Caccia alla volpe

When I found this film I had never heard of it. In glancing at its box I saw "Peter Sellers" and "Vittorio De Sica." Just those two names prompted me to take it home.

I was quite happy with what this film is.

The story is solid, and is what keeps this film running. Sellers does a good job, but I still enjoy his Pink Panther role, as well as his roles in Dr. Sstrangelove. Nevertheless, he does well as an Italian crook and "flamboyant" film director.

The comedy isn't too slapstick, it is smart. There are sight gags, there are setups and punchlines, there are one-liners, not to mention spoofed-themes, and pokes at other Italian film directors/producers.

I didn't exactly know what I would get with a De Sica comedy. He did a fine job, though. "Federico Fabrizi" sometimes looks and seems to be just like Federico Fellini. There are some moments where Fellini's 8 1/2 comes to mind.

A critic said that he didn't understand the ending. At first, I didn't. Think, though! Think! This is De Sica!

Take a look at this film, it's a good one.

While certainly not one of his greatest works, Peter Sellers nonetheless shines as Aldo Vanucci, aka "The Fox". He underplays the role in his early scenes, as the scheming criminal, but pulls out all the stops when the character hits upon the idea to masquerade as "Fredrico Fabrizi" the great neo-realist. Much like the scheme inspires Vanucci, the disguise inspires Sellers, and his wildly inventive genius kicks into high gear.

Equally funny is Victor Mature as aging, past-his-prime movie idol Tony Powell. It's a well-written part (by Neil Simon), but Mature really brings him to life, and rather than merely making him a buffoon, which would have been easy to do, he gives him a quality of sympathy; deep down, despite all his posturing and pompousness, Powell probably knows he's on the decline.

All-in-all, a very funny film, with a truly inspired Sellers performance, even if it's not his best. Even a little really good Sellers goes a long way. He's sadly missed.

"After the Fox" is a fine and entertaining comedy with Peter Sellers at his best right after a couple of "Pink Panther" titles, as a master thief who finds the way through which the police will guard his millionaire robbery while he is accomplishing it.

A good supporting cast with Akim Tamiroff, Martin Balsam and pretty Britt Ekland is there too. But what really surprised me is Victor Mature's convincing and funny performance as an aging star who refuses to accept the pass of time and his inevitable entering into more adult roles. I always had Mature has a just standard performer who couldn't help overacting and just helped in his career by his somehow interesting screen presence. In a likable character he does very good in this picture and is one of the highlights of the film.

Good for Victor in one of his last roles!

For some reason, this film failed on it's release in 1966, and coincidentally marked the first in a long line of cinema flops for the star Peter Sellers, but now, on viewing it on DVD, I think it stands very comfortably amongst his more recognised work. The plot, written by Neil Simon is brilliantly fast-paced, the comedy lies everywhere, and there's terrific support from Maurice Denham, Britt Ekland, and of course Victor Mature sending up himself as a age-defying crummy actor. Why it flopped, heaven knows. Under the masterful direction of Vittorio de Sica, this map-cap farce makes great viewing, although it does take a bit to get the momentum up. Overall, very enjoyable.

This much forgotten film has kept me in stitches for years. My brother and I quoted lines from it for years on appropriate occasions. What a surprise to find that Victor Mature was very funny. You have to see it to believe it.

In this clever little film Neil Simon crafted one of his greatest screenplays and the actors translated it into one of the most humorous off-beat comedies of the 60's. It is hilarious even by Coen brother and Zucker brother standards.

Essentially this film is a study in human ego:

Aldo Vanucci (Peter Sellers) wants to be seen as the great master thief.

His sister (Britt Ekland) wants to be a film actress (pronounced "film akdress")

Aldo's mother wants to be the mother of famous children ("my son the director" "My daughter the akdress")

The Agent (Martin Balsam) is proud that he can see through everybody--save himself.

Tony Powell, famous film star, (Victor Mature) is an aging actor that won't accept that he's an aging actor. He wants to play young man roles even though he is in his 60's.

The Police chief wants to say "Gooda Morning" in the movie so he'll get his "Warhol allotment."

The whole town of Savalio wants: "To be inna movie."

This film is a scream. If you watch this and don't simply crack up, its obvious that farce is not your fare. It's okay--farcical humor isn't for everyone. CAVEAT: If you like this check out "The Wrong Box."

At any rate, the finale of this film (I won't give it away) surely made Fellini blush--he is so well lampooned by Simon. This film hands out the ultimate insult to the avant guard film crowd of the 60's. It has the courage to insinuate: "We don't get your films and that doesn't make you smarter than us!"