Arrivederci, Baby!

My goodness, this movie is silly! I sat through it because I was hoping to see Nancy Kwan given a decent role, and I thought the premise had a neat twist to it. But the script didn't really live up to the "what if" in the screenwriters' boardroom, and the ninety minutes it took to unfold the thin plot made me roll my eyes more than laugh. Still, if you're a Tony Curtis fan and want to see him in something lighthearted before he goes against type in The Boston Strangler, you can check it out.

Tony plays a womanizing con artist, go figure. I guess he never got past the typecast of Some Like It Hot, poor guy. In this movie, he and his faithful sidekick, Lionel Jeffries, scheme up ways to marry rich women and then kill them to inherit their fortunes. So while Tony has a steady girl, Nancy Kwan, he leaves her side on a moment's notice to pursue a rich widow, Rosanna Schiaffino, in Italy. Some of the gags are funny, like when Lionel creates a croquet explosive ball for Rosanna to hit, and he and Tony cower in fear when Rosanna starts tossing the ball around. But most of it is pretty silly and drags on a little too long. The beginning has some ridiculous flashback sequences that are very tongue-in-cheek, as an adult Tony pretends to be a child in an orphanage. These also go on too long, so watch with these warnings in mind.

Tony Curtis is Nick Johnson, a man who's made his living marrying rich women. His first two wives conveniently ended up getting killed and now he's looking for rich wife number three. However, this Italian beauty might be a problem...she's been doing the same! Now, you aren't sure who is going to survive...if either of them! And, if this isn't enough....Nick has a jealous girlfriend (Nancy Kwan) who shows up the day of his third wedding!

Much of the story is told through flashback scenes...some of which work very well and some of which make you cringe because they are so cheesy and kooky. It seems the filmmakers didn't quite strike the proper balance between story and silly interludes...something which worked out perfectly in one of Curtis' other films of the era, "The Great Race" (1965). Now I am not saying that "Arrivederci, Baby" is a bad film....just that it had some serious flaws which prevented it from being a lot better. In its final form, it's modestly interesting but also occasionally annoying...and still worth seeing if you can handle these moments.

Tony Curtis marries women for their money then kills them. But then he marries a beautiful Italian woman who does the same for her husband. Who will wind up on top?

Most negative reviews focus on how the man kills his wives but neglect the culpability of the woman. Figures. It's the sort of sexual discrimination we've been fighting all these years. Ignore the bigots who have one standard for men and another for women and have a blast.

The movie is actually hilarious. And Curtis has no shame. Early on, describing his life, he plays a little boy in short trousers. He's a delight.

His victims include Anna Quayle and Fenella Fielding, both known for their comedy work; and Zsa Zsa Gabor, who is eventually the funniest.

The primary scene-stealer, of course, as usual, is Curtis's manservant, played by Lionel Jeffries.

Lots of taboo subjects were being explored at the time this movie was made, particularly respect for death. "The Assassination Bureau" with Oliver Reed and Diana Rigg, and Sid Caesar's "The Busy Body" also fall into this territory. And, what may be my favorite movie of all time, "The Wrong Box" with Michael Caine.

The fact is, for the open-minded, who can laugh heartily at death, this movie is hilarious right up to the final scene, which leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Every time I watch it I skip that part

It's one of Tony Curtis' most successful comedies, counting laughs per capita.

Tony Curtis is Nick Johnson, a man who uses his irresistible charm to use women to his personal, financial gain. He goes through a string of women whose untimely deaths give Johnson more wealth than he could earn on his own (at least with the same, minimal effort). He meets his match in wealthy, young, beautiful, fabulously gorgeous widow Francesca di Rienzi (Rosanna Schiaffino). The problem is he actually finds himself falling in love with her.

My 5/10 rating should indicate that I found Arrivederci, Baby! mildly amusing. I wasn't rolling in the floor laughing, but most of the movie is at least passable entertainment at its worst. The final act where Curtis and Schiaffino go toe-to-toe is the film's highlight. They're on equal footing. With most of the other women, Curtis has the upper-hand before they realize they're being had. It's not fair. I think my favorite bits might have been either the croquet match or dance floor fight scenes - really good stuff. Other than the creepy bits where Curtis tries to play a "boy", he's good. I didn't care for the instances where he breaks the fourth wall, but that's not his fault. Schiaffino is in fine form. What a woman! After I watched her in The Witch, I wrote, "I don't know where these Italian producers found these incredible women. It's not a stretch of the imagination to believe Schiaffino could force any man to fall for her." I could say exactly the same after watching this film.

I've already mentioned my problem with Curtis as a "boy", but I had other issues with his NIck Johnson. I get the feeling that Arrivederci, Baby! was meant to be a light-hearted romp. But there's a really dark undercurrent that I found troubling. Johnson isn't just a typical, loveable con-artist stealing money from rich women. He's also a murderer and a rapist. Not the characteristics you find in most rom-coms.

A couple of final points: 1. The European locations are to die for in this movie. And here, they're presented in all their 60s glory. What visions! 2. The supporting cast is especially strong. Lionel Jeffries, Zsa Zsa Gabor (yes, even Zsa Zsa), Nancy Kwan, and especially Anna Quayle add a lot of flavor and variety to the film.

I think that Zsa Zsa Gabor looked old even when she was a teenager. Next year, in 2017, she will be 100 years old and nobody can call her a spinster, having to her credit only...nine marriages. About her talent as an actress, let us not pronounce, never. It's good that she went into the orbit with that rocket, at least in this film... The fact is that she landed in 77 productions, including this. Tony Curtis is more seductive and charming than ever. Rosanna Schiaffino, the beauty from "Simón Bolívar"(1969) and "The Long Ships"(1964), is beautiful here too. The subject? Well, I was thinking myself to marry a very old and filthy rich woman, ideally an Englishwoman, the kind which does not know anything except to say: "You're rude!" This film is absolutely delicious. The scene when Zsa Zsa Gabor(Gigi) is nagging Tony Curtis (Nick Johnson) under the sea is enchanting, and the same is the one in which Fenella Fielding(also Fenella in the film)is jumping with the horse into the abyss. Excellent!