malcolmgsw
Nobody seems to have mentioned that this awful film marked the end of the distinguished film careers of The Boulting Brothers and Charter films.It is difficult to know who to blame most.The writers,Roy Boulting as director or Peter Sellers for his overwhelming arrogance in believing he could play all 6 characters.This film is supposed to be a comedy but there are precious few laughs.His Gestapo officer seems to be in a different film from everybody else.Sellers made a lot of stinkers but this must rate as the worst of the lot.
Tim Kidner
As we saw in Dr Strangelove, Peter Sellers is extremely adept and talented at playing many roles. However, in this lame and unfunny comedy, he literally falls flat on his (many) face(s).(For those not in UK, 'Allo, 'Allo is a long-running British family comedy series, set in a Belgian war-time town and occupied by the Germans.)It might be due to the winds of time and the changing tastes in comedy, but as someone who would have very young at this film's release, I didn't laugh once, neither at the jokes nor the visual slapstick.Sure, this send-up of everything second world war (Sellers plays all the world leaders, it seems) could have provided many comedy highlights but at times it's just painfully embarrassing. The dodgy accents either grate or annoy. I found the 'story' impossible to follow, assuming there actually was one and within half an hour had lost interest and only followed it to the end for reviewing purposes.The oft nude working girls of the 1940's Paris-set brothel made this an X-certificate novelty back 40 years ago and today, the toplessness a mere '12' certificate. These are pleasant distractions for the average male viewer of course but the novelty soon wears off and soon we are amidst the awful masks that Sellers wears to turn himself 'Japanese'. Even though the film runs for 90 minutes, it seems far longer.There's also a young-ish Timothy West as a Cardinal and Curt Jurgens as an SS Officer.This may remain Peter Sellers' single worse film. He made some truly great ones, this is the exact opposite.
gainsbarre
What I find interesting about this rather domestic small budget film (made at a time when Sellers's box office clout was at its lowest) is the fact that, yes Sellers plays six different characters, however the film is not saturated with him. In fact Sellers blends in remarkably to the rest of the film.Although I wouldn't necessarily call this film a comedy, there are some funny little bits in it, its strikes me more as a delightful war-time adventure story.In my opinion, the main focal point of this film is brothel owner Madame Grenier and her girls and their work for the French Resistance in occupied France. Sellers plays a whole host of characters around this central plot point and comes across far more as a counter-point to the action of Mme Grenier and her girls instead of screaming "Peter Sellers film Peter Selers film!" In his roles, he's also playing rather straight, not pushing for laughs, unlike his rather outrageous and dominating roles in the Pink Panther films.All in all, this British-made film is rather domestic in feel, not a big budget, and while it's enjoyable if you happen to come across it on cable one day, but don't be prepared to be knocked out.
William
Peter Sellers actually gives a performance playing numerous roles in this boring unfunny farce, as he even plays a Japanese officer and speaks real Japanese language! But not even the great Peter Sellers can save this tired boring movie that fails in all gags and humor (except for the scene where the bed flips over). I could see why United Artist took two years to release this film, and the film only lasted a week in most cities. It's not on video here in America, but it's recommended to any Peter Sellers fans only. Others beware!
AD
