Kirk Douglas Discovers a Lovely Way to Die

Italian actress Sylva Koscina.

Beautiful Italian actresses hit the peak of their popularity in Hollywood in the 1960s. Call it the "Sophia Loren effect," since it was spurred largely by her boxoffice hits in the 1950s opposite the likes of Cary Grant and William Holden. Thus, Hollywood studios welcomed Claudia Cardinale, Luciana Paluzzi, and--one of my favorites--Sylva Koscina.

In 1968, Universal tried to turn Ms. Koscina into a big star by pairing her with two popular leading men: Paul Newman in The Secret War of Harry Frigg and Kirk Douglas in A Lovely Way to Die. The latter is one of those movies I saw in the 1970s on television, but seemed to have disappeared. To my delight, it showed up in a 2016 boxed set called Kirk Douglas: The Centennial Collection.

Kirk Douglas looking concerned.

Kirk plays Jim Schuyler, a tough detective who quits the force after getting too aggressive with some bad guys. He has barely turned in his badge when he receives a call from attorney Tennessee Fredericks (Eli Wallach), who wants him to provide protection for his latest client. That client is Rena Westabrook (Sylva Koscina), who is accused with her lover of murdering her wealthy husband. Schuyler has no interest in the gig until he meets Mrs. Westabrook, whose stunning beauty sets his hormones racing.

Rena's innocence is based solely on one key witness, who has unfortunately gone missing. As Jim delves into the mystery surrounding the death of Rena's husband, he can't decide if she's a falsely accused victim or a cold, calculating killer. Either way, he can't overcome his attraction to her, especially since it appears to be reciprocated.

From its peppy title song warbled by Jackie Wilson, it's apparent that A Lovely Way to Die isn't intended as a serious film. Indeed, once the plot is unraveled, it turns out to be pretty simplistic. The film's appeal comes down to its stars and, in this case, they come through.

Kirk Douglas employs his boyish charm to great effect, especially in scenes like the one where he greets Rena's house staff cheerfully after exiting from an overnight stay in the lady's bedroom. He also gets the bulk of the script's one-liners. For example, when Rena asks Jim why he's trying to make love to her, he quips: "I think it had something to do with Mama delivering a boy child." (Later, Rena reverses this line, but it doesn't work as well.)

Eli Wallach as Tennessee.

Still, Eli Wallach practically steals the film--as he often did during his lengthy acting career. It's an impressive feat considering that his role is that of a stereotypical, homespun Southern lawyer. But hey, it worked for Andy Griffith for years on the Matlock TV series. One of my favorite lines in A Lovely Way to Die is when Jim reminds his friend Tennessee that, despite the carefully honed Southern drawl, the attorney hadn't been to Tennessee for decades.

As for Sylva Koscina, she doesn't fare as well as her American co-stars. Despite her jaw-dropping looks, she comes up surprisingly short in terms of allure. Part of the problem may be a lack of chemistry with Kirk Douglas, fueled by an age difference of seventeen years. I also think the costume designers could have created a better wardrobe for her. When Rena asks her maid to pick out "something sexy" to wear, the result is a dress that covers her completely.

Sylva Koscina returned to Italian cinema after A Lovely Way to Die and worked steadily through most of the 1970s. She appeared opposite another Hollywood icon when she co-starred with Rock Hudson in the 1970 Italian-made World War II actioner Hornets' Nest. She died in 1994 at age 61 from breast cancer. She is probably best-remembered by American audiences for her performances as Steve Reeves' love interest in the sword-and-sandal hits Hercules (1958) and its sequel Hercules Unchained (1959).

Joseph E. Levine's "Hercules" Muscled Its Way to Blockbuster Status

In 1959, producer and distributor Joseph E. Levine bought the U.S. rights to an Italian film called Le fatiche di Ercole (translated as The Labors of Hercules). The film's stars, former "Mr. Universe" Steve Reeves and former fashion model Sylva Koscina, were hardly household names in the U.S. However, Levine recognized box office potential where no one else did.

He retitled the film simply Hercules and concocted a massive marketing campaign, flooding theatres with prints of Hercules while advertising heavily in newspapers and television. The movie became a surprise smash and Levine fared even better with a sequel featuring the same stars called Hercules Unchained. Seen today, it's hard to comprehend Hercule's massive success and impact on the industry--it spawned dozens of imitations as well as a genre known as "sword and sandal epics."

A iconic image from the film's climax.

The plot weaves elements of the Labors of Hercules and the quest for the Golden Fleece, with most of the time spent on the latter. In the opening scene, Hercules (Reeves) rescues Princess Iole from an out-of-control chariot. It's practically love at first sight. Unfortunately, Iole's brother Iphitus is a worthless wimp and her father, King Pelias, has stolen the throne. Hercules tries to tutor Iphitus in the art of combat, but when the prince meets an untimely end, Hercules is partially blamed. When the King's heroic nephew, Jason appears, he is quickly dispatched to recover the long-ago stolen Golden Fleece. Hercules accompanies his new friend on the perilous voyage, hoping to return in triumph for Iole.

Steve Reeves and Sylva Koscina.

Hercules lacks the sense of adventure (and colorful creatures) of the later Jason and the Argonauts (1963). The narrative plods along all too often, especially during an extended visit with the Amazons. The film is also hampered with horrible dialogue dubbing (especially for Koscina) and a dreadful translation. When Iphitus is struggling at his archery lessons, he tells Hercules: "Prove to me you haven't got muscles in your head as well."

Still, the scenery is attractive, both the landscapes and the two stars. Enzo Masetti's music score hits all the right notes, except for a weird electronic theme employed whenever Herc is about to display his exceptional strength. Visually, Hercules is often stunning, which is no surprise given that its cinematographer was future director Mario Bava (Black Sunday).

"Hercules" at a Boston theatre in 1959.

In the end, though, the film's success can be attributed to Levine's marketing prowess and the attractiveness of its two stars. Joseph Levine got his start in the film industry as a theatre owner, which provided him with insight to both sides of the distribution business. After the success of the Hercules films, he imported art films, such as 8 1/2,  to the U.S. and executive-produced major motion pictures such as The Lion in Winter and The Graduate. He also founded Embassy Pictures which he eventually sold to Avco.

Steve Reeves was born in Montana and had earned several bodybuilding titles before trying his hand as an actor. He was offered many similar roles after Hercules, with his best film probably being Duel of the Titans, the tale of muscular brothers Romulus and Remus (former Tarzan Gordon Scott). According to some sources, Reeves turned down the roles of James Bond and The Man With No Name, although it's hard to imagine him in either part (though he did make a Spaghetti Western called A Long Ride from Hell). Reeves retired from acting in 1969 and spent the remainder of his life at his ranch in California. He died from lymphoma in 2000.

The fetching Sylva Koscina enjoyed a long film career after Hercules, often starring in international films. She took a shot at Hollywood stardom in the late 1960s, starring with Kirk Douglas in A Lovely Way to Die and opposite Paul Newman in The Secret War of Harry Frigg. Success in the U.S. eluded her, though she remained a major star overseas. She died from breast cancer in 1994 at age 61.