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Simply A Masterpiece

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Frothy bit of fluff but with a great deal of charm. The entire cast are expert comedians excepting Forsythe but his role is really that of the straight man anyway. This was Myrna Loy's first supporting role after years in the star spot but while she is clearly secondary her skillful presence keeps her in mind even when she is off-screen. Tommy Noonan is most amusing as Forsythe's befuddled pal, his gauche hayseed with a good heart makes a nice counterpoint to the sophistication of the other players. Shot entirely in Paris with clothes by Dior this is a chic soufflé of the type that Hollywood has no idea how to make anymore.

Two elements noticeably kept "The Ambassador's Daughter" from becoming a classic: Norman Krasna's uninspired direction and Olivia de Havilland's age. I've always enjoyed Krasna's writing, finding it charming, witty, and slightly subversive. The script for this movie carries all of the "Krasna touch", but none of this is apparent from the lifeless direction. As a result, jokes were held too long, the actors stood around looking uncomfortable in long-shots, and it wavered between sharp social satire and frothy romantic comedy, touching neither elements successfully. As a result, Olivia de Havilland appears a bit out of place as a 40 year old woman, for the plot and direction kept trying to palm her off as someone 15 years younger. Granted, de Havilland was beautiful and elegant, but she brought too much maturity and groundedness to the type of character who launch such a harebrained scheme and lead John Forsyth on a merry chase across Paris. I would have believed her portrayal of Joan had she been written as a widow or longtime spinster devoted to her father, rather than a sparkling, youngish role in which Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, or Jean Simmons could have filled without a hitch. The rest of the cast gives a game performance, though as stated above, the direction really did them a disservice. Really wasted was Myrna Loy, who was only 10-12 years older than Olivia de Havilland, and was much too luminous and witty to be stuck in such a small part! However, the main issue I had with this film was its inability to make up its mind. By the second half of the film, de Havilland and Forsyth are obviously very smitten, but a series of contrivances keep them apart. I also found the outrageous matchmaking mind-boggling, considering that de Havilland's character clearly had a fiancé (underused Francis Lederer) who we know nothing about to make us believe he is wrong for de Havilland. Ultimately, the direction, flat jokes, and under-written script leaves this a classic-that-could-have-been, and is a dull point in Krasna's long and celebrated career.

Excruciating sex and romance comedy wherein the romance is applied by cutting to close-ups of star Olivia de Havilland gazing at her G.I. with stars in her eyes, though the sex never happens because this is hermetically-sealed 1956 and, of course, people didn't do such things. Out to prove her Ambassador father wrong, daughter Olivia goes out on a date with soldier John Forsythe (under the guise of a French model!) to prove he isn't a "mucker" (or, wolf). It gets worse from there. Forsythe's chatty buddy, who sounds like he's auditioning for a cartoon voice-over job, gets chummy with a senator and his wife while Forsythe has a confrontation with every person he talks to (he's far too intense and focused an actor to relax and be easy, and these fluffball surroundings have him looking like a deer in the headlights). Norman Krasna wrote and directed this misguided comedy, one without a single laugh or single engaging character (although Myrna Loy tries). It looks good in widescreen, but the script is a piece of lead, insulting to everyone from French fan dancers to bagpipe players to horny American G.I.s who can't even take in a show without arguing with the maître d' over their restaurant cover charge. * from ****

When Olivia DeHavilland played the title role in The Ambassador Daughter you have to ask yourself what in the world was she doing with parts that Audrey Hepburn should have played if she wanted it?Back of course in her salad days at Warner Brothers, Olivia would have definitely had a part like this, Jack Warner would have seen to it. Back in those days I could see her being cast with Errol Flynn as the young soldier. Of course back then there was no North Atlantic Treaty Organization and no American soldiers stationed in Europe. But that's indeed another story.John Forsythe is the young GI here and he's being used as a guinea pig in an experiment concocted by United States Senator Adolphe Menjou who's deeply concerned about the behavior of our GIs on leave in Paris. I sure hope Menjou's constituents were watching this movie and sent him packing post haste after the next election. Edward Arnold as the U.S. Ambassador to France and General Minor Watson are all in on this foolishness. This was Arnold's last film, not a good way to exit.Myrna Loy has a supporting part as Menjou's wife and she at least keeps a dignified front. What a shame that two giant cinema icons like Loy and DeHavilland should do this piece ridiculous fluff in their only joint screen effort.