The Statue (1971 film)

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The Statue is a 1971 British comedy film directed by Rod Amateau and starring David Niven, Virna Lisi, and Robert Vaughn. It features early appearances by John Cleese and Graham Chapman. The story is based on the stage play Chip, Chip, Chip by Alec Coppel.

Plot in simple terms: Professor Alex Bolt, a Nobel Prize–winning linguist who created a universal language called Unispeak, becomes famous. His wife Rhonda has a huge 18-foot nude statue of him made to promote Unispeak, and it is planned to be unveiled in London’s Grosvenor Square. Alex worries about the statue’s nudity and about how true to life its private parts are. He suspects Rhonda’s infidelity and a mysterious model nicknamed “Charlie.” US ambassador Ray Whitely, worried about a PR disaster, uses CIA help to spy on Alex. A long quest to find the model leads through many misadventures, including a trip to a Turkish bath and a string of interrogations. In the end, the trail points to Michelangelo’s David as the statue’s real source for its anatomy, and the story moves toward a dramatic unveiling. At the ceremony, Rhonda reveals the statue has been reworked—its private parts remain, but the head now resembles Ray.

Production and release notes: The film was the second project in producer Josef Shaftel’s planned six-film slate. Filming began in Rome on May 1, 1970, at Cinecittà Studios. The Statue runs 84 minutes and was distributed by Cinerama Releasing; it premiered in Ireland on October 1, 1971.

Reception and home media: Critics were generally unkind, with the Los Angeles Times calling it a silly farce and The New York Times joking that it was an adolescent film about penis envy. Roger Ebert did not like it and walked out during his viewing. David Niven’s performance was often praised as keeping the film afloat. The movie was released on DVD by Code Red Studios on May 18, 2010.