This anthology movie is the story of a luxuriously upholstered vehicle – at once witty, romantic, plush, glamorous and dreamy – as a Rolls-Royce (a 1931 Phantom II Barker Sedanca de Ville) passes from Marquis to Italian mobster, then to a haughty American millionairess, consorting with wartime Yugoslav guerillas.
The first owner – in England – is the Marquess of Frinton (Rex Harrison), a senior member in the Foreign Office who buys the car as a gift to his French wife (Jeanne Moreau) to mark their tenth anniversary. Unfortunately, he discovers his wife in the backseat of the Rolls with one of his subordinates and moved by her perfidy, he sends the car back from whence it came.
20,000 miles later, the car is purchased in Genoa by Italian-American mobster Paolo Maltese (George C. Scott), who brings his girlfriend, Mae (Shirley MacLaine), to Italy to introduce her to his family. She falls for Italian street photographer Stefano (Alain Delon) while Paolo is away “taking care” of a competitor in America.
She and Stefano also make love in the yellow Rolls-Royce, but when Paolo returns, she reluctantly gives up her lover rather than see him share the same fate as the American competitor.
The Rolls is next purchased by haughty American millionairess Gerda Millett (Ingrid Bergman), who proposes to visit royalty in Yugoslavia. Hitler is on the rampage and about to attack Yugoslavia.
On her journey, Gerda is forced to smuggle a patriot (Omar Sharif) over the border. She falls for him, and when the bombs begin to fall, she uses her car to round up the partisans.
To prevent her from being killed, her new lover sends her away, and she departs for America, taking the Rolls with her.
The colourful production is sumptuous, with glorious European scenery, and the film stars many world-famous names. This was Joyce Grenfell’s final movie before her death in November 1979, aged 69. It was also Anthony Asquith’s final movie as a director before his death in February 1968, aged 65.
Gerda Millett
Ingrid Bergman Marquess of Frinton
Rex Harrison Marchioness of Frinton
Jeanne Moreau Mae Jenkins
Shirley MacLaine Paolo Maltese
George C. Scott Davich
Omar Sharif Stefano
Alain Delon Joey Friedlander
Art Carney Hortense Astor
Joyce Grenfell Fane
Edmund Purdom Harnsworth
Michael Hordern Assistant Car Salesman
Lance Percival Norwood
Roland Culver Lady Angela St. Simeon
Moira Lister Taylor
Harold Scott Osborn
Richard Pearson Duchesse d’Angouleme
Isa Miranda Albanian Ambassador
Grégoire Aslan Bomba
Riccardo Garrone Ferguson
Wally Cox Michele
Carlo Croccolo Mayor
Guy Deghy Head Waiter
Martin Miller
Director
Anthony Asquith
Video
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