10-26-2019, 07:41 PM
(This post was last modified: 10-27-2019, 03:03 PM by Dekalb_Blues.)
Two short films from the last century (released 63 years apart!), based on the same short story, "Roman's Kontrabasom" (ca. 1880s) by Anton Chekhov.
![[Image: romance-with-a-double-bass.jpg]](https://centuryfilmproject.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/romance-with-a-double-bass.jpg)
1. Romance with a Double Bass
(Pathé; Russia, 1911)
Princess Bibulova decides to go fishing along the river, while not far away, a musician leaves his two companions to go for a swim. Soon afterwards, the princess also goes swimming. While neither swimmer is looking, two thieves lurking on the riverbank steal their clothes, leaving the musician and the princess in a puzzling and embarrassing situation.
![[Image: image0016.jpg]](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-50GuEHlOLn0/VOoO_TjASJI/AAAAAAAAELY/7Y1-j0bdKHU/s1600/image0016.jpg)
WTF?? Где, черт возьми, моя одежда?! Я почти голая задница!
Rating: General. No mature content (but arguably some pretty hot stuff for 1911!)
2. Romance with a Double Bass
(Anton Films, UK, 1974)
Smychkov (John Cleese), a bassist, shows up early for the ball of a beautiful princess, and whiles away the time skinny-dipping in a nearby lake. The princess (Connie Booth, Cleese's then-wife), meanwhile, has gone fishing at this very lake, and soon decides to go skinny-dipping as
well. Neither is aware of the other's presence. However, things change when a thief absconds with both Smychkov's and the Princess's clothes, and while the shocked and chagrined Princess is cautiously creeping-about au naturel, she meets the similarly-indisposed Smychkov. He gallantly helps the princess to preserve her dignity by transporting her back to the castle in his voluminous instrument case, and along the way they discover they have feelings for each other.
Reviews:
1. Shortly after taking leave of the Pythons, Cleese teamed with wife Connie Booth to write Romance with a Double Bass (1974) a short film adapted from a short story by Anton Chekov. Such a pedigree suggests a more upscale Cleese, but consider the plot: a musician (Cleese) and a princess (Booth) have their clothes stolen while pausing for a swim, then must somehow return to the castle in the all-together.
Directed by Robert Young (who would later go on to helm the Cleese-penned Fierce Creatures), Double Bass is a wonderful, sweet, and often riotous celebration of life, with Cleese's gentle musician doing anything to uphold the honor of Booth's sorrowful damsel. Filmed on a shoestring, the short offers glances of gorgeous countrysides and lush manor interiors alongside the playful physical comedy and whimsical nature of the love story that unfolds with a smile. This is a quaint, lovely work.
2. Based on Chekhov's short story "Roman's Kontrabasom", this comedy short tells the tale of Smychkov (John Cleese), a musician hired to play double bass at the wedding of Count Alexei (Graham Crowden) to his reluctant bride, the Princess Constanza (Connie Booth). Arriving early on a hot day, Smychkov strolls the grounds, and chooses to take a dip in the lake. Unbeknownst to him, the Princess is also in the lake, looking to retrieve a valuable fishing float.
When their clothes are stolen, both are left naked and in some dilemma. After meeting, they realise that only by working together can they get across the grounds and into the castle without creating the massive scene both fear. It's a good job Smychkov didn't play the triangle...
Romance With A Double Bass is a lovely little film, one of Cleese's first performances after he opted out of Monty Python's fourth season. He and then-wife Booth deliver great performances, scattered with typical Cleese lunacy here and there amid an increasingly complex journey towards clothed safety. And it's surprisingly innocent and naive, considering both Cleese and Booth spend at least eighty percent of the film naked. Of course, nobody can spend that much time naked on film without a little attraction...
The supporting cast are good, however this is really a vehicle for the two leads. Running at around 40 minutes, it's well worth looking up, whether you want to have a fun time, whether you relish the sight of Cleese's arse and a very full frontal Booth, or even whether you are a fan of Chekhov screen adaptations ...
![[Image: ssromancewithadoublebass1.jpg]](http://www.diariodecine.es/ssromancewithadoublebass1.jpg)
Rating: General. Full frontal, backal, and sidereal nudity. ( ಠ ͜ʖಠ)
Version of above with Audio Commentary by the film-makers, yet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-4_WhioE5M
Evidently a Dutch third version (of which I can't find an online example) was made in 2009:
http://www.bloomline.net/sites/agenda.php?site=qvra
1. Romance with a Double Bass
(Pathé; Russia, 1911)
Princess Bibulova decides to go fishing along the river, while not far away, a musician leaves his two companions to go for a swim. Soon afterwards, the princess also goes swimming. While neither swimmer is looking, two thieves lurking on the riverbank steal their clothes, leaving the musician and the princess in a puzzling and embarrassing situation.
WTF?? Где, черт возьми, моя одежда?! Я почти голая задница!
Rating: General. No mature content (but arguably some pretty hot stuff for 1911!)
2. Romance with a Double Bass
(Anton Films, UK, 1974)
Smychkov (John Cleese), a bassist, shows up early for the ball of a beautiful princess, and whiles away the time skinny-dipping in a nearby lake. The princess (Connie Booth, Cleese's then-wife), meanwhile, has gone fishing at this very lake, and soon decides to go skinny-dipping as
well. Neither is aware of the other's presence. However, things change when a thief absconds with both Smychkov's and the Princess's clothes, and while the shocked and chagrined Princess is cautiously creeping-about au naturel, she meets the similarly-indisposed Smychkov. He gallantly helps the princess to preserve her dignity by transporting her back to the castle in his voluminous instrument case, and along the way they discover they have feelings for each other.
Reviews:
1. Shortly after taking leave of the Pythons, Cleese teamed with wife Connie Booth to write Romance with a Double Bass (1974) a short film adapted from a short story by Anton Chekov. Such a pedigree suggests a more upscale Cleese, but consider the plot: a musician (Cleese) and a princess (Booth) have their clothes stolen while pausing for a swim, then must somehow return to the castle in the all-together.
Directed by Robert Young (who would later go on to helm the Cleese-penned Fierce Creatures), Double Bass is a wonderful, sweet, and often riotous celebration of life, with Cleese's gentle musician doing anything to uphold the honor of Booth's sorrowful damsel. Filmed on a shoestring, the short offers glances of gorgeous countrysides and lush manor interiors alongside the playful physical comedy and whimsical nature of the love story that unfolds with a smile. This is a quaint, lovely work.
2. Based on Chekhov's short story "Roman's Kontrabasom", this comedy short tells the tale of Smychkov (John Cleese), a musician hired to play double bass at the wedding of Count Alexei (Graham Crowden) to his reluctant bride, the Princess Constanza (Connie Booth). Arriving early on a hot day, Smychkov strolls the grounds, and chooses to take a dip in the lake. Unbeknownst to him, the Princess is also in the lake, looking to retrieve a valuable fishing float.
When their clothes are stolen, both are left naked and in some dilemma. After meeting, they realise that only by working together can they get across the grounds and into the castle without creating the massive scene both fear. It's a good job Smychkov didn't play the triangle...
Romance With A Double Bass is a lovely little film, one of Cleese's first performances after he opted out of Monty Python's fourth season. He and then-wife Booth deliver great performances, scattered with typical Cleese lunacy here and there amid an increasingly complex journey towards clothed safety. And it's surprisingly innocent and naive, considering both Cleese and Booth spend at least eighty percent of the film naked. Of course, nobody can spend that much time naked on film without a little attraction...
The supporting cast are good, however this is really a vehicle for the two leads. Running at around 40 minutes, it's well worth looking up, whether you want to have a fun time, whether you relish the sight of Cleese's arse and a very full frontal Booth, or even whether you are a fan of Chekhov screen adaptations ...
Rating: General. Full frontal, backal, and sidereal nudity. ( ಠ ͜ʖಠ)
Version of above with Audio Commentary by the film-makers, yet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-4_WhioE5M
Evidently a Dutch third version (of which I can't find an online example) was made in 2009:
http://www.bloomline.net/sites/agenda.php?site=qvra