A TALENT FOR LOVING

US, 1969, 101 minutes, Colour.
Richard Widmark, Cesar Romero, Genevieve Page, Topol.
Directed by Richard Quine.

A Talent for Loving is a little seen feature directed by Richard Quine (director of many comedies and musicals, especially with Jack Lemmon, Bell Book and Candle, The Notorious Landlady, How To Murder Your Wife). The film is based on a novel by celebrated American author Richard Condon (The Manchurian Candidate).

The film is a zany look at the Wild West and its traditions. However, while the style is amusing, it doesn't quite jell. The film did not gain much commercial release but went straight to television. Richard Widmark seems to enjoy himself moderately in the central role, comedy not entirely his style. Topol, prior to Fiddler on the Roof, is a raucous Mexican General coward. Genevieve Page is attractive as the leading lady but is not allowed much prominence. Cesar Romero, on the other hand, has a very good role as a Mexican Grandee. There is a lively youthful supporting cast.

The film pokes fun at the conventions of the West, pokes fun at sex comedies and uses all kinds of farcical cinema devices to achieve its purpose. Entertaining while it is on the screen, but not as memorable as western spoofs like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid or Cat Ballou.

1. An enjoyable film? Its not being a commercial success? Why not?

2. The work of Richard Condon? Adaptation of his novel for the screen? The comic style, farce and spoof? Verbal wit, visual? The cinema devices, the credits sequence and the captions, the playing against type of Mexicans, cowboys, Indians? The romantic touch at the end with the horsemen forming a heart?

3. Audience expectations of westerns? The 19th century? The location photography, grand style? Costumes and the comic touches with the Mexicans wearing Italian opera costumes that they robbed? The credits and the comic captions? The stylised conventions? Squalor and wealth? The open plains and cattle? Trains? The jaunty musical score? pacing and editing?

4. The title and the curse ? the joke about the Aztec curse, sexual passion, the frantic comedy about the curse? Done Jose and his possessing it, his feminine entourage and servants? Maria and her growing up with it, the marriage to Major Patten, her running off? Eveline and the secrecy? Her knowledge of the curse and her chasing Jim and Florita? The final joke about General Molina and his family? The devices for the sex comedy? visual, verbal?

5. Richard Widmark as Major Patten, the gambler, tough, his name and the descriptive Christian names to give some pretensions? His winning, the clashes with the General continuing throughout the decades? His taking up his claim, the visit to Don Jose, overwhelmed by the affluence, charmed by Maria, the gambling and winning Maria's hand? The curse? The marriage and Major's tensions? His daughter and his concern? The death of Don Jose? His wife running off? Don Patrizio and his search for his daughter? Taking over his son and friend and bringing the boys up? The change of situation,, Delphine and her leaving, his rescuing her from the General? The happy marriage, Evelina's return? The build-up to the final confrontation with the General, the competition for the boys to win Evelina's hand? Dinner with the General, the train, the siege, the happy ending?

6. Cesar Romero and Don Jose, the elegant Grandee, his style the curse, the women, love for Delphine? His hiding the guns? His death?

7. Maria and Evelina? The Hispanic passionate style? Comparisons with the other women, Marilyn and her primness, knowledge about cattle, wearing spectacles yet chasing and winning her man? Florita and her love for her father, infatuated with Benito? The women as glamorous?

8. Benito and Jim, their work on the farm, the attraction towards Marilyn and Florita, Evelina and their being caught by Major in the bedroom, the competition in the water and her rescuing them, the race, each of them going off to his own lady love?

9. Topol's General, bluster, the coward, corny humour, gambling, bad shot, the various attacks, cowardice? The antagonism towards Major Patten? Wanting Don Jose's guns? His self-importance and aims to rule Mexico? His costumes from the Italian opera company? Keeping Martinelli as his secretary? The operatic style? The growing old, the confrontation with the Major, drinks? The marrying off of his daughter? The siege of the train, the men's retreat, caught in their underwear? The giving in? Happy ending?

10. The jokes about the Indian tribes, capturing white wives, the wife being fat and a shrew? The Indian chief and his opting out? Rescuing the whites from the Mexicans?

11. Derek Nimmo's Moodie, the English travelling salesman, the seeming buffoon, taking advantage of the situation, infatuation with Evelina, his proposal of the race ~ and his winning Evelina?

12. The build-up to the confrontations, the comic siege?

13. An enjoyable piece of Americana poking fun at western traditions, Mexico, the United States?