So much average

Best movie ever!

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Since so many folks have laid out the plot I will skip that.My first viewing of this was in grade school in the 60's and it was the first Sellers film I recall seeing. This perspective gave me the advantage of not having any basis for comparison and thus not having any expectations going in. (Since then I have seen the film about a dozen times.)To me this compares favorably to "A Shot in the Dark" because the plot was smart, the characters were believable, and it was not slapstick as were the Pink Panther films that became Seller's trademark. Contrary to what some have said I found Sellers and Eklund very believable as Italians, and the fact it was filmed on location with a largely Italian cast by an Italian director gives it a look and feel that we don't see with American films, even back then.If one has Italian relations as I do, the humor was very believable as well. But for me the part most well portrayed is how normal people as well as the glitterati become star struck by movies and fame, and this film's self knowledge of the addictive appeal of being on the silver screen was what made the film for me. The entire premise for the film is Vannucci's understanding of this, that people would drop their guard and behave in a very silly way for a shot at immortalization on film. Even the films hilarious penultimate scene hammers movie critics unmercifully.Sellers was brilliant and as many have repeated, Victor Mature was brilliant as well as a good sport for taking on a role which made fun of his own persona. There simply are no weak performances here even from the secondary characters.This is a movie I plan to buy for my DVD collection.

Jailed in an Italian prison, the Fox--one of the last of the world's master criminals--escapes from his cell upon hearing of his sister's escapades; he gets the bright idea of going after a stolen fortune in gold bars recently smuggled out of Cairo, plotting to intercept the shipment at sea while pretending to be a film director making a neo-realist love story in an Italian village. Screenwriter Neil Simon and director Vittorio De Sica poking fun at European movie-making, with Peter Sellers in the disguise-laden lead. Overlong comedy should work, and intermittently it does, however De Sica's pacing is leaden and Simon tries working too much into the scenario (which culminates with a slapstick car chase followed by a pseudo-serious courtroom finale). Sprinkled with funny asides, the picture is utterly inoffensive and innocuous...and it should have been much better. Burt Bacharach composed the forgettable score (his and Hal David's title song performed by The Hollies with Peter Sellers is easily their weakest). ** from ****

Start with Hitchcock's "To Catch a Thief" and "North by Northwest", two tongue-in-cheek 1950's thrillers from which a line can be drawn directly to EON films' James Bond franchise. Keeping Hitchcock's humour and amping up the master's outlandish action set pieces, the first Bond movie premiered in 1962, and over the decade would be parodied by several spy spoofs and crime comedies, one of which was "The Pink Panther", a Peter Sellers vehicle released in 1963.Jump to 1968. "After The Fox" is released, another in a long line of crime spoofs, but one which has the strange distinction of being directed by legendary Italian director Vittorio De Sica. Again starring Peter Sellers, the film's plot pulls from "Pink Panther" (a heist plot, a bumbling hero, animated intros), "James Bond" (a suave, globe trotting hero) and Hitchcock (Sellers' fox burglar replaces Cary Grant's cat burglar), and works fairly well as an absurd parody, but its most interesting assets are De Sica's energetic storytelling and a slightly subversive subplot which satirises art house cinema and views with bitterness the way the movie industry exploits actors and ordinary people.The film was ignored upon release, but viewed in the context of all the other spoof comedies of the 60s, and even recent "bumbling hero spoofs" like "Johnny English" and "Austin Powers", De Sica's work holds up well. During this period, on the other side of the Atlantic, Woody Allen was treading similar ground with his own 60's comedies ("Pussycat", "Tiger Lilly", "Take The Money" etc).7.5/10 – Though De Sica's early neorealist work is championed, it's from this film onwards that he became a great artist. This is the case throughout history: the mediocre later works of bad artists are praised in favour for their early, greater works, whilst the late - and more sophisticated - works of great artists are ignored in favour for their earlier, easier works. This is not a great film, but it marks the point at which De Sica became a different person.Worth one viewing.

A ship full of gold bars is arriving from Cairo to a location unknown.There is only one man who can steal that gold.That man is the Italian Aldo Vanucci, aka The Fox.But first, he has to get out of jail.That should be no problem to the Fox.After he is free he comes up with a master plan.Vanucci, who is a master of disguise pretends to be a movie director called Federico Fabrizi and make a movie about gold theft.With Neo-Realistic style.And to star that film he wants the one and only Tony Powell and his sister "Gina Romantica".And there is an entire village assisting him.Vittorio De Sica is the director of After the Fox (1966).It is the first screenplay of the great Neil Simon.Peter Sellers is the only man I could picture for the lead.He makes the movie better than it would be without him.He and Victor Mature as the aging movie star Tony Powell.That man is so full of himself it makes you laugh.Others do good job, too.The always good Martin Balsam plays Tony's agent Harry.Britt Ekland is Gina.Tamiroff plays Okra.Maria Grazia Buccella is Okra's voluptuous and sensual accomplice.Lando Buzzanca does the part of Police Chief.Burt Bacharach and Hal David are behind the music.Peter Sellers and The Hollies sing the title song that's pretty catchy.Watch this comedy that may not be the best 60's has to offer but still pretty darn good.