Before this movie came out in 1969, there had been only three attacks on U.S. embassies and consulates in nearly 200 years. One was recent – the Jan. 31, 1969, Viet Cong attack of the U.S. Embassy during the Tet Offensive in Viet Nam. Over the next 46 years (through 2015), there were 38 assaults on American diplomatic posts. That averages almost one attack every year. It's not very likely that a humorous treatment of this subject or anything closely related to terrorism today would go over with audiences anywhere.
But, in 1969, a humorous treatment of Americans in an Iron Curtain country and bungling Foreign Service employees could have been a big hit. So, the plot for "Don't Drink the Water" was a good one. But, that's all that can be said good about this movie. The screenplay is terrible, and the camera work, directing and editing are horrible.
While Jackie Gleason was known mostly as a comedy entertainer, he could act. He proved that in two dramatic roles for which he received an Oscar and two Golden Globe nominations. But, as Walter Hollander in this film, he's quite awful. The only person who is any good at all is Estelle Parsons as his wife, Marion.
For a comedy, I'm surprised at the lack of spontaneity among all of the cast. Michael Constantine's role as Commissar Krojack had great possibility. But, the best he could do was overact and ham it up as though forcing it. The supporting cast needed to take lessons from some of the greats of the past who could get laughter out of the most ridiculous of roles. Actors such as Sig Ruman, S.Z. Sakall, and Felix Bressart.
I'm sure that Woody Allen's play, on which this movie was based, was much better done on stage and received by audiences then. But this film just isn't worth the time or the cost. I haven't seen Allen's remake of 1994 for TV, but it's clear that many more fans found it better than this dud. Still, its rating in early 2016 is only 6.3 on IMDb. That's again most likely due to a public sense that there's not a whole lot of humor attached to the growing number of attacks on Americans serving abroad. Or on anyone in service from any nation.
But, in 1969, a humorous treatment of Americans in an Iron Curtain country and bungling Foreign Service employees could have been a big hit. So, the plot for "Don't Drink the Water" was a good one. But, that's all that can be said good about this movie. The screenplay is terrible, and the camera work, directing and editing are horrible.
While Jackie Gleason was known mostly as a comedy entertainer, he could act. He proved that in two dramatic roles for which he received an Oscar and two Golden Globe nominations. But, as Walter Hollander in this film, he's quite awful. The only person who is any good at all is Estelle Parsons as his wife, Marion.
For a comedy, I'm surprised at the lack of spontaneity among all of the cast. Michael Constantine's role as Commissar Krojack had great possibility. But, the best he could do was overact and ham it up as though forcing it. The supporting cast needed to take lessons from some of the greats of the past who could get laughter out of the most ridiculous of roles. Actors such as Sig Ruman, S.Z. Sakall, and Felix Bressart.
I'm sure that Woody Allen's play, on which this movie was based, was much better done on stage and received by audiences then. But this film just isn't worth the time or the cost. I haven't seen Allen's remake of 1994 for TV, but it's clear that many more fans found it better than this dud. Still, its rating in early 2016 is only 6.3 on IMDb. That's again most likely due to a public sense that there's not a whole lot of humor attached to the growing number of attacks on Americans serving abroad. Or on anyone in service from any nation.