Seven - minus one - days of Peter Sellers (6)

Yay - here it is: the last post for my short Peter Sellers series.. I really have had fun doing this.. And yes.. I am obsessed with him.. And this series actually didn't help - to be honest.. Not that I would want help in that.. I actually like being obsessive.. When I do things I like to do them with as much verve as possible - and until they put me into the nuthouse I am going to do and enjoy that. (Nevertheless it would be awfully sweet of you to visit me there..)

Sometimes it appears like Peter Sellers started his career in the 1960's when he had his biggest film hits.. Until now I featured here on this blog only his films from that era - but he also was very busy during the 1950s.. He did some great comedies back then which had a bit of that wonderful black humour in it which I love so much.. well.. yes.. ok.. I love almost every kind of humour.. What I can not stand is Schadenfreude ( I think you might know this word..) - there are some classic comedies I cannot watch because of that.. I feel so very sorry for the characters - though it is meant to be funny.. - well.. but what I could watch and what I actually did watch and enjoy is the film I am talking about now:

THE NAKED TRUTH (UK, 1957) by Mario Zampi.

Nigel Dennis (Dennis Price - who is not related to Vincent Price - but also very nice to look at and a reliable actor.. and: yes - he is another one I like..) is publisher of a scandal magazine with the most tasteful name "Naked Truth" - and blackmails several people of London's society because of this knowledge of their "dark" secrets. Because none of them actually wants to (or can) pay him they try to ged rid of him - the ultimate way.. - which fails several times - but then they start to organize..

~ Lord Henry Mayley (Terry-Thomas) reading scandalous news... ~

I love this film - it really is full of black humour...

The characters are very well casted in my opinion.. Peter Sellers is one of Mr. Dennis' victims Sonny MacGregor - a television entertainer and a bit overavid actor.. and for each attempt to kill Mr. Dennis he appears in another disguise..

~ Sonny MacGreggor (Peter Sellers) and some of his characters.. ~

Then we have novelist Flora Ransom (Peggy Mount - as always just hilarious) who tries to do her murder like she would have written it.. I think she has the most funny lines in this film.. like when she tells her daughter Ethel (as always a very cute Joan Sims) about her past:

"I was young, beautiful - it was easy.. ..and so was I... ..ahem..."

~ Ethel Ransom (Joan Sims) and her mother Flora Ransom (Peggy Mount)
up to nothing good for Mr. Dennis.. ~

and Lord Henry Mayley (Terry-Thomas) who during his mission to get intouch with the other victim's of Mr. Dennis becomes several times a victim himself by the failed homicides.. One of my favourite quotes by him would be:

"I've always considered murder to be rather un-English. I mean, one's got to draw the line somewhere, hasn't one?"

~ Sonny and Lord Henry Mayley working out an alibi.. ~

For the eye we have Shirley Eaton as another blackmailed victim of Mr. Dennis.. She might be best-known for an appearance in GOLDFINGER (UK, 1964) - wearing not much more but golden colour.. 

~ a very young Kenneth Griffith and Peter Sellers.. ~

Amd for those of you who are fans of more recent British Comedies you might like to watch out for Kenneth Griffith - who until his death in 2006 made quite a career in playing grumpy old men as in FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL (UK, 1994) or THE ENGLISHMAN WHO WENT UP A HILL BUT CAME DOWN A MOUNTAIN (UK, 1995).

All in all a classic British cast in 91 minutes of a cute little black comedy.. 

So - that was my little series about Peter Sellers - and there are so many films left I would love to talk about.. maybe another time.. 

If there are suggestions on a special actor/actress/theme you would like me to write about - just say so.. For sure I have Romy Schneider, Marlon Brando and Brigitte Bardot waiting in line.. 

Thank you very much for listening

Irene

Seven - minus one - days of.. ..Peter Sellers (5)

Say.. How come it is Saturday allready??? Really.. I am sorry.. The last days my life just seems to.. ..I even don't know how to put it - but I did have no time to write posts.. But here I am again - and on a Saturday - which means we will be Swinging with a Star.. 

and since my Seven - minus one - days of.. ..Peter Sellers series is still going on here - you can be sure he will be our swinging guest today..

- but he does not appear here on his own - no! He brought with him Sophia Loren - and together they sing a song from their film THE MILLIONAIRES (UK 1960)..

~ this is a still from my favourite scene of the film
- when Sophia Loren  disrobes for getting an examination.. ~

Peter Sellers really had a crush on her.. But sadly it was not mutual.. I did say that I love the sad parts of his character and life best - didn't I? A love unaccomplished.. gee.. that's so my kind of love story..

The featured song today is actually a song I really love - it was one of my favourites when I was a child - and still it can make me smile.. I hope it can make you smile, too - here they are Sophia Loren and Peter Sellers singing

GOODNESS GRACIOUS ME

Thank you very much for listening!

Have a wonderful weekend - filled with the sweetest sorts of heartbeats!! 

Irene

Seven - minus one - days of.. ..Peter Sellers (4)

It's Monday.. (sadly it is..) and usually on Mondays I have my series "Let's start with a smile" which features pictures I consider funny - or which made me smile.. 

On the other hand.. I am doing this series about Peter Sellers.. and because I am perfectly weird I love him best in his calm moments.. then when his sadness becomes visible.. Believe me I love having fun and being funny and all that but when Peter Sellers becomes quiet I can feel my heart beat.. Ok.. ok.. I'll stop that kitschy opera.. 

Now we all start to smile with (and maybe about) Peter Sellers:

For the highbrowed:

For the Cynics:

  For the lovers:

For tea-drinkers

For fans of coffee

For the young

For the Beatles - well.. or just for Ringo..

For the musical purists.. (I for one have a real soft spot for bassists... but well..)

I guess that will be enough for the moment..

Thank you very much for listening!

Irene

Seven - minus one - days of.. ..Peter Sellers (3)

Yes.. here it is! The 3rd post of six about Peter Sellers.. And again I did not make it in time - so I have to try to maybe post another Peter Sellers post today.. Well.. I could imagine doing more dreadful things..

And as you by now were all expecting - you did, didn't you?? - is the film I am writing now

WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT? (USA, 1965) by Clive Donner and Richard Talmadge.

I love the taglines of this poster - and I hope you noticed them: 

"Pussycats will purr-r-r-r and tigers will r-r-roar..." 

and under that list of the cast: 

"They're all together again! (for the first time!)"

It was the first film Woody Allen wrote - and the first he appeared in - and also the first film I ever saw him in (which is of course the most important info for you here.. No doubt in that..).

~ Peter O'Toole - really in trouble.. ~

Paris, France: Michael James (Peter O'Toole) has a serious problem: Women go after him.. Well.. that's not the actual problem since he enjoys that.. The problem is: His girlfriend Carole (Romy Schneider) would like to marry him - but he is afraid he is not strong enough to resist.. So he tries to get helpt from psychoanalyst Dr. Fassbender (Peter Sellers)..  But also the Doctor has his troubles since he is madly in love with one of his patients Renée LeFébvre (Capucine who was with Peter Sellers in THE PINK PANTER (1963), too -and who's birth name actually is Germaine LeFébvre..) - much to the chagrin of his Valkyrie wife.. And then there is Michael's not so successful friend Victor (Woody Allen) - who would love to make a pass on Carol.. Not helpful for Michael is that neurotic stripper Liz Bien (Paula Prentiss again in a film with Peter Sellers..) and parachutist Rita (Ursula Andress) take some interest in him - and he really has troubles to say no.. And Carole isn't actually naive.. 

~ Do not know what to do? .. ~

~ Oh come on, Peter O'Toole! Don't play hard to get with Paula Prentiss.. ~

I absolutely love the cast of this film! When I was talking with Monty about it he noticed that it had with Mr. Sellers and Mr. O'Toole two Peters in the lead.. He is right.. But they are so amazingly different from type and (film-) character.. And yes.. I actually prefer Peter Sellers - though his hairstyle here is one of the most awful I ever saw.. I am really not too much into long hair on men....

~ Peter ² - or: Another friendship baptized with some liquor.. ~

Of course I am very pleased to have one of my number one actresses - my beloved Romy Schneider in one of the most important female parts of this film.. I really, really love her - and her Carole really isn't the typical prissy fiancée.. Besides that she makes one of the most funny and dangerous looiking  stunts when her characater passes out highly drunk.. Oh - and in the moment she finds Capucine sprawling in Peter O'Tooles bed.. Her look is so utterly ironic - I think it might be the most funny scene in the whole film...

~ a most attractive and funny cast this is.. ~

Anyway the actresses in this film are outstanding as we have the wonderful Capucine and Ursula Andress - incredibly sexy - and I might repeat myself: but I think Paula Prentiss might be one of the funniest women ever.. Come to think of it: All the female characters in this film are really funny..

~ Guess what she is wearin? ... that's right - a cap.... .... ~

When you watch this film - please, watch out for Richard Burton who will talk to Peter O'Toole in the bar scene - and one of my favourite French singers Françoise Hardy has a small part in the last scene when Peter Sellers tries to make a pass on her..

This film actually is a bit semi-autobiographical since it is based a bit on Warren Beatty - he used the line "What's new, Pussycat?" very often it seems - he was to play the lead part - but backed out when his part was getting smaller and his then girl friend Leslie Caron was not casted.. Well.. for me since I am not so fond of Warren Beatty I think it's great that he stepped out on this one.. I actually cannot really see his charme anyway.. 

~ Having troubles with females, too - Woody Allen with Romy Schneider.. ~

Woody Allen as Victor is quite funny, too.. Poor chum.. Wanting to get some loving.. and always has to take  backseat to Peter O'Toole.. The scene of Victor's birthday party was actually filmed on Woody Allen's 29th birthday.. my, my.. time flies..

And maybe now it is time for another confession.. (Honestly - I confess so much on this blog that I think I will have to think about re-naming it into something like: "Confessions of a German Fräulein".. hm.. a new series ahead?): Peter O'Toole is not actually my cup of tea - lookwise.. I am simply not soo much into those pretty boys.. - but in the moment he first appears in the screen I hear myself gasp  - every time I watch this film....

~ "Look, I know you'll think this is crazy.. but.. er.. when the light hits me from a certain direction..
- I'm handsome..." .... yes.. very good light in this film.. ~

And yes: I was a bit shocked when Peter O'Toole announced this week that he retires from movie making..

~ Capucine - absolutely stunning.. ~

Of course the dialogues are very funny - it is a Woody Allen film after all..

Have some examples...

Liz Bien (hehehe.. I adore that name..) and Michael James having a little dialogue:

Liz: "You're right. I must face my problems. I can't go through life being a semi-virgin."

Michael: "What - in the name of all that is gracious - is a 'semi-virgin'??"

Liz: "Here I'm a virgin. In America I'm not."

Michael: "What do they do? Stamp it on your passport?"

~~~~

Victor: "We played strip chess. She had me down to my shorts and I fainted from tension."

~~~~

Dr. Fassbender (yes.. I am pleased with that name..) esplains to Michael how it could happen that they meet in a strip club:

Dr. Fassbender: "I.. uhm.. decided to follow you here."

Michael: "... If you followed me here - how did you contrive to be here before me??"

Dr. Fassbender: "I followed you.. ... ..very fast."

~~~~

I also love one sentence which Peter Sellers ad-libbed as he refered to Ursula Andress, who was in DR. NO  (1962) saying that she knew James Bond.. It made her laugh, too... 

~ ... na caption needed, I guess.. ~

You will hear a lot of accents in this film - and I hope that mine sounds a little bit like Romy Schneider's and not like Dr. Fassbender's.. 

Though in my opinion in the end it's almost a bit too much of crazy slapstick in this film I highly recommend it - and seeing how much fun Romy Schneider had playing this makes good for all the silliness in my opinion.. Well.. when she is happy I am happy too, I guess...

So - if you like to take a deep breath and take the plunge to watch 108 minutes of complete craziness..

Thank you so very much for listening

Irene

~ not exactely the expression I meant.. but well..  ~

Seven - minus one - days of.. ..Peter Sellers (2)

Today is obviously Thursday.. So this will be a completely having kittens post..

As always this is part of a meme hosted by Michelle @ THE TRUE BOOK ADDICT

My guest today is of course my star of my series "Seven - minus one - days of.. ..Peter Sellers"... 

So - here he is:

The men himself..

Peter Sellers - and two really adorable little friends of his (one is hiding a bit) ..

This picture is from THE WRONG BOX (UK, 1966) by Bryan Forbes which I am yet to see.. 

Well.. speaking of cats and Peter Sellers.. of course you might have guessed that my next film with him I am planning to watch is WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT? (France/USA, 1965) by Clive Donner and Richard Talmadge - which I love.. so.. now guess about witch film I will be writing soon.. 

Thank you very much for your visit! 

Irene

Seven - minus one - days of.. ..Peter Sellers

Yes.. and another thing I would like to try out.. Since I am quite obsessive at times and then watch all films of a certain actor/director/theme or something the like in a row it is kind of natural that I will talk mostly about this topic/person then - so.. why not talk here? And to give me a little free space I will give me one day off. Therefor I call it "Seven - minus one - days of.." 

Since you all saw the title of this post it won't be a surprise that my current obsession is (again - though I did not talk about him here yet..) 

Peter Sellers. 

So you will see this face quite a lot on this blog for this week..:

So while I will do a little Peter Sellers marathon I will tell you about the films I watch - and recommend one or two.. - and also post other related stuff..

I started this little Peter Sellers-athon with

  THE WORLD OF HENRY ORIENT (USA, 1964) by George Roy Hill. 

Based on a novel by Nora Johnson it is about two teenagers (Mary Spaeth and Tippy Walker) who start following (well.. nowadays we would call that stalking..) famous pianist and playboy Henry Orient (Peter Sellers) and by that affecting his love life..

One of the ladies is wonderful Paula Prentiss as a prissy lady-love and another my beloved Angela Lansbury wicked and not as shy as Miss Prentiss...

~ mischievous gals .. ~

It is partly one of those early 1960's sex comedies - with not soo much sex.. Uhm.. Maybe "untouched sex comedy" would be the right term.. It's great - and I love all those characters.. and even the small parts are played by very well-known and beloved actors like John Fiedler with his distinctive voice - or Al Lewis who most people will know in full make-up as Grandpa in TV show THE MUNSTERS and who has an appearance here as a shop owner.. 

Also Tom Bosley is in it.. He was Sheriff Amos Tupper in TV series MURDER SHE WROTE which had Angela Lansbury as the leading lady - here Tom Bosley and her are a married couple.. Not actually happily married - though he is one of the cutest and most understanding characters ever. Angela Lansbury is less cute here but really quite nasty - and for sure she knows what she wants.. - or who.. 

~ Peter Sellers - uhm.. no.. - Henry Orient fan club.. ~

Like so very often she has a marvellous scene in which she enters a restaurant - and believe me: If there was a contest for an actress who could do an impressive entrance scene I would always vote for Angela Lansbury!

Paula Prentiss is so unbelievable funny as a woman willing but too nervous to have an actual affair with Peter Sellers' character that I really hope you will check it out.. She gives him for sure what I think in US slang is called "blue balls" - the German term would be meaning "gentleman's pains"..   

~ absolutely gorgeous: Angela Lansbury showing a really low cutted dress.. ~ 

I like this film very much - but have not seen it for years. I remember that I first watched it as a teenager and I never got over this silken pajamas Peter Sellers wore there.. (or over that Zebra skin..) It stuck in my head.. I really could not forget about it..

I think it is remarkable that during filming THE WORLD OF HENRY ORIENT Peter Sellers actually was stalked by an a bit too avid fan..

Actually I am highly in love with Peter Sellers.. Yes.. He is one of the most handsome actors around in my opinion - and before you yell out about it: I am aware of his cosmetic surgeries.. But besides his good looks he was not only funny - but also a very versatile actor - and he was also very bright.. What I find most interesting: He had several darker sides. I am very much interested into those people with problems, the insecure and sad ones - the non-perfect ones.. 

I think you can see this sadness in Peter Sellers's eyes at times - and I think that makes him very likeable. Well.. for now that should be enough.. I will go on sing my songs about Peter Sellers for some days now..

Thank you all very much for listening!

Yours

Irene