is wonderful, and Lemmon in particular delivers a hilarious performance, both in his main role as Professor Fate, as well as the Crown Prince of Pottsdorf later in the movie. The laughs and mannerisms of both characters are memorable. The scene in the Arctic snowstorm always cracks me up, Fate's mustache being snapped off by his henchman (Peter Falk, who's also great), and him showing he's not exactly a 'morning person' when he's asked to 'rise and shine'. Professor Fate is so bothered by everything that he'll even snarl at cute little pugs in a lavish bed. Natalie Wood is in a deceptively tricky role, needing at the same time to be funny, serious as a suffragette, and secretly attracted to Curtis as a love interest – and she absolutely shines. She's also incredibly beautiful, simply a dream, as always. The 'big' moments of slapstick in the film are done very well, including an epic pie fight and barroom brawl, but there are also a large number of 'small' moments – little lines of dialogue, inflections, and facial expressions – that keep me smiling throughout, even when I know it's silliness that would appeal to children. The film is 160 minutes but Director Blake Edwards keeps it lively, and it never drags. Great film.

SnoopyStyle It's the turn of the century America. The Great Leslie (Tony Curtis) and Professor Fate (Jack Lemmon) are competing daredevils performing for the crowds. The Great Leslie convinces the new car-makers to sponsor a race from New York to Paris. Maggie DuBois (Natalie Wood) is a suffragette. Maximilian Meen (Peter Falk) is Fate's assistant. These and many others set off westward towards the Bering Strait and Russia in their automobiles.Director Blake Edwards tries his hand at a road race movie. A few of these comedies got made during this era. It's got some slapstick but it's not that funny. The characters tend to be very wacky especially Jack Lemmon. The production is big and no expense is spared. Despite its pedigree, I do not find enough laughs in this screwball comedy.

reisen55 I love slapstick. Laurel and Hardy and Inspector Clouseau. My wife cannot stand either but will tolerate some Stan and Ollie on occasion so here I have a personal note. I am a 10 year old fan of this film, saw it in 1965 and in later years since. BluRay now. Such is time. Now at the age of 61, I watch it with my wife every September 11 as I am also a survivor of the South Tower, 101st floor, so my hand is on the selection button for that night. I enjoy it immensely - Fate under the Curtiss pusher, the torpedo, race, the saloon fight and all. Right back to Laurel and Hardy in WAY OUT WEST. So here is a personal note for me here for this group - it has flaws but immensely entertaining. Watch it, laugh and enjoy fine performances from a time long ago.

Prismark10 Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis team up once again in what should had been one of the great slapstick comedies of all times but it becomes an overindulgent, overlong mess. Well it does have a massive pie fight near the end.The film came out a few weeks after the similar themed Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines. Having watched both recently, the Magnificent Men has stood the test of time better.Director Blake Edwards is inspired by Laurel & Hardy which clearly shows in the comical scrapes that Jack Lemmon and his side kick Peter Falk get into.Lemmon and Curtis are daredevils although Lemmon is the dastardly kind and Curtis is the dashing heroic one. They compete in a New York to Paris car race which Lemmon is hell bent to disrupt by nobbling his rivals. Natalie Wood takes part as a suffragette reporter who competes as well as covering the race for a newspaper and is the romantic interest for Curtis.The film starts as a promising farce. There is a sequence involving Tony Curtis free falling before he opens a parachute which I swear was later borrowed by the James Bond producers. Its all very wacky races, there is even a Penelope Pitstop but it just goes on and on including a subplot involving a doppleganger that looks like Lemmon who is a crown Prince of a European principality.I think Blake Edwards decided to end it all in a giant pie fight but then remembered that he had a race to finish in Paris so on and on the film goes.Wood's Suffragette feminist character actually gets to be grating and holds the picture up. Curtis is a little too subdued, one of the reasons the film's release was delayed was because the production schedule overran. Too much partying by the cast and crew and its reflected in some of the acting. Lemmon gets to play two roles but his Professor Fate cackled too much for my liking but he and Falk blend wonderfully.The film would had been a classic if 40 minutes was shaved off the running time.