The Art Of Love (1965)

Set in Paris, a struggling painter (Dick Van Dyke) jumps into the Seine to save a girl (Elke Sommer). It is assumed he committed suicide and suddenly his paintings begin to sell like hotcakes. When he shows up alive, his best friend (James Garner) convinces him to play dead and paint more pictures to sell and pocket the money. Written by Carl Reiner and directed by Norman Jewison (FIDDLER ON THE ROOF). I'm very partial to these glossy 1960s comedies and Reiner wrote and Jewison directed one of the best, THE THRILL OF IT ALL (also starring Garner) two years earlier. But this one owes something to Blake Edwards and his PINK PANTHER films. The title credits are designed by DePatie-Freleng who did the PANTHER credits, Cy Coleman's score is faux Henry Mancini and a police detective (Pierre Olaf) says to Garner, "I think you've been watching too many Peter Sellers movies". The Paris of this film is pure Universal backlot but other than a Madame Defarge gag that is repeated more than necessary (I got it the first time and laughed, it's not funny the next three times) I had a pleasant time with the film and its glamorous silliness. Your tolerance may depend on your affection for these 60s comedies. With Angie Dickinson (looking ultra glam in her Ray Aghayan frocks), Ethel Merman, Roger C. Carmel, Naomi Stevens, Jay Novello and Miiko Taka.