John Cleese - Romance With A Double Bass (1974)

John Cleese and Connie Booth star in this delightful tale of comic romance based on the short story by Anton Chekhov. On a hot summer's day a musician (Cleese) decides to skinny dip in the royal lake, not knowing that the princess (Booth) has done the same. A passing thief steals both their clothes, and their attempt to return to the castle proves to be a hilarious adventure.

Such BAD quality for a good quality film

This is a classic piece of film. Why the transfer is so bad I don't know. It looks like a super 8 film transfered to VHS, then transfered to DVD. During distant scenes on the banks of the river, John Cleese's face looks like a white blob. There is a definite hum in the sound that obviously suggests this is NOT a digital transfer at all. You can also see video tracking at the bottom of the picture. (This has defintly come from a VHS tape)

I was so looking forward to buying this DVD, and adding this fantastic short movie to my collection. (I'm using it as a drink coaster now)

The picture is so washed out that there is barely any color at all.

This is so bad. If John Cleese knew they were selling his work like this for money, I'm know he'd be pretty pissed off. (If it was my work I would be)

Even though the price is low for a DVD, many people feel they've been ripped off. They should. October 6, 2007

Fun, especially for bassists

This is a film that I had always heard about (I am a professional bassist). It's a cute, relaxed little film based on a Chekhov short story. I suspect it was made for British TV in the '70s. The production value isn't great, but the performances are charming and it's a perfectly pleasant way to spend 40 minutes or so. Bassists and their admirers will enjoy the references to bass stereotypes. Plus, it's fun to watch John Cleese lug around a giant wooden bass case for 30 minutes! June 14, 2007

The movie is worth your time and money. This DVD is not.

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the poor quality of this particular DVD. I own it and even though I got it fairly cheaply I still feel like I got ripped off. This DVD has been created from a very beat-up copy of the film, full of scratches and other signs of wear and tear. To make matters worse, some of the nudity has been chopped out. To call it "edited" would be putting it too kindly. Whoever was responsible for the cutting simply removed some of the more revealing frames of film, taking the corresponding bits of dialogue with them.

It IS a charming, funny little movie. It deserves better treatment. This DVD should be avoided in the hope that a better transfer will come along.
October 7, 2006

Dead Parrot Not Included: Charming Tale About the Princess and the Musican (Both Naked)

After quitting `Monty Python's Flying Circus' in 1973, John Cleese went on to create his best work in his career so far - actually the best comedy ever made in the history of the world. That is `Fawlty Towers,' incredibly funny comedy about the worst hotel and its delightfully arrogant owner Basil Fawlty. It is regrettable that they only made 12 episodes.

`A Romance with a Double Bass,' shot in 1974, prior to the 1st six episodes of `Fawlty,' is NOT the unreleased 13th episode about Basil and Polly though it features three of the actors seen in this landmark comedy, and contains some funny moments. You also should not expect the craziness of Monty, such as Cleese doing silly walk. No, it is a love story, and John Cleese means it ... even though he is stark naked.

Based on Chekhov's short story, `A Romance with a Double Bass' opens with double bass player Smychkov (Cleese) arriving at the Russian palace where a betrothal ball is going to be held. As he arrived too early on a hot summer's day, he decides to take a bath in a lake nearby, little knowing that the Princess (Booth) has done the same.

Things get complicated (and funny) when a passing thief takes away the clothes of the both. Chivalrous Smychkov promises the distraught Princess to bring her back safely to the palace like a true gentleman. Luckily, the thief didn't steal the double bass case. in which the naked Princess can hide.

Their misadventure results in the unexpected romance of the two, which is the most charming of the film. John Cleese and Connie Booth (then married) manage to show enough chemistry between them to convince us of the budding romance in spite of the short running time of the film.

This 40 minute film may sound like an extended sketch from `Monty Python' at first, but John Cleese and Connie Booth (both credited as writer) are obviously trying to make the film not too silly. The behaviors of both characters, funny as they are, are always based on the reasonable motives, so you will never see a dead parrot or flying sheep here.

Additional fun is the appearance of Andrew Sachs as musician, who was later cast as Manuel in `Fawlty Towers.' The film also has British character actor Freddie Jones, and is directed by Robert Young, the original director of `Fierce Creatures' starring John Cleese.

For all its background, `A Romance with a Double Bass' should be enjoyed out of the context of two leading actors' careers. Don't try to find any `Monty' sketch nor `Fawlty Towers' episode. It is a romance from a Russian writer, Anton Chekhov, master of storytelling, and this charming adaptation well-reflects the fact. August 27, 2006

NOT Fawlty Towers... However,

Definitely a little charmer. Silly situation pulled off very nicely. We definitely liked it. Not even The Brigadier would stop this for being 'too silly.' A fun 40 minutes. July 30, 2006

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