The Art of Love *** (1965, James Garner, Dick Van Dyke, Angie Dickinson, Elke Sommer, Ethel Merman, Carl Reiner) – Classic Movie Review 10,590

‘Two nimble American rascals turn Paris on its ear!!!’

Screen-writer Carl Reiner’s inventive 1965 Paris-set black comedy The Art of Love about a broke American artist called Paul Sloane (Dick Van Dyke) who fakes suicide to become famous and make his paintings more valuable, then succeeds so well he has trouble reappearing, has a clever script and the right actors but the wrong everything else – producer Ross Hunter who specialises in lavish soaps, director Norman Jewison who lacks sharpness and a sure touch with comedy, and a legendary art director (Alexander Golitzen) who could conjure up the loveliness of Paris (which he also did in So This Is Paris) in the studio.

Never mind, let’s celebrate the appealing acting. Van Dyke is first rate and so is James Garner as his writer roomie buddy. Angie Dickinson, Elke Sommer, Ethel Merman as Madame Coco La Fontaine, Pierre Olaf as Inspector Carnot, Carl Reiner as Rodin, Roger C Carmel and Jay Novello are welcome co-stars.

James Garner (who also produces for his Cherokee Productions with Ross Hunter Productions) plays Paul’s friend Casey Barnett, who helps Paul to fake his own suicide, and soon it starts to seem as if Casey has murdered Paul. Then Paul decides to get revenge when Casey starts making a move for Paul’s fiancée. But Paul falls in love with Nikki Dunnay (Elke Sommer), who has also tried to commit suicide.

Carl Reiner’s often inspired screenplay is based on a story by Richard Alan Simmons and William Sackheim.

Also in the cast are Miiko Taka, Irving Jacobson, Naomi Stevens, Renzo Cesana, Leon Belasco, Louis Mercier, Maurice Marsac, Fifi D’Orsay, Marcel Hillaire, Dawn Villere, Nan Martin, Victoria Carroll, Sharon Shore, and Astrid De Brea.

Carl Reiner (1922-2020).

RIP Carl Reiner, who died on 29 June 2020, aged 98.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,590

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