Jessica (1962)

This movie is filmed in Forza D'Agro, Sicily which just happens to be my Grandmothers town, still as gorgeous today as it was back then!! Perched on a mountain very close to the sea. My great grandfather is cast as an extra in the background and appears a few times, i never met him so its great to see him! So you might call me bias, but to me it has beautiful vistas, beautiful actors majestic panoramas and these type of movies are like snippets in time and are nostalgic, lite hearted and fun to watch..... Sublime old film. Angie Dickinson is at her most beautiful in this film, at least I think so anyway. P.S I found a DVD copy of this at scooter movies.

Jessica is an American lady (Angie Dickenson) who has inexplicably come to a small Italian town to be their midwife. What is a super-hot American doing there?! And what is the town to do? All the men spend all their time lusting after her and the women spend all their time complaining that their men are lusting after sweet Jessica. The town priest (inexplicably played by the French actor, Maurice Chevalier) tries to get everyone to accept Jessica--but it looks like it's an impossible task."Jessica" is a comedy that never really hits the mark--and its script clearly could have used a lot more work before it was filmed. As a comedy, it was supposed to be funny but it wasn't. Sadly, it was just pretty dull and it isn't particularly charming. As a result, the film just drags despite nice scenery.

This comedy of 1962 directed by veteran Jean Negulesco was a typical product of the era. Hollywood loved to do films abroad because of the ridiculous costs in the post war Europe. The studios got great natural scenery at a fraction of what they would have had to spend at home. "Jessica" seems to be a film earmarked to play at New York's Radio City Music Hall, that showed first run movies at the time it made its debut. It had all the elements going for it.As a film watched today, "Jessica" seems a bit out of place. Maybe at the time the idea of an American young woman, so modern, in contrast with the Sicilian folks, might have given the film company responsible for it, a plausible plot to go ahead. According to the credits, this film is based on a novel we have not read, so it is impossible to compare the text to the finished product.Maurice Chevalier was asked to play the wise old priest, Antonio. He uses his charm the same way he did in other films before. The young and beautiful Angie Dickinson appears in the main role. Gabrielle Ferzetti, an excellent Italian leading man didn't get to do much. Even old pros as Agnes Moorehead and Marcel Dalio are seen in supporting roles.

Great scenery and great girls! Pity Angie comes in about 3rd in the "glamour stakes"! It is a light-hearted romp though and is mildly entertaining. Chevalier does his usual bit in his usual style-talking to himself,the audience,his jeep,his god and his congregation,with a big cheesy grin(the old ,"I'm glad I'm not young anymore"routine. Oh golly,I've got to write more lines!How about,Angie's love interest,the titled "heavy" of the film,tortured by the memory of his wife's execution by the Nazis,has little more than a walk on,walk off role.I guess he is there to ensure a happy ending. Angie doesn't do to bad,from village midwife to grand dame in the château-in less than a year.Beats having the stuffing knocked out of you by a demented Michael Caine!