As Rainhas

Four Italian directors--Mauro Bolognini, Mario Monicelli, Antonio Pietrangeli, Luciano Salce--helmed this tepid French-Italian co-production dubbed into English about four attractive women who use their sex appeal to seduce, conquer and rule over men. Monica Vitti is saved from rape by a concerned passerby--whom she then overheats with her "charms", starting the cycle all over again; Claudia Cardinale is a hot-tempered swindler and babysitter who uses an infant to take advantage of a pediatrician; Raquel Welch is a married woman fooling around with a married man, who soon discovers his own wife doing the same thing; Capucine is a wealthy contessa giving a party who seduces one of her employees, a somewhat flustered butler. Obvious humor and situations, with the men portrayed as naïve and deluded. The film certainly looks good, however, and the ladies are all lovely. Fourth story with Capucine is the strongest, though this is primarily due to Alberto Sordi's solid, witty performance as her servant. *1/2 from ****