Jailed in an Italian prison, the Fox--one of the last of the world's master criminals--escapes from his cell upon hearing of his sister's escapades; he gets the bright idea of going after a stolen fortune in gold bars recently smuggled out of Cairo, plotting to intercept the shipment at sea while pretending to be a film director making a neo-realist love story in an Italian village. Screenwriter Neil Simon and director Vittorio De Sica poking fun at European movie-making, with Peter Sellers in the disguise-laden lead. Overlong comedy should work, and intermittently it does, however De Sica's pacing is leaden and Simon tries working too much into the scenario (which culminates with a slapstick car chase followed by a pseudo-serious courtroom finale). Sprinkled with funny asides, the picture is utterly inoffensive and innocuous...and it should have been much better. Burt Bacharach composed the forgettable score (his and Hal David's title song performed by The Hollies with Peter Sellers is easily their weakest). ** from ****