Copyright 1958 by 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. New York opening at the Paramount: 31 July 1958. U.S. release: August 1958. U.K. release: 12 October 1958. Australian release: 23 October 1958. Sydney opening at the Century. 9,411 feet. 105 minutes.
VIEWER'S GUIDE: Not suitable for children (or adults either, for that matter).
SYNOPSIS: Dominique Vallon (Christine Carere) is in love with Bertrand Griot (Bradford Dillman), a fellow student at the Sorbonne, and the couple plan to marry if he can convince his mother (Kathryn Givney) to approve his inheritance before it is due.
COMMENT: My attitude to "A Certain Smile"? I regard it with contempt. It's not worth speaking about. It did make a fair bit of money for the studio and it did introduce a new personality in Christine Carere (who faded from sight after only two more films: "Mardi Gras" and "A Private's Affair"). We did give audiences some value for their money with backgrounds of the French Riviera in CinemaScope. But the efforts of the players and Jean Negulesco's usually sensitive direction were wasted on a story so trite, nothing could save it. (Though Johnny Mathis, then a top recording star, did just that when his rendition of the title song shot to first place on the hit parade). – Adapted from comments made to me by producer Henry Ephron – with all of which I thoroughly agree.
VIEWER'S GUIDE: Not suitable for children (or adults either, for that matter).
SYNOPSIS: Dominique Vallon (Christine Carere) is in love with Bertrand Griot (Bradford Dillman), a fellow student at the Sorbonne, and the couple plan to marry if he can convince his mother (Kathryn Givney) to approve his inheritance before it is due.
COMMENT: My attitude to "A Certain Smile"? I regard it with contempt. It's not worth speaking about. It did make a fair bit of money for the studio and it did introduce a new personality in Christine Carere (who faded from sight after only two more films: "Mardi Gras" and "A Private's Affair"). We did give audiences some value for their money with backgrounds of the French Riviera in CinemaScope. But the efforts of the players and Jean Negulesco's usually sensitive direction were wasted on a story so trite, nothing could save it. (Though Johnny Mathis, then a top recording star, did just that when his rendition of the title song shot to first place on the hit parade). – Adapted from comments made to me by producer Henry Ephron – with all of which I thoroughly agree.