mark.waltz This so-called comedy seems an over-abundance of smugness that thrives on the mistaken belief that its all-star cast and intelligent screenplay will rise above pretentiousness. There's actually very little in the way of humor and story, a weak plot about two American women who pretend to be French in order to see how two American soldiers on leave will treat them. Olivia de Havilland is the titled character, daughter of ambassador Adolph Menjou who is engaged to the French Francis Lederer but sets her beret for the more appealing John Forsythe. Her sidekick? None other than Myrna Loy, still stunning and every inch the scene-stealer, managing to get laughs where there are none. De Havilland is too dry for modern comedy and seems miscast opposite the dashing Forsythe. Edward Arnold is still hanging on as Loy' s stuffy husband while Tommy Noonan fights for laughs as the other soldier. The snail paced screenplay with allegedly smart dialog is actually extremely highbrow, a dangerous quality for the mid 1950's. Many shots of Parisian tourist spots, while always lovely to look at, end up a detriment to the film as a whole. In spite of some matronly outfits, Loy ends up looking more appealing and younger than the leading lady who had lost much of her appeal at this point in her career. De Havilland doesn't succeed in the type of roles that Jane Wyman was raking in huge success at the box office at the same time.

moonspinner55 Excruciating sex and romance comedy wherein the romance is applied by cutting to close-ups of star Olivia de Havilland gazing at her G.I. with stars in her eyes, though the sex never happens because this is hermetically-sealed 1956 and, of course, people didn't do such things. Out to prove her Ambassador father wrong, daughter Olivia goes out on a date with soldier John Forsythe (under the guise of a French model!) to prove he isn't a "mucker" (or, wolf). It gets worse from there. Forsythe's chatty buddy, who sounds like he's auditioning for a cartoon voice-over job, gets chummy with a senator and his wife while Forsythe has a confrontation with every person he talks to (he's far too intense and focused an actor to relax and be easy, and these fluffball surroundings have him looking like a deer in the headlights). Norman Krasna wrote and directed this misguided comedy, one without a single laugh or single engaging character (although Myrna Loy tries). It looks good in widescreen, but the script is a piece of lead, insulting to everyone from French fan dancers to bagpipe players to horny American G.I.s who can't even take in a show without arguing with the maître d' over their restaurant cover charge. * from ****

silverscreen888 It is certainly not true that because a film has as its central character a female protagonist that it must be a "woman's picture". But in an era when the novel market in cheap-minded fiction seems hopelessly divided between mindless male violent thrillers and mindless female Gothic romanciful fantasies, the viewer must expect this debate to spill over into films. Fortunately for moviegoers, as late as the 1950s, films such as "The Ambassador's Daughter" were still being made and these were films with enough realistic characters, intelligent dialogue and interesting action to please adult viewers. This is a very fine script indeed by veteran writer-director Norman Krasna. It was directed very ably and beautifully mounted. The noteworthy cast included Edward Arnold, Myrna Loy, Adolph Menjou, Frances Lederer, Tommy Noonan plus Olivia de Havilland and John Forsythe as the romantic leads. The setting is postwar Paris, and the sets are beautiful to behold. This is a film about upper crust folk; and as such we are treated to costumes by Christian Dior, impeccable lighting and gorgeous art direction. But the fact that these are members of the wealthy set does not stop the scriptwriters from devising lively and challenging involvements for all. The very good idea for the story involves de Havvilland trying to prove to her ambassador father, professionally and personally worried about such matters, that all French-based American soldiers are not "wolves". She picks on Forsythe to prove her point--and discovers she may have picked too well for her own safety, since she finds herself falling for the shy G.I. Arnold and Loy are particularly good, Menjou is his usual charming self; and de Havilland is superb. Only Forsythe seems a bit low-voltage, as he sometimes did early in his career, before "The Trouble With Harry". The film's technical elements, such as lighting, sets, art direction and all else provide the usual first-rate MGM realization. The color is lovely as well, adding to the gemlike quality of this underrated and very intelligent comedy. In an era devoted to Medieval character flaws, misbehaviors and irresponsible folk floundering in a sea of surrealistic bad writing and worse thinking, this earlier work stands out as a cinematic delight, one to be watched many times over.

Neil Doyle Olivia de Havilland spent most of her post-Oscar years in serious dramas, so it's nice to see her looking so radiantly lovely in a technicolor comedy, enjoying herself in a comedy for a change. Paris is the setting and the color photography is excellent. The slight story concerns de Havilland seeking to prove to her father (Edward Arnold) and a senator and his wife (Adolphe Menjou, Myrna Loy) that American servicemen aren't all wolves and to prove it has a harmless fling with a young G.I. (John Forsythe). Unfortunately, as in all Norman Krasna comedies, plot complications develop before she winds up in Forsythe's arms for an amusing final scene. The cast sparkles with some fine work by de Havilland, Myrna Loy, Adolphe Menjou, Edward Arnold and--in one of his funniest roles--Tom Noonan. Only bad piece of casting is John Forsythe--who looks wooden and uncomfortable throughout with no comic flair whatsoever. Despite this, de Havilland manages to give a spirited performance that won the Belgian Prix Femina for Best Actress in a comedy in '56. Slight but amusing and very watchable.