American ambassador Brando finds himself saddled with Russian stowaway Loren, which tends to complicate matters, especially with Brando's estranged wife (Hedren).
Well-intentioned throwback to old screwball comedies and slamming-door farces ultimately falls flat. Brando has no chemistry with Loren, and it deflates whatever possibilites the film had. Loren tries, but Brando is obviously miserable, presumably because Chaplin didn't stroke his ego enough. Ulitmately, a rather non-descript end to a distinguished career (this was Chaplin's last directorial effort). The fact that Chaplin apparently thought this was his best film says more about how cinema had progressed than anything else.
Note: There are so many extras in this film, mostly as cruise passengers seen repeatedly, that I've chosen to lump them together at the end of the listing rather than in order of appearance, which would just be utterly confusing.
-Dave W. |