The Statue (1971 film)

The Statue
Directed by Rodney Amateau
Produced by Anis Nohra
executive
Josef Shaftel
Written by Denis Norden
Alec Coppel
Based on Chip, Chip, Chip, a play by Alec Coppel
Starring David Niven
Virna Lisi
Robert Vaughn
Ann Bell
Music by Riz Ortolani
Cinematography Piero Portalupi
Edited by Ernest Hosler
Production
company
Josef Shaftel Productions
Distributed by Cinerama Releasing
Release dates
 1971
Running time
 84 minutes
Country United Kingdom
Italy
Language English
Box office 40,890 admissions (France)
205,231 admissions (Spain)[1]

The Statue is a 1971 British film comedy starring David Niven, Robert Vaughn and Italian beauty Virna Lisi in the key roles. Monty Python's John Cleese and Graham Chapman appear in early roles as the Niven character's psychiatrist and a newsreader respectively.[2] Niven plays a nobel-prize winning professor who suspects his wife, played by Lisi, of infidelity when she makes and unveils an 18-foot statue of him with private parts recognisably not his own.[3] Critical and audience reception of the film was poor, though Niven was praised for his efforts to sustain the film as the main character.[4]

Plot

Professor Alex Bolt has developed a new universal language, Unispeak, which has made him internationally famous. His wife Rhonda has made a sculpture of her husband at the behest of the US State Department, commissioned by his friend, US Ambassador to England, Ray, for $50,000, in order to promote Unispeak. It is intended that the sculpture be unveiled in London's Grosvener Square.

The sculpture is an 18-foot nude one of Alex. He is upset and tries to get it suppressed, especially when he notes every aspect of the statue resembles him except for the size of its penis. Rhoda points out that she has only seen Alex eighteen days in the past three years. Alex becomes convinced Rhonda has had an affair and based the size of the genitalia on the model, who he dubs "Charlie".

Alex seeks advice from his friend Harry, an advertising man trained as a psychiatrist. He tries to track down the model of the statue in order to get it to suppressed. He interrogates a household employee, Joachim, who thinks Alex is hitting on him and beats him up. Alex then goes to a Turkish bathhouse to interview possible Charlies, but is thrown out.

Harry suggests that Alex forget about it, which he tries to do and he apologies to Rhonda. However the thought of Charlie causes him to be impotent. This leads to a fight with Rhonda and Alex resumes his search for Charlie.

Ray then sees the statue and becomes concerned about it having a bad effect on his reputation. He arranges for the statue to be stolen, which Rhonda blames on Alex.

Alex eventually discovers the model was the statue of David by Michelangelo. Rhonda ends up making a new statue based on Ray.

Cast

Songs

Production

Dyan Cannon and Robert Culp were originally announced as supporting David Niven.[5]

Filming began in Rome on 1 May 1970 at Cinecitta Studios.[6][7]

"It's a fun role, in a fun picture," said Virna Lisi.[8]

Reception

The Los Angeles Times called it a "silly, strained farce."[9]

References

  1. ↑ European box office figures for Virna Lisa at Box Office Story
  2. ↑ Douglas McCall Monty Python A Chronology
  3. ↑ Videohound's Golden Movie Retriever 2006 p814
  4. ↑ Variety Film Reviews 1971-1974 p7
  5. ↑ Henry Fonda's new series NORMA LEE BROWNING. Chicago Tribune (1963-Current file) [Chicago, Ill] 20 Mar 1970: b19.
  6. ↑ Niven Statue Is Unveiled Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 26 May 1970: f14.
  7. ↑ MOVIE CALL SHEET: Amateau Will Direct 'Statue' Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 30 Jan 1970: e15.
  8. ↑ Virna Lisi: Italian Actress, Housewife and Evolutionized Sexpot ABA, MARIKA. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 19 July 1970: r18.
  9. ↑ MOVIE REVIEW: 'Statue' Features Virna Lisi, Niven Thomas, Kevin. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 29 Jan 1971: g10.

External links


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