One of Stephen Sondheim's finest musicals, based on Ingmar Bergman's Smiles of a Summer Night, was a triumph in the theatre both on Broadway and in London. The original theatre director Hal Prince was hired to direct the movie, and a credible cast was hired and all looked well. Acting-wise Elizabeth Taylor is almost ideal as Desiree Armfeldt, a middle-ageing actress who rocks the marital boat of lawyer Frederick Egerman (Broadway star Len Cariou), but singing-wise poor Liz is an embarassment. Just listen to her ruin one of the greatest of all show tunes - Send in the Clowns! Nevertheless there is much to be grateful about in the movie, at least it is a musical in the Seventies when film producers had practically buried them. And the British actresses Diana Rigg and Lesley-Anne Down put on a good show. So, Mr Sondheim, send in the tunes.


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