Political intrigue in Europe is the motivation for this trashy excuse for a crude screenplay, a frizzled hairstyle by its leading lady and some of the worst dialog I've heard in the pile of bad 1970's movies. The main problem, other than the confusing narrative (concerning the suicidal self-loathing character played by the legendary Elizabeth Taylor), hideous acting and rancid characters is that the film seems to be taking itself way too seriously without realizing how bad it all is. Like a selfish human being who lives through ego yet lacks any amount of self esteem, it exploits its ridiculousness in the viewer's face and never lets go. The only scene with any sense of depth was a car bombing that results in a realistic scene of mass destruction.
Poor Liz. She hadn't had a good movie in years ("Taming of the Shrew", 1967, being the last one.) This ranks along with "Boom!", "Secret Ceremony", "X, Y, and Zee" and "Ash Wednesday" as one that has to be seen (only once, though) to be believed. Even appearances by Andy Warhol, Mona Washbourne and Ian Bannen are embarrassing, as is such dialog as "When I diet, I diet. When I orgasm, I orgasm. I don't believe in mixing the two cultures." Nobody but Liz was out to destroy her career at this point. No wonder she drank! But la Liz survived, rising back up through turning to the theatre and becoming a major champion in the fight against AIDS so she can be forgiven these cinematic turkeys. The cruel wags of the 70's and 80's would have to find another victim for their vicious barbs.
Save yourself two hours of torture (unless you are like me determined to see every movie every major star has ever done). Liz had bad films that successfully pass the camp quotient, but this one doesn't get that honor, just simple disgust.
Poor Liz. She hadn't had a good movie in years ("Taming of the Shrew", 1967, being the last one.) This ranks along with "Boom!", "Secret Ceremony", "X, Y, and Zee" and "Ash Wednesday" as one that has to be seen (only once, though) to be believed. Even appearances by Andy Warhol, Mona Washbourne and Ian Bannen are embarrassing, as is such dialog as "When I diet, I diet. When I orgasm, I orgasm. I don't believe in mixing the two cultures." Nobody but Liz was out to destroy her career at this point. No wonder she drank! But la Liz survived, rising back up through turning to the theatre and becoming a major champion in the fight against AIDS so she can be forgiven these cinematic turkeys. The cruel wags of the 70's and 80's would have to find another victim for their vicious barbs.
Save yourself two hours of torture (unless you are like me determined to see every movie every major star has ever done). Liz had bad films that successfully pass the camp quotient, but this one doesn't get that honor, just simple disgust.