8 facce di bronzo

Anton Rodgers was a good television and radio actor. I remember listening to him on the radio in The Peter Goodwright Show and many other radio shows in the 1960s. When listening to the voice of someone on the radio or the telephone, one tends to create a mindful image of a different person, but I must say that his voice did suit his graceful and assuring personality. He was also very good in the television show, May To September.

However, I do think the Anton Rodgers's part was tailor-made for Peter Sellers. He could have done wonders for this film, especially with all the disguises and personalities that the character took on.

Although, the best performance goes to the brilliant Eric Sykes as a comical private investigator. Perhaps Peter Sellers would have played that part as well, as the comic genius of Eric Sykes versus the comic genius of Peter Sellers would not have worked in the same film.

According to the IMDB "trivia", Dirk Bogarde and Alfred Marks were considered for parts in this film, but I think the scripts would have to have been rewritten for them, as I cannot imagine what parts they would have played. Dirk Bogarde usually played lighter comedy roles.

I remember this film being advertised in 1964 when it first came out, but this morning on Talking Pictures was the first time that I had been able to catch up with it. The film would probably have been funnier in the 1960s, when most of the funny scenes were fresher. Some of the same gags have been copied many times since.

I will give it 9 out of 10, but with the talents of Peter Sellers, Terry-Thomas and Lionel Jeffreys, it could have been one of the great Boulting Brothers classics.