Partly because someone called Phil Hardy in Time Out said 'one of the most satisfying lyrical films in years', as supported by Maltin's three star review. (Maltin called it a 'spoof' - not sure of what - and mentions there's a more serious 114m cut Edwards did for cable, which is on DVD is the US.)
A very mixed bag, that's for sure. Q said 'I enjoyed two-thirds of it, and the rest was shit'. Well, I do understand that. There are a few too many songs (though the opener / closer 'Whistling away the Dark', by Mancini / Mercer is a good one (and like the score, Oscar-nominated). And both filmed in one take.) Rock Hudson looks past his sell-by. Slapstick episodes featuring French detectives Jacques Marin (Charade, Marathon Man) and André Maranne (Pink Panther films) are unrequested, have in fact wandered in from the director's Clouseau series. Film is overlong. Some scenes are annoying.
On the plus side, it's a handsome big budget affair shot by Russell Harlan in Panavision, with one of those French influenced scores I love. Lance Percival is fun as a permanently pissed flyer (he kept reminding me of Paul Kaye, as Jeremy Kemp did Jared Harris - it was a film full of impersonators!) Bernard Kay and Doreen Keogh add value as household staff. And, scene where Hudson and Percival blow up the airfield with the Baron's own plane, and the thrillery ending of flight, pursuit and trains (the songs have all stopped by now) are good, as are aerial sequences.
Edwards (Julie Andrews' husband) and William Peter Blatty wrote it. Gloria Paul is 'Crepe Suzette'.
As well as an overture, there's Exit music. ('You vill listen to all the exit music'.) Which is kinda funny. They weren't going to win TV audiences away like that (no - that took Easy Rider, sex, drugs, bad language and adult material - cue the startling period of seventies American cinema...)
On reflection, Phil Hardy's an arse...
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