It is difficult to find a point of interest in this film except if you are a male looking for a scantily clad Bardot or interested in watching the miserable way of life in south Spain during Franco's period. Spanish most poor gypsies lived in sacromonte, near Granada, in caves dug in the rock because they couldn't even afford to live in a shanty. Rural southern Spain was a combination of misery and illiteracy where only the local cacique had things like running water or electricity. In this context is set this movie, where a girl just released from a convent and without a bit of shyness arrives to join their uncles. Miss Bardot's brat dumb character is so infamously used to exploit her anathomy at the slightest opportunity that it cringes to say the least. Although mr. Boyd's character is not far behind in terms of silliness. What else to say except that best acting - if that means a thing in a film like this- comes from totally wasted Alida Valli, Stephen Boyd (Messala, where are you?) and - in a brief appearance- Fernando Rey (miles away from French Connection) who do the best they can with the poor material they are given. All in all, a movie made to the greater glory of miss Bardot that does not deserve a watching.
Review of The Night Heaven Fell
