IMDb RATING
5.5/10
4.7K
YOUR RATING
During her Italian vacation, a young and beautiful American tourist finds herself as a guest in a coastal villa inhabited by some odd people.During her Italian vacation, a young and beautiful American tourist finds herself as a guest in a coastal villa inhabited by some odd people.During her Italian vacation, a young and beautiful American tourist finds herself as a guest in a coastal villa inhabited by some odd people.
Henning Schlüter
- Catone
- (as Henning Schlueter)
Mogens von Gadow
- German #1
- (as Mogen von Gadow)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWhen producer Robert Evans was trying to coax Roman Polanski to direct Chinatown (1974), he found Polanski thoroughly absorbed with this film, to the extent that he had bought a 50% share in it. Evans eventually lured Polanski by saying that whatever "What" made in its opening week, he would pay him as his salary for directing "Chinatown". Polanski readily agreed to this, expecting "What" to do well as he considered it the best thing he had done up to that point. Unluckily for Polanski, "What" only grossed $64 on its first week.
- GoofsNancy's hands are well manicured throughout the movie, but quite ordinary during close-ups, when she's supposedly playing the piano.
- Crazy creditsThe opening titles are written in Nancy's diary.
- ConnectionsEdited into Marcello, una vita dolce (2006)
Featured review
What a surprise, and what fun! Although I remember seeing promotional shots of this movie back in the 70s, hearing no more about it, I eventually decided it must never have been made. But, here it is in all its craziness. The beginning is rather edgy as the delectable, Sydne Rome is almost gang raped before the action swings into slapstick and she escapes, albeit with ripped t-shirt. This is as fully dressed as she ever is in this ending up fully nude and leaving the madhouse as quickly as she entered it. An amazing cast clearly had great fun and Hugh Griffith is as animated as I've seen him as the lecherous old head of the household. Mastroianni is marvellous throughout (in and out of the tiger skin). But everybody enters into the spirit and if we never see Lollipop because she is always on her back being serviced by one of the ping pong players, we hear her shouting her encouraging, 'Give it!' in accompaniment to his, 'Take it!'. Polanski is suitably quirky in a particularly quirky role and if the whole thing appears like some LSD inspired wonderland, it has been lovingly made with some style and is a joy to watch.
- christopher-underwood
- Nov 11, 2008
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Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Diary of Forbidden Dreams
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $64
- Runtime1 hour 52 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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