The 10th Cannes film festival opened with a spectacular night, and Bernard Levin was there to capture the glamour and chaos. As he trod on a starlet's dress, he heard a French 'Zut' and reflected that this was, indeed, the first night of the festival.
A Star-Studded Opening
The film chosen for the opening performance was Mike Todd's Around the World in 80 Days. The world of cinema had turned up in force, pausing on the steps for photographers and spotting each other in the crowd. The game of 'trouve-vedette' was in full swing, with celebrities like Madame Suzy Volterra, Jules Dassin, Dorothy Dandridge, and guests of honour Mr Todd and Elizabeth Taylor. Jean Cocteau, with his iconic white hair, was also present, adding to the festival's allure.
Mike Todd's Extravagant Party
After the screening, Mr Todd hosted a party at the Casino, which he had hired for the night. The ambassador's room was transformed into a charming imitation of a circus big top, complete with balloons and a pride of lions prowling outside the windows. The lions caused a few guests to choke on their chicken as they caught the beasts' baleful eyes. Mr Todd joked, 'In Europe I am known as Mister Elizabeth Taylor,' but the guests, there at his invitation, continued eating and talking. The floor show began and showed no signs of stopping at three in the morning, so Levin decided to leave.
Brigitte Bardot Everywhere
The next day, Levin found Brigitte Bardot at the beach, the Carlton Bar, and the cinema, wearing the shortest shorts and the longest hair Cannes could boast.
The Film: A Gusty Sanity
As for the film, Levin noted that it had yet to be shown in Britain, but he described it as having everyone one has ever heard of, including A.E. Matthews, John Gielgud, Noël Coward, Frank Sinatra, Marlene Dietrich, John Mills, and Charles Boyer. It cost two million pounds and was, in his view, a very good film. He praised its 'enormous gusty sanity' and a wryly benevolent outlook on the world's follies, comparing it to Todd's next project, Don Quixote.
Levin concluded with a wry observation: there had been no international incidents and no disputes over the jury's awards. Since the festival was less than a day old and the jury had not yet made any awards, this was perhaps not surprising. He ended with a cheeky 'We shall see.'
