The Madwoman of Chaillot (1969)

Director:

Bryan Forbes

Writers:

Edward Anhalt (writer)
Jean Giraudoux (play)

Release Date:

21 November 1969 (Finland)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

With the world getting ready to blow itself up, look who's minding the store.

Plot Keywords:

Foreign Language Adaptation | Eiffel Tower Paris | Based On Play

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Katharine Hepburn	...	Countess Aurelia
Paul Henreid	...	The General
Oskar Homolka	...	The Commissar
Yul Brynner	...	The Chairman
Richard Chamberlain	...	Roderick
Edith Evans	...	Josephine
Donald Pleasence	...	The Prospector
Joellina Smadja	...	Prospector's girlfriend
Henri Virlojeux	...	The Peddler
John Gavin	...	The Reverend
Gordon Heath	...	The Folk Singer
Nanette Newman	...	Irma
George Hilsdon	...	Waiter
Henri Cogan	...	Waiter
Gerald Sim	...	Julius

Runtime:

132 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:U | Finland:S | Sweden:11 | USA:G | Argentina:Atp | Germany:16 (f)

Filming Locations:

Alpes-Maritimes, France

Company:

Commonwealth United Entertainment

Trivia:

While he continued to appear in television productions, this was Danny Kaye's last motion picture film role.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Monty Python's Flying Circus: Scott of the Antarctic (#2.10)" (1970)

What a disappointment!

I was prepared by Maltin's comments not to expect very much, yet decided it would be interesting to see some star performers of the 1940s and 1950s in their relatively advanced age. I suppose did expect too much, since some first-rate actors, including the iconic Katherine Hepburn,my all time favorite, were submerged by a leaden script, which made them seem as though they were swimming against the tide in a river of mud. When I saw the original Broadway production, starring Martita Hunt, which as I recall took place exclusively in the madwoman's basement, I was taken by how delicately the author Giraudoux balanced a serious theme with the humor generated by a group of eccentrics and street people. The film takes the serious theme, beats it over the head until it becomes at the very least repetitive; with very few touches of humor, save perhaps the scenes in which the madwoman inveigles the conspirators to walk into her net, when a touch of the old Hepburn edginess appears. If you are looking to see some old favorites at career's end, DON'T; you will almost certainly be disappointed.