Main Cast: Ronald Colman, Celeste Holm, Vincent Price, Barbara Britton, Art Linkletter
Release Year: 1950
Country: US
Run Time: 90 minutes
Plot
This comedy stars Ronald Colman as Beauregard Bottomley, a self-styled genius in need of a job. He applies for a position with a large soap company, but Burnbridge Walters (Vincent Price), the firm's willfully eccentric president, falls into a "trance" while interviewing Beauregard and decides not to give him the job. When Beauregard overhears his sister Gwenn (Barbara Britton) listening to a game show sponsored by Walters' soap company, he discovers the perfect means to get revenge -- each time a contestant answers a question correctly, they double their prize money. Beauregard gets a spot on the show and starts winning -- and doesn't stop. Before long, the company owes him $40 million and Beauregard hasn't even broken a sweat. Beauregard is poised to bankrupt Walters and destroy his company, so the soap tycoon persuades Flame O'Neal (Celeste Holm) to pose as a nurse who will (a) find out if there's anything Beauregard doesn't know, and (b) distract him romantically. While a critical success and something of a cult item, Champagne for Caesar was a box office disappointment on its initial release; Ronald Colman appeared in only two more films before his death eight years later. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
A neglected little gem of a movie that deserves to be far better known, Champagne for Caesar is one of those movies worth searching out. While it does have its flaws, such as direction that isn't as consistently strong as one might wish and an occasional tendency to treat its subject a bit too broadly, its assets are strong enough that they easily overcome these flaws. Fred Brady and Hans Jacoby have provided a witty screenplay that takes great delight in joyously throwing darts at any number of targets, all of which fall under the realm of that great monster, television. Even TV viewers aren't spared, but the writers' darts are rubber tipped, so that no one gets seriously hurt; besides, the audience will be too busy laughing to worry too much about whether they might also be included in the writers' jibes. The writers have also created some delightful characters for the cast, most of whom sink their teeth into the roles. Given the rare chance to play real comedy, Ronald Colman and Vincent Price have a field day. The former is the star, turning in a deft performance that is a treat, but even he gets upstaged by Price, whose outrageous turn as the soap magnate is simply priceless. Celeste Holm also seems to relish her change-of-pace role, giving a fresh and funny performance that is a joy. Only Art Linkletter falls a little short, when called upon to make his game show host a real character, but that shortcoming is understandable. Fans of film comedies will find this vintage Champagne quite to their taste. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Gabriel Heatter - Announcer; George Fisher - Announcer; Byron Foulger - Gerald; Ellye Marshall - Frosty; Vicki Raaf - Waters's Secretary; Douglas Evans - Radio Announcer; Lyle Talbot - Executive; George Leigh - Executive; John Hart - Executive; Mel Blanc - Caesar; Peter Brocco - Fortune Teller; Brian O'Hara - Buck; Jack Daly - Scratch; Gordon Nelson - Lecturer; Herbert Lytton - Chuck Johnson; George Meader - Mr. Brown; John Eldridge - Executive
Credit
George C. VanMarter - Art Director, Richard Whorf - Director, Hugh Bennett - Editor, Dimitri Tiomkin - Composer (Music Score), Paul Ivano - Cinematographer, George Moskov - Producer, Harry M. Popkin - Producer, Jacque Mapes - Set Designer, Fred Brady - Screenwriter, Hans Jacoby - Screenwriter
