| A Breath of Scandal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Michael Curtiz |
| Written by | Walter Bernstein (adaptation) Sidney Howard (translation) Ferenc Molnár (play) Ring Lardner Jr. (uncredited) |
| Produced by | Marcello Girosi Carlo Ponti |
| Starring | Sophia Loren Maurice Chevalier John Gavin Angela Lansbury |
| Cinematography | Mario Montuori |
| Edited by | Howard A. Smith |
| Music by | Alessandro Cicognini Robert Stolz |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date | 16 December 1960 |
Running time | 97 min. |
| Countries | Italy United States |
| Language | English |
A Breath of Scandal, known as Olympia in Italy, is a 1960 film adapted from Ferenc Molnár's stage play Olympia. It stars Sophia Loren, Maurice Chevalier, John Gavin and Angela Lansbury and was directed by Michael Curtiz. The film is set at the turn of the 20th century and features lush technicolor photography of Vienna and the countryside of Austria. The costumes and lighting were designed by George Hoyningen-Huene and executed by Ella Bei of the Knize fashion house (Austria). Due in part to Curtiz's direction which Sophia Loren was at odds with, Italian director Vittorio De Sica was hired to reshoot certain scenes with Loren after hours without Curtiz's knowledge.
The film is based on the 1928 play Olympia rather than being a remake of the 1929 MGM film His Glorious Night.[1]
Cast
- Sophia Loren ... Princess Olympia
- Maurice Chevalier ... Prince Philip
- John Gavin ... Charlie Foster
- Angela Lansbury ... Countess Lina
- Isabel Jeans ... Princess Eugénie
- Tullio Carminati ... Albert
- Milly Vitale ... Can-Can girl
- Carlo Hinterman ... Prince Ruprecht
- Roberto Risso ... Aide de camp
- Friedrich von Ledebur ... Count Sandor
- Adrienne Gessner ... Amelia
Production
The film was part of a three picture deal Loren had with Paramount. John Gavin, who was leant by Universal, later recalled, "We were being directed by Michael Curtiz. Which sounds so good on paper." But he soon realised the director was past it.
I said to Sophia [during the shoot], "We're in a terrible picture. He may have been a great director once but he doesn't know what he's doing. She looked worried and said, 'Do you really think so?' The next thing I know Vittorio de Sica is turning up on set every morning at 2 am to give Sophia a few hours coaching before shooting starts. Imagine, drama classes at that hour! Still, I wouldn't have minded a little help myself. So I asked him and he said 'Don't change a thing. Everything you do is so American.' That sort of left me up in the air without a compass.[2]
Reception
Gavin later called the film a "turkey" saying Sophia Loren playing a princess was "not what she does best."[2]
References
- ^ Olympia as produced on Broadway October 16, 1928 to November 1928, 39 performances, Empire Theatre; IBDb.com
- ^ a b John Gavin: One for the 'Seesaw': John Gavin: One for the 'Seesaw' By Tom Donnelly. The Washington Post (1974-Current file) [Washington, D.C] 28 July 1974: L1.
External links