----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Dear James,
>
>Taking selfish advantage of your offer!  I have to do programe notes on Un
>Taxi Mauve (The Purple Taxi) directed by Yves Boisset, released in 1977 for
>a film series.  I have been unable to come up with any reviews of this
>film. Help would be appreciated.
>
>Regards
>Jeannette
>
 
Here you go, Jeannette:
 
 
General Information
 
             Title: PURPLE TAXI, THE
              ORIG: UN TAXI MAUVE
      Release Date: 1977
             Genre: Drama
       Star Rating: 1
       MPAA Rating: R
      Running Time: 107
      Color or B&W: Color
       Released by: Quartet
Production Company: Sofracima, Rizzoli, TF-1, Nation Film Studios of
                    Ireland, Sphinx
 Country of Origin: France, Italy, Ireland
         PR Rating: O
 
Cast:
 
Rampling, Charlotte - Sharon
Noiret, Philippe - Philippe
Belli, Agostina - Anne Taubelman
Ustinov, Peter - Taubelman
Astaire, Fred - Dr. Scully
Albert, Edward - Jerry
O'Sullivan, Mairin - Colleen
Watson, Jack - Sean
 
Synopsis:
 
Would you believe an Irish soap opera starring French, American, and
British actors made in English by a French director? No? You're right. There's
little to believe in this well-shot picture that goes far beyond drama into
postured playing by almost everyone concerned. When Ireland announced that
artists would pay no income taxes, it attracted a great many famous authors and
others like Fred Forsythe, John Huston, and even Leslie Bricusse. With that in
mind, consider the episodic plot of this film. Noiret is a French author living
in Ireland who makes friends with American Albert. Albert has come to Ireland
after an incident in his life that killed his girl friend in a fire when both
were smoking hash. Astaire is an American physician who has come to Ireland to
spend his last years (he should have known better after his Irish flop in
FINIAN'S RAINBOW). Ustinov is a hammy rakehell who is in Ireland with his
apparently mute daughter, Belli, who may actually be his niece and might just
be in love with Ustinov. Albert's attentions cause her to be able to speak
again, while Noiret takes up with Albert's haughty sister, Rampling, but that
turns out to be abortive. In the end Relli and Albert stay in Ireland to raise
horses, and everyone goes off in opposite directions--something this picture
also does. The novel inspiring this film was a hit in Europe, and the horde of
producers attached to the project must have thought it could be transformed en
toto to the screen. Once they put the literary characters into flesh and blood,
however, it didn't work. The list of production companies involved indicates
that this must have been one of those coproduction deals where each firm
contributing gets exclusive release in their country, hence the various
nationalities involved. The language and the sexuality make this a dubious
picture for anyone under 18. The entire movie is dubious entertainment for
anyone under 98.
 
Credits:
 
           Producer: Rawley, Peter
                     Lodrini, Hugo
           Director: Boisset, Yves
             Writer: Deon, Michel
                     Boisset, Yves based on the book by
                     Deon
    Cinematographer: Delli Colli, Tonino
             Editor: Jurgensen, Albert
     Music Composer: Sarde, Philippe
 
************
 
Not bad, eh? Let me know if you want the name of the company that
sells this thing...
 
James