The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders (1965)

This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The movie runs out of plot and jokes well before the end of a two-hour running time, long for a light comedy.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Watchable, faintly amusing adaptation of Daniel Defoe's novel "Moll Flanders", chronicling the sexual misadventures of an orphan-turned-servant girl in the 18th century who marries her employer's foolish son and quickly becomes a widow. Working as a maid to a titled lady, she is determined to find a wealthy husband, but instead finds herself attracted to a suave highway robber. Director Terence Young and a solid assemblage of talents can't quite breathe life into this British-made comedy, much of it seeming like a distaff "Tom Jones". There are lively moments along the way, although Kim Novak just squeaks by as Moll (a good sport rather than a star performer, she's upstaged by the randy supporting cast). The production is meant to be plush and the screenplay is meant to be bawdy, yet both are disappointing. Novak and Richard Johnson were briefly married in real life. ** from ****

My summary line is from one scene when Moll was newly in a house, not knowing where the bedroom was, and the suitor says, "Then let us reconnoiter." You don't see that word used often anymore.I am a Kim Novak fan, have been since I was a teenager. Until recently I didn't even know she was in a 'Moll Flanders' movie. I was able to watch this one on Netflix streaming.Truthfully I think this is overall a dreadful movie, a British farce that is overly silly and tedious to watch most of the time. For me, the only redeeming values are Kim Novak, in her early 30s here and 5 to 10 years after her most famous roles but still lovely, and native Brit Angela Lansbury, nearing 40 and lovely, many years before 'Murder She Wrote'.I don't know the original Moll Flanders story, but I did see the 1996 movie with Robin Wright as Flanders. That one differs quite a lot from this one, but in each Flanders ends up on a ship to the New World after getting out of prison.The basic story is followed in both, as a young child Moll Flanders ends up in an orphanage and, growing up to be a strong young woman wants to make something of herself. She ends up working as she can to survive in a difficult time, 18th century England.

This movie has to be one that shows off Kim Novak at her most luscious. It's too bad there wasn't enough showcasing! It's also too bad that this movie was made as a COMEDY unlike the newer PBS version. The only consolation, once again, is the luscious Kim Novak.

Does the title leave us in any doubt? This is a film in which every man in Georgian England wants to get into bed with Kim Novak. Well - I can understand that.As a matter of fact very few of the men succeed. Although Novak looks as gorgeous as ever, if you're expecting to see anything, uh, hot, you'll be disappointed. And you'll have every right to be. A film with so little else going for it really ought to make the most of its centrepiece.All the same she's sufficiently charming to make the film sort of enjoyable to watch most of the time. Moll is not so innocent as she pretends but more innocent than she thinks - she's hard not to like (and, of course, lust after). Some of the other characters are surprisingly well played. Angela Lansbury and Vittorio di Sica are rather touching as the loving but worldly couple with a tenuous toehold on the aristocracy, and Leo McKern does the rogue's sidekick schtick better than anyone else.The problem is the script. There's not enough wit or spirit to make a comedy, and it's not played seriously enough to make us care about Moll's plight - it doesn't seem important where or with whom she ends up. There's not even, to be honest, enough story to fill two hours.Still, you may just get some pleasure out of this movie, if you're in a tolerant mood. The question is thus: is Kim Novak enough to put you in a tolerant mood? For me, the answer is yes.