Hubbry Logo
The Thirteen ChairsThe Thirteen ChairsMain
Open search
The Thirteen Chairs
Community hub
The Thirteen Chairs
logo
7 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
The Thirteen Chairs
The Thirteen Chairs
The Thirteen Chairs
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia
The Thirteen Chairs
French theatrical release poster
Directed by
Screenplay by
Based onDvenadtsat stulyev (The Twelve Chairs)
by Ilya Ilf and Yevgeni Petrov
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyGiuseppe Ruzzolini
Edited byGiancarlo Cappelli
Music by
Production
companies
  • CEF
  • COFCI
Distributed byNPF Planfilm
Release dates
  • 7 October 1969 (1969-10-07) (Italy)
  • 8 July 1970 (1970-07-08) (France)
Running time
94 minutes
Countries
  • Italy
  • France
LanguagesEnglish, italian

The Thirteen Chairs (French: 12 + 1; Italian: Una su 13) is a 1969 comedy film directed by Nicolas Gessner and Luciano Lucignani and starring Sharon Tate, Vittorio Gassman and Orson Welles, and featuring Vittorio De Sica, Terry-Thomas, Mylène Demongeot, Grégoire Aslan, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Lionel Jeffries.

The film is based on the 1928 satirical novel The Twelve Chairs by Soviet authors Ilf and Petrov, which has been adapted many times (including a 1970 version directed by Mel Brooks). The plot follows increasingly desperate attempts to obtain valuable gems which were hidden in a set of chairs.

It was Tate's last film before she and four others were murdered at her home by followers of Charles Manson. The film was released posthumously.

Plot

[edit]

Mario Beretti is a young Italian-American barber who runs a barber shop in New York City located near a construction site that boasts few customers. His life reaches a turning point when he is notified of the death of his aunt in Lavenham, England, who named him her sole heir.

Mario rushes to England and learns that his inheritance consists of not much; only thirteen antique chairs that have a certain value. He sells them to cover his transportation costs, but soon learns from his Aunt Laura's last message that inside one of the chairs is a fortune in jewels. He tries to buy back the chairs, but is unsuccessful. With the help of lovely American antiques dealer Pat, who works in the antiques shop in front of Aunt Laura's house, where he sold the chairs, he launches a bizarre quest to track down the chairs that takes the duo from London to Paris, then to Rome. Along the way they meet a bunch of equally bizarre characters, including Albert, the driver of a furniture-moving van; a prostitute named Judy; Maurice, the leader of a traveling theater company that stages a poor version of Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde; and Italian entrepreneur Carlo Di Seta and his vivacious daughter Stefanella.

The bizarre chase ends in Rome, where the chair containing the jewels finds its way into a truck and is collected by nuns who auction it off for charity. With nothing left to do as a result of the failure of his quest, Mario travels back to New York City by ship. Pat sees him off and waves goodbye to him.

The film ends with Mario returning to New York City and his barber shop. His friends at the other (and more lavish) shop join him, as do two construction workers and his last customer, Randomhouse. It is there that Mario makes a strange discovery: shortly before his departure for Europe, he invented a way to make hair regrow miraculously. He laughs ecstatically, even maniacally, over his discovery.

Cast

[edit]

Production and release

[edit]

The Thirteen Chairs was filmed from February to May 1969. Orson Welles and Tim Brooke-Taylor had their scenes filmed during a break from shooting Welles' comedic film One Man Band. Brooke-Taylor recalled:

I went to film in Cinecitta and was in the producer's office. Ed Pope was on the phone trying to persuade Orson to do the film. He was running through a list of the cast, big names but Orson was not liking them. Eventually Mr Pope got to my name. Pope had no clue who I was and asked where I might be. I nervously put my hand up and was given the phone with the whisper "Get him to do it." A limo was ordered for me to meet Orson in a café in the Via Veneto. Orson's first words were "This is a load of crap." He was partly right but I kept pointing out the good bits as I desperately wanted him to do it. We agreed to completely re-write his scenes.

"He originally was going to be a magician, but we re-wrote the scene with him as a ham actor doing Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. We shot most of it in a cinema in Rome and some in the Players' Theatre in London. They were evening shoots in Rome. Orson would occasionally get annoyed with the director and ask me to take over. He'd usually had a drink or two and I found myself shouting "Get over there you big fat pouf.". He'd stop, glare and then smile and return to doing what I'd asked. He knew he and I were on the same side. It's not a great film, but I thought he was wonderful and terrific to work with."

"When I got back to London we still had some filming to work on his TV project. When I disagreed over something he said, "Just because you've been in a B movie doesn't mean you know everything now." He grinned and said "Sorry, I meant an A movie" remembering he was in it as well. I didn't see him again after that. But I always had the best memories of working with a truly great man.[1]

Because the script for several semi-nude scenes from Sharon Tate, the director arranged to film those scenes first during the early months of her pregnancy. As filming, and her pregnancy, progressed, the director obscured Tate's stomach with items such as large purses and scarves. This is most apparent in the scene following her ride in the furniture mover's van. Tate's biographer Greg King notes Tate was paid a substantial salary over $100,000, but her performance was in some scenes stiff or stilted, which he attributed to morning sickness and other mild problems related to pregnancy.[2]

The Thirteen Chairs was Tate's final film prior to her August 9, 1969 murder at the hands of Charles Manson's followers; many people said that she had a knack for comedy and they were excited for her next film contract (equal to over $1,000,000 in today's money).

Home media

[edit]

The film was released through rental only by Force Video in 1986 under the Thirteen Chairs title, and again a year later by Continental Video, under the original 12 + 1 title. On 12 March 2008, the film was released on DVD in Italy by 01 Distribution. This version is in Italian, lacks English subtitles, and does not include an English audio track.

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

The Thirteen Chairs

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The Thirteen Chairs (also known as 12 + 1 and Twelve Plus One) is a that follows a young who inherits thirteen chairs from a deceased relative, sells them off hastily, and then discovers a fortune in diamonds concealed in one of them, igniting a frenzied chase across to track it down. Directed by Nicolas Gessner and Luciano Lucignani, the film features in the lead role as the opportunistic heir Mario, supported by an eclectic international ensemble including as the glamorous Pat, as a flamboyant auctioneer, as a bumbling Englishman, and . Filmed primarily in and released theatrically in 1969, The Thirteen Chairs marks the final completed role for actress , who was murdered in August 1969 just months after wrapped. Loosely adapted from the 1928 satirical novel by Soviet authors Ilya Ilf and Yevgeny Petrov—which centers on a similar quest for hidden treasure—the film's title nods to the extra chair in its plot while amplifying the with multinational characters and elements. As an Italian-French co-production involving companies like Compagnia Generale Finanziaria Cinematografica and Comptoir Français du Film Production, it blends influences from European cinema traditions, earning a reputation for its quirky humor and star power despite mixed upon release.

Synopsis and Cast

Plot

Mario Beretti, a struggling Italian barber living in New York, learns of the death of his wealthy English aunt and travels to her rundown estate in Britain, where he inherits 13 antique chairs along with a letter revealing that one contains hidden jewels worth millions of dollars. Desperate for cash, Mario prematurely sells the chairs to an antique dealer to cover his return fare, only to realize too late the fortune he has let slip away. Determined to recover the chairs, now scattered among eccentric buyers across , Mario embarks on a frantic chase from to and , teaming up with Pat, a sassy American antiques dealer who becomes his romantic interest and resourceful accomplice. Along the way, they encounter a series of farcical obstacles and mistaken identities, including dealings with a theater proprietor (), a bordello, and other quirky figures vying for the treasure. The film's expands the source material's premise from 12 chairs to 13, amplifying the comedic frenzy of the pursuit. The multinational cast dynamics intensify the chaotic humor as multiple parties converge in the climax at a auction run by nuns, where the jeweled chair is dramatically revealed. Ultimately, fails to claim the jewels and returns to New York empty-handed, but the ordeal inspires him to invent a revolutionary hair regrowth formula, leveraging his barber expertise to achieve newfound wealth and success.

Cast

The international ensemble of The Thirteen Chairs draws from Italian, American, French, and British talent, reflecting the film's co-production between and and its comedic chase across . The principal roles are portrayed by prominent actors of the era, with supporting characters adding layers of eccentricity through various buyers and accomplices in the protagonists' quest for hidden jewels concealed in one of the antique chairs. stars as Mario Beretti, the opportunistic barber protagonist who inherits the thirteen chairs and embarks on a frantic search for the one containing the fortune, driving the film's jewel-chasing comedy. plays Pat, the clever accomplice and love interest who works as an antiques dealer and assists Beretti in tracking down the sold chairs across , , and . portrays Maurice Markau, the flamboyant director of a theater troupe who becomes entangled in the scheme. In supporting roles, appears as the Commendatore Carlo Di Seta, an Italian entrepreneur who enters the pursuit alongside his daughter. plays Albert, a bumbling English buyer and removal man who transports some of the chairs and unwittingly aids the protagonists during a comedic sequence. is cast as Judy, a glamorous rival who encounters the group and complicates the hunt with her own interests in the antiques. Additional comedic supporting roles as various chair purchasers include as a psychiatrist buyer, as an eccentric collector, and as another quirky acquirer, each contributing to the film's string of mishaps. Due to the multinational cast, the production required multilingual dubbing for certain releases to accommodate different language markets, ensuring accessibility across Europe and beyond.

Production

Development

The Thirteen Chairs is a loose adaptation of the 1928 Soviet satirical novel The Twelve Chairs by Ilya Ilf and Yevgeni Petrov, which follows the adventures of characters seeking a fortune in diamonds hidden within one of twelve antique chairs amid the chaos of post-revolutionary Russia. The film's screenplay relocates the story to contemporary Europe, transforming the treasure into jewels and introducing a thirteenth chair to amplify the comedic chaos, while weaving in romantic subplots absent from the original narrative. These changes emphasize ensemble farce and multinational humor, blending the novel's picaresque structure with Western comedic elements like slapstick and character-driven misunderstandings. The screenplay was written by Marc Behm, , and Nicolas Gessner, with additional contributions from Luciano Lucignani and Lucia Drudi Demby, focusing on dialogue that accommodates an international cast and promotes cross-cultural comedy. The project originated as an Italian-French co-production to leverage European talent and markets, with the initial concept emphasizing a star-studded ensemble to elevate the adaptation's appeal. Pre-production was funded by the Italian company CEF (Compagnia Europea Cinematografica) and the French-Italian COFCI (Compagnie Franco-Italienne de Cinéma), which enabled the international scope and budgeting for high-profile involvement. Early casting efforts targeted prestigious actors such as to add and draw audiences, aligning with the film's aim to localize the Soviet for a global, post-war comedic sensibility.

Filming

Principal photography for The Thirteen Chairs commenced in February 1969 in , , and continued through May across , including locations in . Exteriors were captured on location in , such as , , , Cornwall Gardens in , and the Stafford Hotel, while many interior sequences depicting antique shops, trains, and auctions were staged in Roman studios to amplify the film's comedic choreography. The film was co-directed by Nicolas Gessner, who oversaw the majority of the shoot, and Luciano Lucignani, with cinematography handled by Giuseppe Ruzzolini. Ruzzolini's lensing contributed to the picture's lively, disorderly aesthetic, complementing the ensemble farce through dynamic framing and color. Efficient production scheduling resulted in a final runtime of 94 minutes. Production faced logistical hurdles, notably adapting to Sharon Tate's advancing pregnancy; she arrived in three months pregnant, prompting director Gessner to prioritize her semi-nude scenes early on and later conceal her stomach using props like oversized purses and scarves, particularly evident after her van ride sequence. The shoot incorporated multilingual elements, capturing English and Italian versions concurrently to facilitate distribution in multiple markets. anchored the ensemble during the intensive phases. In , editor Giancarlo Cappelli streamlined the footage to preserve the farce's brisk tempo, ensuring seamless transitions amid the chaotic narrative.

Release and Distribution

Theatrical Release

The Thirteen Chairs premiered in on October 7, 1969, under the title Una su 13. The film was subsequently released in on July 8, 1970, and received a limited theatrical rollout in the United States on May 1, 1970, retitled 12 + 1. As an Italo-French co-production, it was distributed across European markets to capitalize on the international cast. Marketing positioned the film as a comedic star vehicle for Sharon Tate, Vittorio Gassman, and Orson Welles, emphasizing its treasure hunt premise inspired by Ilf and Petrov's novel The Twelve Chairs. However, production wrapped shortly before Tate's murder on August 9, 1969, making the release posthumous and prompting sensitive handling in promotion; Tate was given top billing for the first time, shifting focus to her performance amid the tragedy. By the U.S. premiere, the notoriety of her killers, including Charles Manson, had overshadowed her rising stardom, contributing to subdued publicity. The film's box office performance was modest in , drawing audiences through its ensemble appeal but eclipsed by the surrounding events, while it lacked a major U.S. theatrical run. Available in English as the original language, it featured Italian and French dubbed versions, along with subtitles, to align with its multinational production.

Home Media

Following its 1969–1970 theatrical run, The Thirteen Chairs experienced limited distribution on home media, primarily through rental-focused tapes in . In 1986, Force Video issued a rental-only edition under the title The Thirteen Chairs, which remains extremely difficult to locate today. A year later, in 1987, Continental Video released another rental version titled 12 + 1, also confined to limited European markets with no widespread retail availability. The film's first digital release came with a DVD edition from 01 Distribution in on March 12, 2008, featuring Italian audio only and lacking English subtitles, tracks, or special features. This version has not been reissued internationally, and no official English-language DVD has emerged, restricting access for non-Italian speakers. As of 2025, no official Blu-ray edition exists, with major databases confirming the absence of high-definition releases. Digital streaming options are similarly unavailable on mainstream platforms, though rentals and purchases appear on select services like Amazon Video, often derived from low-quality sources. Rare bootlegs and fan reconstructions circulate online, typically in suboptimal video quality due to the film's scarcity. Preservation efforts face significant hurdles from its multilingual production—shot as an Italian-French co-production with dubbed versions in multiple languages—and the absence of remastering, resulting in incomplete archival copies and degraded viewing experiences for surviving prints.

Reception and Legacy

Critical Reception

Upon its release in late 1969 and early 1970, The Thirteen Chairs received limited contemporary critical attention, with modern user reviews reflecting mixed opinions. On platforms like , it is praised for its energetic multinational cast, including , , and , and visual humor, but criticized for uneven pacing, disjointed narrative, and loose plotting that fails to capture the satirical bite of the original 1928 novel by . User assessments highlight Gassman's charismatic lead performance as a strength, alongside the film's whimsical tone and gags. Coverage was sparse, often viewing it as a lightweight . Critics offered varied assessments of the performances. ' brief cameo as the eccentric lawyer was lauded for its quirky intensity, adding a memorable flair to the proceedings despite its brevity. 's portrayal of the bubbly antiques saleswoman Pat was seen as engaging and vivacious, blending with charm in scenes alongside and , though her character was critiqued as underdeveloped and primarily serving as eye candy. The ensemble's chemistry emerged as a key strength, with the multinational cast's interplay providing comedic sparks, even as issues in international versions marred some dialogue delivery. In retrospective analyses, the film has achieved modest cult status among fans of 1960s European comedies for its dated charm and star power, particularly as Tate's final role, which lends a poignant layer to her lively performance. On , it holds an average rating of 5.8 out of 10 based on 749 user votes as of 2025, reflecting ongoing appreciation for its lighthearted antics tempered by critiques of its fidelity to the source material's sharper . Modern viewers often highlight the chair-chase sequences as fun but chaotic, underscoring the film's position as an uneven yet endearing period piece.

Cultural Impact

The Thirteen Chairs exemplifies the international co-productions of late European cinema, blending Italian, French, and British comedic elements in a centered on a treasure hunt, reflecting the era's "Euro-comedy" trends that mixed with adventure. As a loose adaptation of the 1928 Soviet novel by Ilya Ilf and Yevgeny Petrov—a satirical work critiquing post-revolutionary society—the film transforms the source material's Eastern European into a Western-style ensemble chase, echoing the chaotic treasure quests in films like It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (). This adaptation is one of over 35 screen versions of Ilf and Petrov's works worldwide, highlighting the novel's global influence despite its origins in censored Soviet literature. The film's legacy is inextricably linked to Sharon Tate, who completed her role in early 1969 just months before her murder by the Manson Family, making it her final on-screen appearance and adding a profound tragic dimension to its reception. Tate's performance as the ambitious Pat has been highlighted in retrospectives on her career, underscoring her comedic potential and the abrupt end to her rising stardom amid the cultural upheaval of the era. It has appeared in documentaries and studies exploring her life, the Manson murders' aftermath, and 1960s Hollywood's darker undercurrents. Orson Welles' cameo as a Jekyll-and-Hyde figure represents a minor but quirky entry in his European phase, where he frequently took eclectic supporting roles amid financial and creative challenges, contributing to the film's international allure. Similarly, Vittorio Gassman's lead role bolstered his status as a transatlantic star, bridging with Hollywood-style comedies and exemplifying the era's cross-cultural casting. In modern times, The Thirteen Chairs maintains a niche through rare screenings and its 2008 DVD release in , though it garnered no major awards upon its 1969 debut. It is referenced in scholarly overviews of adaptations for its Western reinterpretation of Soviet satire, preserving the novel's themes of greed and in a 1960s context.
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.