Tony Mastroianni Review Collection
Goodby — Indeed! Critic Tells Movie
Cleveland Press January 27, 1967
A sometimes funny but more often tasteless, senseless and sick sex comedy is being splashed across local screens this week.
"Arrivederci, Baby!" starts with a 75-year-old bridegroom falling dead of a heart attack at the sight of his bride (Rosanna Schiaffino) in her lingerie.
It continues its tasteless way as it chronicles the arrival of her lover as the body of the deceased lies in state in the living room.
MEANWHILE, WE HAVE TONY CURTIS as a self-professed lady-killer in every sense of the term. He makes his way from one wealthy wife to another, aiding at the demise of each.
These stories are told in a series of interrupting flashbacks as he tries to ensnare the recently widowed Miss Shiaffino, whom he figures has plenty of money as well as looks.
In one over-long episode that records his childhood he simpers about in a lace-trimmed Little Lord Fauntleroy outfit. Probably intended as a shockingly funny scene is one in which he does away with the wealthy woman who adopted him by running wires from his electric train to her harp and electrocuting her.
HE ALLOWS HIS HUNGARIAN countess wife (Zsa Zsa Gabor) to be locked in a NATO rocket and she is put into orbit. He arranges a riding accident for another.
Lionel Jeffries is Curtis' aide, valet and general handyman and is excellent in the part. He provides the non leering laughs.
Miss Gabor plays herself as a woman who never stops talking. Curtis is best in the purely slapstick episodes. Miss Schiaffino's looks do not hide the fact that she can act as well.
The camera lingers longingly over the beautiful expanse of the Riviera and Miss Schiaffino, but more than pretty pictures is needed to save this movie.
