1h 49min | Comedy, War | 26 August 1958 | b/w, ws
Director: Peter Glenville
Stars: Danny Kaye, Curd Jürgens, Nicole Maurey, Akim Tamiroff.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051915/
Bootleg, ok print.
Not a musical, no songs in the IMDb Soundtracks, don't remember any performances.
This is by far the most easily digested DK performance to date. He is not playing the buffoon, but a resourceful Jew trying to escape the Nazis in France just as they are invading.
Per this book, Understanding Franz Werfel, about the work of the original playwright, this is based at least in part on a real person. The play was written as a comedy about tragedy, so the film is faithful in that respect. Also, as I read the pages about the play, it sounded mostly the same story as the film.
Sometimes the humor makes me wince about whether it's appropriate to make light of the situation, but it's mostly wry wit throughout.
I would definitely recommend this for someone with any interest in the subject.
William Goetz Prod., distr. Columbia, dir. Glenville; 7+
