Kirk Douglas is a former hot-shot actor who has spent some time in a sanitarium after a breakdown, and is offered a role in a movie being shot in Italy by his former friend and director (Edward G. Robinson). Their relationship is fraught, to say the least, by past complications, and when Douglas arrives in Rome, he finds the part is no longer available. But the movie has to be finished in two weeks or the producer will take the film away from Robinson, so Douglas is hired to supervise the dialogue dubbing sessions. Further complications ensue. For starters, Douglas begins dating Dahlia Lavi, unaware that the movie’s young and sullen leading man (George Hamilton) is also interested in her. Douglas' ex-wife (Cyd Charisse) also happens to be in town and wants Douglas to sleep with her despite her marriage to a Greek tycoon. Robinson is carrying on a fling with a younger woman, and his wife (Claire Trevor) is infuriated that news the affair has been leaked to the press. Then Robinson has a heart attack and Douglas finishes the film, for which Robinson ends up resenting him. The climax comes when a manic Douglas takes Charisse on a wild, almost suicidal nighttime car ride around Rome. Directed by Vincente Minnelli, this melodramatic film has become a minor cult classic thanks to its soap opera plot and wild overacting by almost everyone (especially Claire Trevor who shrieks so often, you want someone to tie her up and gag her and send her to another movie). Douglas is OK, and Hamilton is interesting in a very un-Hamilton-like role. The films sure looks good, however, with beautiful sets and costumes, and some nice behind-the-scenes shots of moviemaking. There's a weird Italian pop song that seems to be about Dracula in the backorund of one scene. Often considered to be a sequel to Minnelli's THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, a 1952 movie about moviemaking with Douglas, but there is no real story connection. Pictured are Trevor and Robinson. [DVD]
Monday, July 15, 2019
TWO WEEKS IN ANOTHER TOWN (1962)
Kirk Douglas is a former hot-shot actor who has spent some time in a sanitarium after a breakdown, and is offered a role in a movie being shot in Italy by his former friend and director (Edward G. Robinson). Their relationship is fraught, to say the least, by past complications, and when Douglas arrives in Rome, he finds the part is no longer available. But the movie has to be finished in two weeks or the producer will take the film away from Robinson, so Douglas is hired to supervise the dialogue dubbing sessions. Further complications ensue. For starters, Douglas begins dating Dahlia Lavi, unaware that the movie’s young and sullen leading man (George Hamilton) is also interested in her. Douglas' ex-wife (Cyd Charisse) also happens to be in town and wants Douglas to sleep with her despite her marriage to a Greek tycoon. Robinson is carrying on a fling with a younger woman, and his wife (Claire Trevor) is infuriated that news the affair has been leaked to the press. Then Robinson has a heart attack and Douglas finishes the film, for which Robinson ends up resenting him. The climax comes when a manic Douglas takes Charisse on a wild, almost suicidal nighttime car ride around Rome. Directed by Vincente Minnelli, this melodramatic film has become a minor cult classic thanks to its soap opera plot and wild overacting by almost everyone (especially Claire Trevor who shrieks so often, you want someone to tie her up and gag her and send her to another movie). Douglas is OK, and Hamilton is interesting in a very un-Hamilton-like role. The films sure looks good, however, with beautiful sets and costumes, and some nice behind-the-scenes shots of moviemaking. There's a weird Italian pop song that seems to be about Dracula in the backorund of one scene. Often considered to be a sequel to Minnelli's THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, a 1952 movie about moviemaking with Douglas, but there is no real story connection. Pictured are Trevor and Robinson. [DVD]
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