THIS MOVIE WAS AMAZING
I have no idea why it wasn't successful! It had a wonderfully witty and funny screenplay, Natalie Wood was hilarious and charming in the lead role and carried it perfectly, not to mention the myriad of fantastic supporting players! That song was also instantly catchy and the music added a whimsical romantic touch to the whole picture. It's upsetting knowing how Wood felt about it, she really had sublime comic timing. And all her clothes and disguises were amazing; such a colourful charmer of a film. One of my new favourites.
I was shocked to discover the film received no awards (not even a Golden Laurel/Globe nomination for Wood for crying out loud!) In my opinion, it deserved Oscar nominations for:
Best Screenplay
Best Actress (Wood)
*** Best Supporting Actor (Bannen) ***
Best Supporting Actress (Kedrova)
Best Cinematography
*** Best Costume Design ***
Best Art Direction / Set Design
Best Score
*** Best Original Song ("Penelope") ***
"I was going to stab her in the back but I was afraid the cakeknife wasn't sharp enough..."
That was such a well-delivered line. Classic.
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