Taina Elg Movies
Finnish actress Taina Elg's earliest professional engagements were as a dancer with the Sadler's Wells and Marquis de Cuevas troupes. She was brought to Hollywood in the wake of the success of fellow Scandinavia Anita Ekberg. Elg's first film role was in MGM's The Prodigal (1955) and she went on to play worthwhile roles in such MGM efforts as Les Girls (1957), which gave her an opportunity to display her dancing skills, and Imitation General (1959). More recently, Taina Elg was seen as "Nemesis" in the 1970 muscleman spoof Hercules in New York, which starred the inimitable Arnold Strong (aka Schwarzenegger). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The second film to be made from Woody Allen's successful stage comedy (following a 1969 feature starring Jackie Gleason), Don't Drink the Water is a made-for-television adaptation directed by and starring Allen himself. The fish-out-of-water premise remains the same: Allen plays Walter Hollander, a caterer from New Jersey who takes his family on vacation to a fictional Eastern European country. The trip turns sour when, thanks to a series of misunderstandings involving some inopportune snapshots, they are accused of espionage. The family goes on the run, taking refuge in the American Embassy. There, with the help of a wily young diplomat, they try to figure out a way to return to America without sparking an international incident. Though this version is set 25 years later than the original film, the changes are mostly cosmetic: the visual style is hand-held and more frantic, and the script replaces numerous references to the Cold War with a few glancing nods to present-day politics. Another notable change, the addition of an opening montage parodying newsreels, was reportedly the result of network pressure after Allen's initial cut proved too short for the planned time slot. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
Liebestraum is a moody, stylish suspense thriller written and directed by British director Mike Figgis. Nick (Kevin Anderson) is an architectural writer who goes home to be with his dying mother, Mrs. Anderssen (Kim Novak) from whom he was separated as a baby. There he meets an old friend and has an affair with the friend's wife, who was herself adopted after her mother went insane. Through a series of coincidences and a good deal of investigation Nick learns some terrible truths concerning everyone. The film, while beautiful to look at, and with a wonderful score composed by Figgis, is more interested in style and emotion rather than cogent explanations for the actions of the characters, however, taken for what it is, a mood piece, Liebestraum succeeds beautifully. Figgis has beautiful technique and is greatly aided by Juan Ruiz-Anchia's stark and evocative images. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Anderson, Pam Gidley, (more)
- 1987
The first episode of Murder, She Wrote's fourth season is partially filmed on location in Paris. Mystery writer Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) has arrived in the City of Light to witness the first major presentation of an old friend, now a fashion designer. Our heroine's pleasure becomes business when a loan shark is murdered and Jessica's financially-strapped friend is accused of the crime. Despite all this intrigue, guest star Juliet Prowse finds time to sing a medley of such Gallic favorites as "La Vie en Rose." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
Lloyd Bridges stars as stubborn high-wire artist Karl Wallenda in the made-for-TV The Great Wallendas. The famed family aerialist troupe suffered a tragic setback when, during a performance in Detroit on January 30, 1962, an accident caused the death of Karl's son-in-law and nephew, and the crippling of his own son. With grim determination, Karl insists that the Wallendas recreate their fatal "pyramid" routine. Despite several near-disasters, the Wallendas make a triumphant comeback in Fort Worth, Texas on November 19, 1963, which is faithfully recreated in this film under the supervision of the real Karl Wallenda. Also starring in this 2-hour film are Britt Ekland, Taina Elg, and genuine gymnast Cathy Rigby. The Great Wallendas premiered (in the timeslot usually reserved for The Wonderful World of Disney) on February 21, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Every movie star has to start somewhere, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, then little-known outside of body building circles, made his screen debut in this comic variation on the "sword and sandal" epics popular in the 1950's and '60's. Hercules (Schwarzenegger) has grown tired of his life on Mount Olympus, and wishes to visit Earth. His father Zeus (Ernest Graves) forbids such a voyage, but a misdirected thunderbolt sends Hercules tumbling down the mountain and into New York City, where he's befriended by Pretzie (Arnold Stang), who runs a pretzel cart in the park. As Hercules tries to make his way in the big city with Pretzie's help, he runs afoul of a crooked wresling promoter, gets mixed up with gangsters, rides his chariot through Times Square, descends into Hell, and dines at the Automat (which some contend is not unlike descending into Hell). Just as Hercules is getting used to life on Earth, his angry father decides it's time the boy came home, and Zeus sends Nemesis (Taina Elg) and a handful of other gods to retrieve him. For the original American release of Hercules In New York, Arnold Schwarzenegger was billed as Arnold Strong, and his voice was dubbed by another actor to remove his accent; when the film was re-released on video in 2000, Schwarzenegger's original vocal tracks were restored, though the dubbed version appears on several previous video releases. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Arnold Schwarzenegger, Arnold Stang, (more)
- 1963
Taina Elg plays a ballerina named Dirce who, butterly fashion, flits from lover to lover. Her latest is a hedonist young man named Dionysius (Pierre Bice). Frivolity veers dangerously towards tragedy, as a "Greek Chorus" of older observers-foremost among these is Akim Tamiroff-look on in bemusement and bewilderment. The basic story of The Bacchantes might seem familiar to first-year students in Greek drama. And well it should: the film is essentially an update of Euripides' The Bacchae. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pierre Brice, Alessandra Panaro, (more)
- 1959
This remake of the Alfred Hitchcock thriller does not have his flair for suspense, but director Ralph Thomas keeps the action moving, offers some comic highlights, and the story itself carries the 90-minute running time. Richard Hannay (Kenneth More) is at a vaudeville show when a shot rings out and some commotion forces him to protect a young woman by bringing her home. His protection fails after she is stabbed by an assailant who escapes. She dies -- but not before she tells Richard there is a secret organization run by a man in Scotland, trying to smuggle some important plans out of the country. He must stop them, and as soon as she mentions 39 steps, she expires. Richard has only two days to find the head of the organization, get the plans, and foil this espionage attempt. Along the way to Scotland he is literally hooked up with an attractive schoolmarm after they are handcuffed together, and his misadventures continue with her in tow. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kenneth More, Taina Elg, (more)
- 1959
This flawed sequel uses footage that was cut from its precursor, King Solomon's Mines, along with repeats of a few scenes from that film, to construct a story about a return to Africa to look for the fabled mines. Harry Quartermain (George Montgomery) is the son of the man who first set out on the quest for the source of Solomon's wealth, and he is determined to succeed where his father failed. He goes to Africa with his good friend Rick Cobb (David Farrar) and as they continue on their journey, Erica Neuler (Taina Elg) joins them. She is the daughter of a missionary who has been killed by a local tribe. As the trio fight off deadly snakes, crocodiles, and similar denizens of the jungle, Harry cannot hide his antagonism toward Erica. She is German, and Harry's mother was killed at sea by Germans in World War I. Only the determination to find the mines and a certain ambivalence in Harry's feelings toward Erica, and vice-versa, keep the trio united in their goal. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Montgomery, Taina Elg, (more)
- 1958
- NR
Based on a novel by William Chamberlain, Imitation General has a bit more story depth and character development than the average WWII service comedy. Glenn Ford stars as M/Sgt. Murphy Savage, who is forced to take drastic action when Brigadier General Charles Lane (Kent Smith) is killed in action. To assure the success of the General's mission, and to sustain morale within the ranks, Sgt. Savage poses as the deceased Lane. Standing on the sidelines to kvetch and moan is Red Buttons as Cpl. Chan Derby, who's certain that both he and Savage will be shot at sunrise for the sergeant's deception. Finnish actress Taina Elg is somewhat incongruously cast as a French farm girl. Given the fact that the story of Imitation General is motivated by the "passing of a torch", it's ironic that the film's first network showing in November of 1963 was postponed by the JFK assassination. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glenn Ford, Red Buttons, (more)
Les Girls is the Rashomon of MGM musicals. The film is told in flashback, as Mitzi Gaynor and Taina Elg, two-thirds of a popular cabaret trio, attempt to legally block the third, Kay Kendall, from writing her memoirs. Each of "Les Girls" has her own interpretation of the group's previous professional and amorous escapades. To make sense of these wildly diverse recollections, the court must rely upon a fourth party to straighten things out. Enter Gene Kelly, the dancing star who organized "Les Girls" in the first place. But can Kelly be believed? The "truth" of the many reminiscences in Les Girls is secondary to the dazzling beauty of its female stars, and to the delightful musical numbers, the best of which is an extended Marlon Brando parody titled "Why Am I So Gone About That Gal?" This was Gene Kelly's last musical effort for MGM, the studio he joined way back in 1943; the film was the inspiration for the short-lived 1963 TV series Harry's Girls, which starred Larry Blyden, Susan Silo, Dawn Nickerson and Diahn Williams. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Kelly, Mitzi Gaynor, (more)
- 1956
The third film version of Robert E. Sherwood's play Waterloo Bridge, Gaby is also the most antiseptic of the three. In the original 1931 film, Mae Clarke is cast as a British streetwalker who falls despearately and tragically in love with aristocratic military officer Douglass Montgomery. In the cleaned-up 1940 version, Vivien Leigh plays a ballerina who becomes a prostitute only after being informed that her lover, British "landed gentry" officer Robert Taylor, was killed in battle. In the 1956 edition, Leslie Caron is once again a ballerina at the outset, who once again turns to the World's Oldest Profession when she believes that her sweetheart, American GI John Kerr, has been killed during the D-Day invasion. The source material has been dry-cleaned to the extent that the heroine is permitted a happy ending, something she was flatly denied in the first two versions. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leslie Caron, John Kerr, (more)
- 1955
Lana Turner stars as Diane in this opulent costume drama. Set in 16th century France, the film finds the gorgeous Diane de Pottiers rising to a position of absolute power through her manipulation of the men in her life. Those men include King Francis I (Pedro Armendariz), Prince Henri (Roger Moore) and Diane's husband, the Count de Breze (Torin Thatcher). Diane's principal foe is the scheming Catherine de Medici (Marisa Pavan), who for the first time in her life has met her match in Our Heroine. Christopher Isherwood's screenplay is literate to a fault, though the film could have used a few more action highlights. The tepid box-office receipts of Diane hastened the end of Lana Turner's long association with MGM. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lana Turner, Pedro Armendáriz, (more)
One critic has noted that The Prodigal was aptly titled, inasmuch as it was all too prodigal with the funds of the then-flagging MGM studios. In its retelling of the 22-verse Biblical story of the Prodigal Son, the film helpfully fills in the story details inconsiderately left out of the Old Testament. Edmond Purdon plays Micah, the wastrel son of Eli (Walter Hampden) who takes his share of his father's fortune and blows it all in wicked old Damascus. Micah's one redeeming feature is his unserving faithful in the Lord God Jehovah. Pagan princess Samarra (Lana Turner at her most giddily exotic) intends to seduce Micah into renouncing his faith, only to get stoned to death for her troubles. Nearly two hours pass before Micah returns home and the fatted calf is killed in his honor. If for nothing else, The Prodigal would be memorable for Lana Turner's pagan-ritual costume, which is little more than a glorified bikini. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lana Turner, Edmund Purdom, (more)
