The Montecarlo Story [Montecarlo] ** (1956, Marlene Dietrich, Vittorio De Sica, Arthur O’Connell, Natalie Trundy, Mischa Auer, Renato Rascel) – Classic Movie Review 11,158

The 1956 Italian comedy-drama film The Montecarlo Story [Montecarlo] is the German-born Marlene Dietrich’s sole Italian movie. Writer-director Samuel A Taylor’s resolute 1956 bid to revive the style of Thirties sophisticated comedy stars Marlene Dietrich, Vittorio De Sica, Arthur O’Connell, Natalie Trundy and Mischa Auer.

In the French Riviera, gambling count Dino della Fiaba (Vittorio de Sica) is deeply in debt and seeks a wife with money and settles for beautiful phony marquess Maria de Crevecoeur (Marlene Dietrich), who also turns out to be penniless.

The glamorous stars and colourful shots of Monte Carlo and Italy are attractions and undeniably attractive, but don’t quite succeed in propping up a featherweight piece, though Giuseppe Rotunno’s lovely cinematography is a rival to Dietrich’s fabled beauty.

Dietrich sings ‘Indiana’ (music by James F Hanley, lyrics by Ballard MacDonald) in a seedy bistro for the enjoyment of Homer Hinckley (Arthur O’Connell), the man she hopes will make her rich.

Also in the cast are Jane Rose as Edith Freeman, Mischa Auer as Hector, Clelia Matania as Sophia, Truman Smith as Fred Freeman, Alberto Rabagliati as Albert, Carlo Rizzo as sailor Henri, Frank Colson as Walter Peeples, Natalie Trundy as Jane Hinkley, Renato Rascel as Duval, and Pierre Marcarino as the croupier.

Marlene Dietrich as Maria de Crevecoeur on the set of The Montecarlo Story (1956).

Produced by Marcello Girosi, it is the first film shot in the Technirama widescreen process, developed by the Technicolor Corporation, a combination of an anamorphic lens with VistaVision’s sideways film movement.

Jean Louis designs the costumes.

Samuel A Taylor writes the screenplay based on an original story by Taylor, Marcello Girosi and Dino Risi.

The Montecarlo Story [Montecarlo] is directed by Samuel A Taylor, runs 101 minutes, is made by Titanus, is released by United Artists, is written by Samuel A Taylor, based on an original story by Taylor, Marcello Girosi and Dino Risi, is shot in Technicolor and Technirama by Giuseppe Rotunno, is produced by Marcello Girosi and scored by Renzo Rossellini.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,158

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