The main reason for me to see this film was Gina Lollobrigida. I had never seen a film from her. I think she is less popular with film buffs than
the other two Italian film diva's Sophia Loren and Claudia Cardinale. Maybe this is because her career was more Hollywood oriented. As a result she does not have the close ties with a famous Italian director that Sophia Loren (Vittorio de Sica) and Claudia Cardinale (Federico Fellini and Luchino Visconti) do have.
Given this main reason, my (other) expectations of the film were not very high. As is often the case when your expectations are quite low, I was pleasantly surprised. Closer investigation revealed to me that the other main actor, Gérard Philipe, was a quite a famous actor in his day. A sort of French Douglas Fairbanks.
The reason that he and the films he played in have been forgotten is mainly attributable to the directors of the French "Nouvelle vague" movement of the 60's. They despised films like "Fanfan la tulipe", because they had in their opinion no social relevance. They were only "escapist amusement". They called them derogatory "cinema du papa".
Douglas Fairbanks has not been forgotten, and rightly so. Gérard Philipe, "Fanfan la tulipe" and other movies of the "cinema du papa" also did not deserve to be forgotten. For the ones who will not be deceived by the contempt of the "Nouvelle vague" directors and who dare to rediscover these movies, they are a lot of fun to watch.
Given this main reason, my (other) expectations of the film were not very high. As is often the case when your expectations are quite low, I was pleasantly surprised. Closer investigation revealed to me that the other main actor, Gérard Philipe, was a quite a famous actor in his day. A sort of French Douglas Fairbanks.
The reason that he and the films he played in have been forgotten is mainly attributable to the directors of the French "Nouvelle vague" movement of the 60's. They despised films like "Fanfan la tulipe", because they had in their opinion no social relevance. They were only "escapist amusement". They called them derogatory "cinema du papa".
Douglas Fairbanks has not been forgotten, and rightly so. Gérard Philipe, "Fanfan la tulipe" and other movies of the "cinema du papa" also did not deserve to be forgotten. For the ones who will not be deceived by the contempt of the "Nouvelle vague" directors and who dare to rediscover these movies, they are a lot of fun to watch.