This first version of a story that had a much more famous remake (which led to a fairly successful Broadway musical) is a sophisticated, witty and unintentionally romantic romp through the bedrooms of the French riviera where wealthy American women gladly give up their jewels to spend the night with phony royalty and a sob story gets them to hand over cash. Marlon Brando and David Niven are delightfully dirty rotten scoundrels, predating Steve Martin and Michael Caine and later on Norbert Leo Butz and John Lithgow.
Both Marie Windsor and Dody Goodman are early victims of Niven, while Brando fools sweet country maidens into a romp, and when they reluctantly join forces, no rich American woman traveling alone is safe, and in the cases shown here, they're fine with that. Shirley Jones doesn't make her entrance until about half way through the film, aiding wheelchair bound Brando and bringing Niven in whom she believes to be a top notch surgeon.
Colorful and classy, even if there's more than a small share of amorality present, this gives its male leads some delicious material to play off of, and lots of gorgeous gowns and jewels for the women to wear. It's different enough from the remake and later stage version to not be a carbon copy. Unlike the later version, Brando only pretends very briefly to be mentally disabled. He has great chemistry with Niven who gets the best lines. The women are all one dimensionally nice, but that's definitely the plot development that moves the con-artist elements along so they'll end up with a good payoff at the end.
Both Marie Windsor and Dody Goodman are early victims of Niven, while Brando fools sweet country maidens into a romp, and when they reluctantly join forces, no rich American woman traveling alone is safe, and in the cases shown here, they're fine with that. Shirley Jones doesn't make her entrance until about half way through the film, aiding wheelchair bound Brando and bringing Niven in whom she believes to be a top notch surgeon.
Colorful and classy, even if there's more than a small share of amorality present, this gives its male leads some delicious material to play off of, and lots of gorgeous gowns and jewels for the women to wear. It's different enough from the remake and later stage version to not be a carbon copy. Unlike the later version, Brando only pretends very briefly to be mentally disabled. He has great chemistry with Niven who gets the best lines. The women are all one dimensionally nice, but that's definitely the plot development that moves the con-artist elements along so they'll end up with a good payoff at the end.