Review of Lola Montès (1955) by Eric B — 24 Feb 2010

Too much old-fashioned romance for my tastes, but the sets and use of color are gorgeous. The film's most interesting aspect is not its unremarkable tale of a seductive, Evita Peron-like character who became a notorious scandal in Europe, but the plot's added framework: the presentation of Lola's exploits as an impossibly ornate circus show, with Peter Ustinov as the grandiloquent ringmaster. Watching Lola negotiate her way through the various shifting tableaux is what's truly dazzling.

Otherwise, "Lola Montes" concentrates on frame composition and lavish sets almost to a fault. There are very few tight shots of the characters, and thus an emotional intimacy is missing. We don't connect with the players. It doesn't help that Martine Carol isn't much of an actress.