Daisy Miller

Paramount. Director Peter Bogdanovich; Producer Peter Bogdanovich; Screenplay Frederic Raphael; Camera Alberto Spagnoli; Editor Verna Fields; Art Director Ferdinando Scarfiotti

Cybill Shepherd
Barry Brown
Cloris Leachman
Mildred Natwick
Eileen Brennan
Duilio Del Prete

Daisy Miller is a dud. Cybill Shepherd is miscast in the title role. Frederic Raphael's adaptation of the Henry James story doesn't play. The period production by Peter Bogdanovich is handsome. But his direction and concept seem uncertain and fumbled. Supporting performances by Mildred Natwick, Eileen Brennan and Cloris Leachman are, respectively, excellent, outstanding, and good.

The story has Shepherd flirting all over Europe, shocking the mannered society there as well as Barry Brown, very good as a cap- tivated young man with a fondness for her. But his aunt (Natwick) quietly disapproves, her mother (Leachman) nervously tolerates it, while a Rome socialite (Brennan) is vocally offended. All form (much of it bad), no substance.

1974: Nomination: Best Costume Design

(Color) Available on VHS. Extract of a review from 1974. Running time: 90 MIN.

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