Island of Love * (1963, Robert Preston, Tony Randall, Giorgia Moll, Walter Matthau) – Classic Movie Review 11,103

Robert Preston stars as a con man promoter named Steve Blair who wants to get rich by luring romantically inclined tourists to a Greek island paradise. But he is pursued by a gangster producer called Tony Dallas (Walter Matthau) whom he and the out-of-work, drunk writer Paul Ferris (Tony Randall) persuaded to finance a $2million flop film about the Garden of Eden, with his moll in the main role.

Director Morton DaCosta’s 1963 film Island of Love is a nonsense comedy thriller in which laughs largely evade the usually reliable comedians, thanks to a naff script that is underdeveloped and joke-challenged.

However, Island of Love has a pleasant tone and a good spirit, plus attractive Greece Technicolor location shooting in Athens and on the islands of Hydra and Spetses. And there is a nice, friendly cast, though: Preston and Randall are good, and Matthau is excellent.

Also in the cast are Giorgia Moll, Betty Bruce, Michael Constantine, Vassili Lambrinos, Oliver Johnston, Titos Vandis, Miranta Myrat, Lewis Charles, Peter Mamakos, Victor Lundin, Ken Raymond, Danny Mummert, Norma Varden and Stacy Keach Sr.

Writers: David R Schwartz (screenplay) and Leo Katcher (story).

Morton DaCosta had just directed Robert Preston in The Music Man (1962).

Stage director Morton DaCosta’s short film career consisted of a pair of successful adaptations of Broadway successes – The Music Man and Auntie Mame – and this one less successful film Island of Love.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,103

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