Romance with a Double Bass

Romance with a Double Bass is a 1974 British short comedy film directed by Robert Young. It was adapted by Young, John Cleese and Connie Booth (uncredited)[1] from a screenplay by Bill Owen that was originally based on the short story of the same name by Anton Chekhov. It stars Cleese and his then wife Connie Booth in the leading roles.

For the silent film, see Romance with Double-Bass (1911 film).

Romance with a Double Bass
Directed byRobert Young
Written byJohn Cleese
Connie Booth
Robert Young
Screenplay byBill Owen
Based onRomance with a Double Bass
by Anton Chekhov
StarringJohn Cleese
Connie Booth
Graham Crowden
Freddie Jones
Music byLeon Cohen
Release date
1974
Running time
41 min.
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Smychkov (Cleese), a bassist, shows up too early for the ball of a beautiful princess, and decides to spend his extra time skinny dipping in the nearby lake. The princess (Booth), meanwhile, has gone fishing at the lake, and later decides to go skinny dipping as well. However, things change when a thief absconds with both Smychkov's and the Princess's clothes, and while the Princess is wandering around stark naked, she meets Smychkov. After their initially embarrassing encounter, he tries to help her return to the castle by hiding her in his bass case.

Cast

Production

The movie marked John Cleese's first collaboration with the director Robert Young (they would later work on Splitting Heirs and Fierce Creatures).[1] The cast also included Andrew Sachs who would work with Cleese and Booth in Fawlty Towers the following year.

Romance with a Double Bass was finished during October 1974 and took ten days to shoot. Filming took place at Wiltshire, England, with scenes shot in the Double Cube Room of the Wilton House and the Somerley estate.[1][2]

Release

The movie was shown in theatres in 1975 along with The Eiger Sanction by Clint Eastwood.[1]

It was released on video in 1995.[3]

Critical response

Time Out described the movie as a "very funny, innocent and tastefully filmed nudist romp".[4]

David Sterritt wrote that while "the plot is slender, it makes very funny jokes at the expense of class and gender hierarchies".[3]

David Cornelius of DVD Talk praised the movie as a "wonderful, sweet, and often riotous celebration of life" that combines "playful physical comedy and whimsical nature of the love story that unfolds with a smile".[5]

Paul Shrimpton of The Spinning Image also called it "surprisingly innocent and naive" despite Cleese and Booth spend most of the time naked; he also praised their performances "scattered with typical Cleese lunacy here and there".[6]

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References
  1. McCall, Douglas (2014). Monty Python: A Chronology, 1969—2012. McFarland & Company. pp. 36, 39 ISBN 978-0-7864-7811-8
  2. Filming at the Wilton House official website
  3. David Sterritt. Out on video at The Christian Science Monitor, 5 January 1995
  4. Romance with a Double Bass at the Time Out official website
  5. David Cornelius. John Cleese Comedy Collection at DVD Talk, 24 April 24 2007
  6. Paul Shrimpton. Romance With a Double Bass review at The Spinning Image
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