I found this very painful to watch. The overacting the lame attempts at comedy,the french new wave influenced realism it didn't work for me. Also I couldn't help thinking it was badly miscast. Natalie Wood as Italian is maybe believable but Steve Mcqueen? I also couldn't help thinking that Jack Lemmon and Shirley Maclaine although also not that believable as Italian would never the less have made a much more charming and enjoyable film.
It wasn't suppose to be a comedy..How funny are abortions to you anyway?
It had comedic undertones in dealing with her family and her clumsy suitor but the rest was pure drama. If you didn't get that than it went over your head.
I think Wood and McQueen had wonderful chemistry and, for the year it came out, was somewhat daring in dealing with out of wedlock pregnancies and dangerous back alley abortions. It does cop out but it clearly shows the panic and desperation of how it was for a woman to get pregnant in that era. It could ruin a woman's entire life and the solutions were limited.
Thank you zooymtoo, I could not have said it better myself. The individuals who criticize this movie for some reason DO NOT REALIZE that it was made in 1962-63 and EVERYTHING about marriage and pregnancy was so very, very different. I thought Natalie and Steve played it perfectly and gave us laughter in the right places and seriousiness when it was needed. I am old enough to remember if a girl got pregnant...she would be the talk of the neighborhood and would HAVE TO drop out of school! I know several it happened to and her life was changed forever. Sometimes she was sent away to have her baby. So considering when it was made Natalie and Steve did an excellent job. Steve's facial expressions were hysterical!!!!
shareWhat circus are you with, and how do they get so many of you guys in that tiny car?
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