"I Hate Blondes" is the first film featuring click local comedian Enrico Montesano to be viewed by American audiences. Abetted by a talented supporting cast, Montesano gets to show his flair for physical comedy, generating enough laughs to satisfy Italo comedy enthusiasts. Thesp's range is not on view, as he sheds his virile image (e.g., "Il Landrone" (The Good Thief) to don glasses and portray an obviously Woody Allen-inspired neurotic.
Pic's title does not describe the action, but is actually the title of a novel in-progress by Emilio Serrantoni (Enrico Montesano), ghostwriter for successful author Donald Rose (Jean Rochefort). Life is mirroring art, as Emilio's convoluted crime plots in print inspire real life robberies by crooks Serge (Roberto Della Casa) and Angelica (Corinne Clery), ultimately involving the ghostwriter unwittingly in their heists. Comic threads are woven together at a posh party thrown by Rose for his publisher (Ivan Desny), with Emilio emerging with a writing contract under his own name while Rose has conveniently found a new ghostwriter.
Vet helmer Giorgio Capitani keeps his thesps moving, emphasizing well-timed sight gags over verbal humor. During the extended party sequence, Montesano delivers an hilarious routine as he ingeniously searches everyone's plate of food for the stolen jewels while they're trying to eat, and comic milks the gag for all it's worth. French thesps Jean Rochefort and Corinne Clery blend well with the comedian, latter exhibiting comic flair and lighter-tint hair style than in her previous leads in "Story of O" and "Moonraker". Clery, stunning blonde Marina Langner and Emilio's fiancee played by Paola Tedesco periodically shed their clothes to spice up the gags, but film's low humor is handled tastefully. Tech credits are fine for low-budgeted outing.
My review was written in July 1981 after a Times Square screening.
