A Fine Pair [Ruba al prossimo tuo] ** (1968, Rock Hudson, Claudia Cardinale, Tomas Milian) – Classic Movie Review 8819

Director Francesco Maselli’s below-par 1968 Swinging Sixties Italian comedy thriller A Fine Pair [Ruba al prossimo tuo] stars Rock Hudson and Claudia Cardinale, reunited from Blindfold (1966), who make a fine pair as a married New York City cop, police captain Mike Harmon, and Esmeralda Marini, the daughter of Hudson’s now deceased old police colleague buddy from Italy, Inspector Marini.

Mike has not seen Esmeralda in 12 years, and she looks him up, but she turns out to be an Italian jewel thief, whom he falls for. Esmeralda then cleverly dupes him into helping her with a heist caper in Austria, by getting his help to break into the Fairchilds’ villa in Kitzbühel and to replace the jewels she has stolen from the safe before they return.

The campy, semi-humorous screenplay is by Francesco Maselli, Luisa Montagnana, Virgil C Leone and Larry Gelbart, based on a story by Luisa Montagnana.

Ace comedy writer Gelbart’s name on the script seems to promise more than it delivers. But, with its preposterous plot and unconvincing characters, nobody takes it at all seriously, so it it mildly amusing.

It runs 115 minutes but there is also a cut version of 89 minutes.

The original Italian title of Ruba al prossimo tuo translates as Steal from Your Neighbour.

Also in the cast are Tomas Milian, Leon Askin, Ellen Corby, Walter Giller, Guido Alberti, Peter Dane, Vittorio Campanella, Gianni Carnago, Raniero Dorascienzi, Andrea Hesterasy, Umberto Fantoni, Aldo Fornisano and Adriano Fraticelli.

A Fine Pair [Ruba al prossimo tuo] is directed by Francesco Maselli, runs 115 minutes, is made by Cinema Center Films and Vides Cinematografica, is released by National General Pictures (1969) (US) and Warner-Pathé Distributors (1969) (UK), is written by Francesco Maselli, Luisa Montagnana, Virgil C Leone and Larry Gelbart, based on a story by Luisa Montagnana, is shot in Technicolor by Alfio Contini, is produced by Franco Cristaldi (executive producer) and Leo L Fuchs, is scored by Ennio Morricone and is designed by Luciano Puccini.

It was filmed at Dino De Laurentiis Cinematografica Studios, Rome; Tirol and Salzburg, Austria; and New York City.

Hudson’s movie career was in decline and he found himself on Variety’s list of Top Ten Overpriced Stars of 1968.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8819

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