Diamonds for Breakfast

Just put a number of hot girls in go-go outfits on screen with one male star in the center and the movie writes itself. This formulaic mad-cap caper film follows in the footsteps of "Casino Royale" and "Blaise Modesty" in its use of colorfully dressed beauties that are calculated to divert attention from the lack of plot, character, humor, tension or anything else that might require talent to pull off. You might like it just to see how silly these sort of late-60s movies could get.

Marcello Mastroianni as a descendant of Russian aristocracy trying to steal the jewels that his father lost in roulette on the day he was born, assisted by a crack team of 7 beautiful women? It sounds better than it plays. Marcello is clearly enjoying himself playing multiple roles (the central character and other members of his royal family who frequently "appear" in his mind and guide him), and unless I'm mistaken he is also the one who sings the terrific title song, as for the women (the team includes a "reformed" thief, a cat burglar, a Marxist, an Asian *, and three identical judo-practicing sisters!), they are attractive and fun to watch. The film, however, is not particularly funny; the capers themselves are both hard to follow and hard to believe. It also goes on a bit too long. ** out of 4.