Review #2

A Breath of Scandal ***** 1960 Starring: Sophia Loren/John Gavin/Maurice Chevalier

A fun romp that takes us back to turn-of-the-twentieth-century (1907) Vienna.

OMG! Sophia Loren is breathtakingly beautiful. Her eyes, her figure alone make watching this movie worthwhile. The fashions are fabulous with one drawback and that is the feathered hats the women of the courts wore. To me they seemed authentic to the period when many birds came close to extinction for the name of style. Just how sad is that?
The movie opens with us learning that Princess Olympia (Loren) has been banished to the country due to an undisclosed scandal. Life is boring in her amazing castle and out for a ride one day, she has a close encounter with an automobile driven by an American. (Gavin) She falls off her horse and fakes an injury, making the handsome Charles Foster feel guilty. Luckily there is a hunting lodge nearby to which he takes her. Heavy flirting and a fake name makes 'Charlie' believe she is of peasant stock. When she feigns pains, he unwittingly drugs her and she passes out. He knows then and there that he is in love with her.
Awakening the following morning, she realizes the error of her way and runs away, receiving good news when she returns to the castle--she can go home to Vienna and quickly she departs.
Charlie is devastated, to say the least.
Upon Olympia's arrival, she learns of a ball that will take place in short order where she will be offered to Prince Ruprecht as an intended bride. She accepts this proposition as it is the right thing for a woman of her birth and class to do, but she knows she has lost her heart to the American.
Charlie arrives in Vienna with a proposition of his own (he's a millionaire from Pennsylvania who wants to see Olympia's father about a business deal) and it's then he finds out Olympia's true identity.
When it's least expected, Charlie makes a presence and refuses to give up on the woman he loves. He woos, he's stubborn and eventually gets her to admit her love for him. And here you'd think of a happy ending, but she says she will still marry Ruprecht and use Charlie for a good-time-lover.
Instant refusal and he leaves and next we see Olympia going to court to see the emperor who says all her past and current scandalous activities are forgiven and she is free to marry Ruprecht. Olympia seeks counsel from her father who prompts her to go with the love she feels for the American.
Love wins out and she hurries to Charlie who happily accepts her and together they drive off in his car.

JudyBug says: I found this movie to be quite entertaining. No only is Sophia Loren a pleasure for the eyes, she is a talented actress. I found it amusing that this film was set in Vienna, but no one seemed to speak with a German-type accent. The principal actors spoke with Italian, French, English (British proper) and English (American) accents.
The sets, costuming and stars were all beautiful The story was enjoyable. It is a fun "chick flick" that isn't dated and I would recommend this movie to anyone who likes to get lost in some innocent diversion.