Main Cast: Rex Harrison, Jeanne Moreau, Shirley MacLaine, Edmund Purdom, Moira Lister, George C. Scott, Ingrid Bergman, Isa Miranda
Release Year: 1964
Country: UK
Run Time: 122 minutes
Plot
In this drama, from director Anthony Asquith, the lives and stories of three different people are linked together by their possession of an unusual car, a yellow Rolls Royce Phantom II. Lord Frinton (Rex Harrison) is a diplomat who purchases the exquisite auto as a gift for his wife (Jeanne Moreau). After Frinton's horse wins the Royal Gold Cup, Lady Frinton incurs the Lord's wrath when she is caught in the back seat of the Rolls with his underling John Fane (Edmund Purdom). In the 1930s, the car is bought by Italian gangster Paolo Maltese (George C. Scott), who is carrying on with the hatcheck girl Mae Jenkins (Shirley MacLaine). The two take a tour of Italy and see all the historic sights, but Mae is less than impressed. While Paolo is in the United States on one of his frequent hit-man assignments, Mae and a street photographer try out the back seat for comfort and carnal pleasure. Art Carney plays Paolo's associate Joey. In the final episode, Gerda Millett (Ingrid Bergman) is the married American woman who buys the car in 1942. With Hitler attacking Yugoslavia the brave and brazen beauty helps fight the Nazis by smuggling Davich (Omar Shariff) across the border, and this duo also find themselves in the back seat for a roll in the Rolls. Davich shows his gratitude by shipping the car along with Gerda back to the United States. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
Review
The Yellow Rolls-Royce is running on empty, but it's filled with so many stars and looks so beautiful that most viewers won't mind that the ride doesn't really get them anywhere. Terence Rattigan's screenplay takes "formulaic" to a new height; there's very little here that's original or even moderately surprising, and the dialogue is at times painfully obvious. Still, formulas by nature come with a framework and set of rules that guarantee a certain response, and by layering the formula with such a wide array of talent, Yellow comes out ahead of the game. Not that anyone is giving a career-height performance, mind you, but almost everyone is good. The major exception is Jeanne Moreau, who is surprisingly wooden. Shirley Maclaine's dumb-blonde moll is a matter of taste; some will find her annoying, others terribly funny. But few would fault Rex Harrison, Ingrid Bergman, Omar Sharif, or George C. Scott, and even those who find the film not to their taste will probably find it hard to take their eyes off of a very sexy Alain Delon. The best performance probably comes from Art Carney, whose work is relatively low-key and nicely calibrated. Jack Hildyard's lush cinematography is another plus, and the entire production is glossy and shows where the money went. For those looking for pretty but mindless entertainment, Yellow is a good bet. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Vincent Korda - Art Director, Elliot Scott - Art Director, William Kellner - Art Director, Roy Parkinson - Associate Producer, Gene Coffin - Costume Designer, Edith Head - Costume Designer, Anthony Mendleson - Costume Designer, Pierre Cardin - Costume Designer, Antonio Castillo - Costume Designer, Kip Gowans - First Assistant Director, Anthony Asquith - Director, Frank Clarke - Editor, Riz Ortolani - Composer (Music Score), Riz Ortolani - Songwriter, Norman Newell - Songwriter, John O'Gorman - Makeup, Tom Smith - Makeup, Austin Dempster - Camera Operator, Gerry Fisher - Camera Operator, Jack Hildyard - Cinematographer, Timothy Burrill - Production Manager, Anatole de Grunwald - Producer, Pamela Cornell - Set Designer, John Jarvis - Set Designer, Tom Howard - Special Effects, Terence Rattigan - Screenwriter
The car is first purchased by the Marquess of Frinton (Rex Harrison) as an anniversary present for his French wife, Eloise (Jeanne Moreau). The marquess is a longtime horse owner who has his heart set on winning the Ascot Gold Cup. This year, his horse is favoured and does indeed win. However, his elation is blighted when he finds his wife with her lover and his underling, John Fane (Edmund Purdom), in the back of the Rolls. For appearance's sake, he will not divorce her, but he sends back the car.
The Rolls is eventually purchased by American gangster Paolo Maltese (George C. Scott). He is touring Italy with his fiancée Mae Jenkins (Shirley MacLaine) and his right-hand man Joey Friedlander (Art Carney). When Paolo returns to the United States to take care of some unsavory business, he leaves Joey to chaperone Mae. Joey turns a blind eye when she falls in love with Stefano (Alain Delon), a handsome young street photographer. However, when Paolo rejoins them, Mae lies to Stefano, telling him that it was just a fling, in order to protect him from her lethal boyfriend.
The next owner of the car is Gerda Millett (Ingrid Bergman), a bossy, wealthy American widow touring Europe. During the Invasion of Yugoslavia by the Nazi Germans during World War II, patriot Davich (Omar Sharif) commandeers her automobile to sneak into the country. However, none of his men know how to drive, so Mrs. Millett volunteers, much to Davich's surprise. They survive a German aerial attack and reach their destination. Along the way, the two very different people fall in love. She wants to stay and help repel the invaders, but Davich will not permit it, saying it is not her fight. He tells her to go back to America and tell people what she has witnessed.
