Seven Men and One Brain
Seven Men and One Brain (Italian: 7 uomini e un cervello) also known as Criminal Affair and Criminal Symphony is a 1968 Italian/Argentinian international co-production crime comedy heist film produced and directed by and also starring a non-singing Rossano Brazzi.[1]
| Seven Men and One Brain | |
|---|---|
 Italian film poster | |
| Directed by | Rossano Brazzi Ted Kneeland |
| Written by | Rossano Brazzi (story) Sandro Continenza (dialogue) Marcello Coscia (dialogue) |
| Produced by | Rossano Brazzi |
| Starring | Ann-Margret Rossano Brazzi Barbara Nichols |
| Cinematography | Stelvio Massi Ricardo Younis |
| Music by | Carlo Rustichelli Bruno Nicolai (arranger) |
Production companies | Chiara Film Internazionali Lam Pie Film |
Release dates | 17 October 1968 (Argentina) 13 May 1969 (Italy) |
Running time | 106 minutes |
| Country | Italy |
| Languages | Italian English Spanish |
Plot
Criminologist Ross Simpson seems to have everything that one could desire; the respect of his university students, being an author, and having a secret identity. The only thing Simpson doesn't have is a large amount of money. Simpson's secret identity involves planning what he regards as perfect crimes, however they fail due to the stupidity and bumbling of the criminals he recruits to carry out his secret schemes.
Simpson's publishers send him on an all expenses paid trip to Buenos Aires that includes accommodation and an attractive secretary. Putting his writing on hold, Simpson schemes to rob the patrons of the Teatro Colón during the opening performance of La traviata using a gang of Argentinian criminals who are trained to sing. Things begin to go awry when Simpson is pursued by the angry Italian criminals who failed on one of his Italian jobs and a variety of sexy women who seem to get in his way...
Cast
- Rossano Brazzi as Ross Simpson
- Ann-Margret as Leticia
- Barbara Nichols as Miss Archillar
- Hélène Chanel as Georgette
- Gina Maria Hidalgo as Ana Veronesi
- Lando Buzzanca as Esteban de Flori
- Mimma Biscardi
- Renzo Petretto as Crook
- Osvaldo Pacheco as José
- Alberto Dalbés as Schwartz (as Alberto D'Alves)
- Rafael Carret as Antonio (as Raphael Garret)
- Juan Carlos Lamas as Crook
- Javier Portales as Crook
- Augusto Codecá as Crook
- Alfonso Senatore as Crook
- Ricardo Castro Ríos as Crook
- Nathán Pinzón as Crook
- Roger Smith as a gambler
Production
It was one of several films Ann-Margret made in Europe around this time.[2]
Release
The film was a box office bomb.[1] It was released in the United States as Criminal Affair, in a version re-dubbed, re-edited and re-scored by the distributor.[3]
Reception
The film was generally badly received by critics. A contemporary review of La Prensa described the film as a ripoff of Big Deal on Madonna Street, "but Brazzi is no Monicelli or Gassman. The result is unbearable... the performers... are far below what they can give".[4] Another contemporary review from L'Unità outlined the film as an annoying film and a poor imitation of Seven Golden Men, with a bleak story and a badly mistcast Brazzi ("an actor who can do everything but the gangster").[5]
Notes
- George, David; Meneses, Gizella (22 December 2017). Argentine Cinema: From Noir to Neo-Noir. Lexington Books. p. 21. ISBN 978-1-4985-1187-2.
- Vagg, Stephen (September 6, 2021). "Surviving Cold Streaks: Ann-Margret". Filmink. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
- "Foreign films for adaptation". New York Daily News. 15 February 1970. Retrieved 1 March 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- Manrupe, Raúl; Portela, María Alejandra (1995). "El gran robo". Un diccionario de films argentinos (in Spanish). Corregidor. ISBN 978-950-05-0896-4.
- Vice (3 September 1970). "Le Prime: Sette uomini e un cervello". L'Unità (in Italian). No. 230. p. 7.