General Leo Saint-Pé and his 'mad' wife Amelie had first appeared in 1948 in 'Ardele' of Jean Anouilh. These two characters resurfaced four years later in 'Waltz of the Toreadors' by the same playwright. The first of these, in common with most of Anouilh's plays, is rarely performed nowadays. The second however has enjoyed many revivals and the role of the General has proved irresistible to such luminaries as Eli Wallach, Hugh Griffiths, Melvyn Douglas, Trevor Howard and Sir Ralph Richardson.
In this 'loose'(to put it mildly) adaptation by Wolf Mankowitz we have Peter Sellers. Therein lies the problem.
He has given us not so much a character as a caricature and whether by intention or not, an extension of Major Bloodnok from 'The Goon Show'.
The film's poster declares this to be 'a rollicking comedy' in which 'Peter Sellers strikes again' and has Sellers, resembling someone from an Ealing comedy, pinching a maid's bottom!
Critics from the first have been quick to point out the contrast in Anouilh's play between comedy and pathos, farce and cruelty.
Director John Guillermin resented that some of the comedy scenes from his film were cut. Judging by the ones left in the exclusion of the others would seem to be a blessing.
It is indeed the cruelty that is most apparent here. The cruelty of Life with its resentments, regrets, lost illusions, dashed hopes and the inexorable passing of Time.
The tragedy mainly belongs to the General's wife, played to perfection by the superlative Margaret Leighton. As the 'maiden' who after seventeen years is still determined to consummate her love for the General (if you can believe that you can believe anything!) we have the divine and delectable Dany Robin. Her Gallic style and intoxicating French accent are alas totally at variance with the other 'anglicised' characters and the Sussex setting. As the local doctor Cyril Cusack as always quietly steals all of his scenes.
The original play was styled by Anouilh as one of his 'grating black comedies'.
What a pity that the makers of this film, with an obvious view to the 'box-office', have lacked the courage to realise his concept. A pity also that this play has never been filmed in France by a top notch director. Watching this raises the question once again as to whether Sellers was a good actor or just a brilliant mimic. For this viewer at any rate, the jury is still out.
In this 'loose'(to put it mildly) adaptation by Wolf Mankowitz we have Peter Sellers. Therein lies the problem.
He has given us not so much a character as a caricature and whether by intention or not, an extension of Major Bloodnok from 'The Goon Show'.
The film's poster declares this to be 'a rollicking comedy' in which 'Peter Sellers strikes again' and has Sellers, resembling someone from an Ealing comedy, pinching a maid's bottom!
Critics from the first have been quick to point out the contrast in Anouilh's play between comedy and pathos, farce and cruelty.
Director John Guillermin resented that some of the comedy scenes from his film were cut. Judging by the ones left in the exclusion of the others would seem to be a blessing.
It is indeed the cruelty that is most apparent here. The cruelty of Life with its resentments, regrets, lost illusions, dashed hopes and the inexorable passing of Time.
The tragedy mainly belongs to the General's wife, played to perfection by the superlative Margaret Leighton. As the 'maiden' who after seventeen years is still determined to consummate her love for the General (if you can believe that you can believe anything!) we have the divine and delectable Dany Robin. Her Gallic style and intoxicating French accent are alas totally at variance with the other 'anglicised' characters and the Sussex setting. As the local doctor Cyril Cusack as always quietly steals all of his scenes.
The original play was styled by Anouilh as one of his 'grating black comedies'.
What a pity that the makers of this film, with an obvious view to the 'box-office', have lacked the courage to realise his concept. A pity also that this play has never been filmed in France by a top notch director. Watching this raises the question once again as to whether Sellers was a good actor or just a brilliant mimic. For this viewer at any rate, the jury is still out.