King, Queen, Knave (1972)

An absolute waste of money

I gave this film a 9 out of 10, because it was exactly what I expected it to be.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

Once again between Gina Lollobrigida's buxom beauty and David Niven's considerable charms they're asked to shoulder a black comedy based on a Vladimir Nabokov novel in King Queen Knave. They just about get it over the finish line.King Queen Knave finds David Niven and Gina Lollobrigida as a married couple who have a nephew coming to stay with them. John Moulder- Brown's parents have been killed and his uncle David has agreed to take him and train him in the business of which he will be heir. Moulder-Brown is a nerdy klutz and a disappointment to Niven and he's at first dismissed by Gina. But she soon finds a use for him as Moulder-Brown starts thinking with his male member and she obliges him.Gina's got her own plans in regard to Niven whom she married when she was an Italian refugee and he was in the British army of occupation. But it all doesn't quite work out as she thought it would.Niven and Lollobrigida are about what you expect from them. But Moulder-Brown who is a better actor than he shows in this film goes way over the top in his portrayal of a klutz. I think he must have prepared for the role by watching all the Jerry Lewis movies he could find. It really got too much after a while.For a good film based on a Nabokov novel, try Lolita.

Imagine a wilder, wackier, weirder European take on The Graduate and you get the general idea of the themes underlying this picture. Niven is his usual smooth, urbane self, but Gina is just magnificent: gorgeous to look at, sexy and hilariously funny too! It's pretty clear why this movie is less well known than some of the others its stars appeared in: it's almost the antithesis of a Hollywood blockbuster. There are strange interludes which don't really come off. It's not quite in the class of Harold and Maude, but worthy of comparison in many respects. This is really the kind of film you have to accept on its own level - a diverting caper without that much depth, but no less amusing for all that. It's probably more of a man's film, by which I mean simply that most women may not enjoy it all that much. But I could be wrong! Anyway I hope so, because it IS worth seeing.

If you can stand the bits of overacting by Mulder-Brown, continuity and the editing problems, the fun plot and charm of Lollobrigida and Niven are simply brilliant. It's a great story line with some silliness especially with Mario Adorf's Professor Ritter's skin invention. It's a comedic tale of a young half-witted lad trying to make big but with the help of his uncle and more than help of his aunt. So typical for the post-60s sexual revolution, it showcases a bit of raunchiness of its older charming stars. Industrialist Uncle Charles tries to help his orphan nephew Frank on the road to success. However, Frank might be in for more than success as we watch a ménage à trois take course with sexy Aunt Martha ending in a most surprising twist.Niven is charming, Mulder-Brown is half-witted (but I'll keeping the secret on that) and Gina Lollobrigida is clearly at her sexiest since Solomon and Sheba. Jerzy Skolimowski directed in his typical eccentric style that won't appeal to many but at times it's brilliant and at times poor, quite an uneven balance. This film has not been digitally restored or produced on DVD so it's a rare gem if you can see it.

This film is very hard to find on video. It was released on VHS in the 1980's by Embassy home video. The film was shot in a wide scope, and the credits at the beginning are cut off on the small screen. This is a very funny movie with Niven and Lollobridgida as the uncle and aunt of John - moulder brown. Brown is humorous in a physical comedy role as the nerdy nephew. I laughed out loud at the crazy invention that brown is presented with. The film is derived from a book by Vladimir Nabokov which I am currently looking for to read. I recommend this film to Fans of Niven, or anyone that enjoys zany silly movies. Jerzy Skolimowski went on to direct Moonlighting, a 1982 film staring Jeremy Irons, this too is a funny film. A++++++++