A Flea In Her Ear (1968)

When a wife (Rosemary Harris) suspects her husband (Rex Harrison) of having an extramarital affair, she sets a trap for him. But her trap doesn't go as expected and complications arise when her husband's best friend (Louis Jourdan) shows up instead of her spouse. Based on the classic French farce by Georges Feydeau and directed by actor turned director Jacques Charon. Charon had directed a very successful version of the Feydeau farce in 1966 at the National Theatre in London with Albert Finney in the lead. So it seemed a natural for him to direct a film version and this is his first and only movie. I love farce and Feydeau is a master at it and A FLEA IN HER EAR with its slamming doors, rotating beds and mistaken identities (when done right) is farce at its best. Alas, something is missing from this film version. Some of it has to do with the pacing and when pacing is off in a farce, it's deadly. Some of the casting is off, too. Louis Jourdan, for example, may be French but he doesn't have the soul of a farceur and while Harrison isn't bad in a dual role, I kept on thinking how Peter Sellers would have nailed it expertly. Still, it was a joy to see the wonderful Rosemary Harris in a leading role in a film and she's very good. With Rachel Roberts, John Williams, Gregoire Aslan, Edward Hardwicke and Isla Blair.