Here is a movie on which everyone agrees -- critics, movie fans, studio publicity flacks and even cinema managers. We all agree that with a story and screenplay by Charles Chaplin and stars of the caliber of Marlon Brando, Sophia Loren, Sydney Chaplin and Patrick Cargill, it should have been much, much funnier.
The problem is that Brando is not a particularly good comedian. The role is well outside his range. He is glum when he should be effervescent, introspective when he should be outgoing, stolid instead of devil-may-care.
Sophia Loren can play comedies -- and play them well -- but here she seems to be misdirected. Worse, there is obviously little chemistry between the leads, and that undermines the movie too. True, there are still one or two amusing moments, but the best scenes are delivered by newcomer Patrick Cargill and -- in an all too-brief cameo -- Chaplin himself.
The problem is that Brando is not a particularly good comedian. The role is well outside his range. He is glum when he should be effervescent, introspective when he should be outgoing, stolid instead of devil-may-care.
Sophia Loren can play comedies -- and play them well -- but here she seems to be misdirected. Worse, there is obviously little chemistry between the leads, and that undermines the movie too. True, there are still one or two amusing moments, but the best scenes are delivered by newcomer Patrick Cargill and -- in an all too-brief cameo -- Chaplin himself.