Champagne for Caesar

Amazon.com

A little-known comedy gem, this never-more-timely sendup of quiz shows and media promotions stars a delightfully aloof Ronald Colman as Beauregard Bottomley, the "last scholar." Beauregard, out of work and living with his sister (Barbara Britton), hits on the idea of making a bundle on the Masquerade for Money radio show, produced by Milady Soap and hosted by a good-natured dolt (yes, that's Art Linkletter).

Initially, Beauregard is in it for the loot, but this soon changes as the show's apoplectic boss, Burnbridge Waters (Vincent Price), mobilizes his staff--and in-house Mata Hari (Celeste Holm)--to finish off the seemingly unflappable contestant. Now front-page news, Beauregard means higher ratings and increased soap sales. Burnbridge realizes he has created a monster.

Directed by Richard Whorf from a script by Hans Jacoby and Fred Brady, with music by Dimitri Tiomkin, this sophisticated, rapid-fire lark will remind some of vintage Preston Sturges (Sullivan's Travels). It benefits immeasurably from the casting of Colman and Price as antagonists. Colman does a shrewd parody of his erudite charmers, and Price proves that he had the makings of a top-flight comedian well before he turned to ham-and-stakes horror. The title refers to Beauregard's alcoholic parrot and its choice of beverage. --Glenn Lovell

Description

An unemployed genius becomes a contestant on television's biggest quiz show and proceeds to win the company from the show's sponsor in this riotous comedy favorite! Vincent Price gives a career best performance as the eccentric owner of the Milady Soap empire, along with pitch perfect turns by Academy Award winners Ronald Colman (Lost Horizon) and the effervescent Celeste Holm (All About Eve). A rollicking, romantic film guaranteed to tickle your funny bone!

Customer Reviews:

Champagne For Caesar.......2007-05-07

This is a classic comedy with Ronald Colman, Vincent Price, Celeste Holm and Art Linkletter. A genius tries to put a show out of business to help his own financial problems. Celeste Holm is hilarious as the woman who tries to distract Ronald Colman from winning.

Hilarious!.......2006-01-18

Champagne for Caesar is a film about a man (Ronald Colman) who finds television game shows incredibly stupid and a waste of time. He is disgusted to find that people enjoy seeing others answer mindless questions for small prizes, and even more so when the owner of the company that sponsors the program (Vincent Price) refuses to hire him because he has a sense of humor. To get his revenge, he goes on the show to answer intelligent questions about anything ever and becomes a sensation, winning more and more money each week to the detriment of the company. In an attempt to shake this parasite, the company utilizes every tactic it can think of with entertaining results.

If I were judging this film simply on Vincent Price's performance, I would have given this film 5 stars. He is absolutely hilarious as a man best described as a cross between the eccentric Willy Wonka and a hysterical child. He is the best part of the film and is sadly not in enough scenes.

The drawback to the film is that it stars to slow up when Celeste Holm's character comes into the story because a relationship must be formed between two characters. Although she adds more depth to the story, she also hinders the flow of it.

Overall, however, this film features accessible comedy and is a shining example of old Hollywood carrying over into modern film.

Amusing screwball comedy.......2005-10-04

Ronald Colman is perfectly cast as reserved, erudite and unemployed scholar Beauregard Bottomley the possessor of an encyclopedic array of knowledge. Colman is spurned for a chance of employment at the Milady Soap Co. by wacky and devious owner Burnbridge Waters played by Vincent Price due to a personality clash. Price who shows an undeniable penchant for comedy in his role, really raises Colman's ire. Colman decides to get even by becoming a contestant on a Milady sponsored quiz show.

Colman quickly proves that his knowledge is all encompasing in the double or nothing quiz show hosted by Happy Hogan played effortlessly by Art Linkletter. He decides to keep on going until he amasses 40 million dollars which will put Price out of business. Price tries by any means to derail Colman and finally hires Celeste Holm playing Flame O'Neil to distract Colman with her charms.

Alls well that ends well and everybody lives happily ever after. The interplay in dialogue between actors especially Colman, Price and Linkletter demonstrates excellent and witty screenplay writing and makes the film fast moving and enjoyable.

Incidently Caesar refers to Colman's loquacious pet parrot who has a partiality for alcohol especially champagne.

Zany cult film from 1950. .......2005-05-23

This film has Oscar winner Ronald Colman's last starring performance. (He only had small roles in two later films.) After its failure at the box office, Colman did a radio show ("The Halls of Ivy"), and in 1954 starred in a TV adaptation of that radio show for a year. Meanwhile, "Caesar" developed a cult following when it was shown on TV (appropriately, since it is all about the way TV saturates a nation's consciousness). Now that the film's available on DVD, perhaps it can find a new audience. Colman is matched by two strong character actors in this film: Vincent Price, even more flamboyant than he was in "His Kind of Woman" (1951), and Celeste Holm, another Oscar winner (for supporting actress in "Gentleman's Agreement"), who doesn't appear until halfway through but dominates the second half as a wide-eyed femme fatale. The surreal offices at the Milady soap company show superior art directors at work. The dialogue is crackling and quotable, but the plotting has problems (several times, we are told what's about to happen before it does). Moreover, the two love relationships aren't convincing (Colman's character looks happier living his sister, played by the lovely and charming Barbara Britton). The continuing gimmick with the drunken parrot (voiced by Mel Blanc) is hysterical. All in all, a film well worth seeing.

Dirty Waters.......2004-12-27

This film is a gem! A friend passed on the VHS to me knowing that I was looking for a copy, having opted against the DVD after reading the Amazon reviews. The entire cast is marvelous, in particular Art Linkletter as the perfect foil to Ronald Colman's acerbic smart-aleck. Everyone, however, pales a bit in comparison to Vincent Price who is almost unbelievably funny as the scheming CEO of a company that manufactures soap in addition to sponsoring a broadcast quiz show; his performance alone is reason enough to make this a keeper rather than a rental.
The sound on the VHS, BTW, isn't very good either at times, however, it's just in few spots; the picture is okay. If the DVD is no better than this, it might be worth picking up, but not at list.
Incidentally, Mr. Price possessed an unbelievable range--one has only to see him in the films in which he appeared prior to his becoming a horror icon (which isn't to be disparaged; those films are great fun) to know what I mean. In addition, he was an incredibly cultured man, kind and courteous, who was considered an authority on the finer things in life, such as art and food. I had the privilege of seeing him perform live many years ago when he was touring in a revival of a one-man show called Diversions and Delights in which he played a post-Reading Gaol Oscar Wilde. The show ran in a tiny theater on West 23rd Street here in Manhattan, our seats were practically onstage, and I can't honestly say that I've ever enjoyed an evening of theater more. Mr. Price was electrifying and to this day I can't watch his films without regretting that no one had the foresight to film a performance of Diversions and Delights. The world lost a great actor, a great connoisseur, and--most importantly--a great gentleman with his passing.

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