Sir Charles Lytton is supposed to be the ultimate ladykiller in this movie. He is every woman's dream. As long as he favors a woman, shes doesn't mind sharing him with others. But I have to say that the aging, balding David Niven hardly looked the part to me. Have I missed something here?
shareI think you have to take the situation in the context of the decade it was made - and the "high society" crowd that was the main group of this movie. Also, there are many movies made with actors a little beyond their prime as leading men playing ladykillers. For example, check out "Love in the Afternoon" with a tired looking Gary Cooper playing a similar role (opposite a young Audrey Hepburn as his love interest). I think charm, style and sophistication were more important back when this movie was made than looks and muscles/machismo. The accent was a plus for him too.
sharesawsan59 - you're clearly showing your youth. Back in the day, one didn't need to be a Brad Pitt or a George Clooney to be deemed charming or sexy.
shareI personally think that David Niven was very charming - sexy, maybe not - but I bet many ladies of the 50s and 60s would disagree. Plus David Niven had the reputation of a womanizer. He is even rumoured to have slept with Marilyn Monroe and only noticing who she was when he woke up (sobered up) next to her in the morning.
shareOf course he was!
I mean, I'm too young for saying this, but David Niven was the dream of all the womans; he was handsome, talented, a gentleman, etc.
And I heard about his night with Marilyn Monroe, but let's think about something: In that time, who famous man hadn't had slept with her?
After all, it's known that she had cheated her husband lots of times.
I always loved David Niven so I had NO problem with him in that part.
If you've ever seen him in MURDER BY DEATH in the early 1970s he's still as suave as ever and even Peter Falk says something like "Women always want men like you, don't they?" :D
Have I missed something here?
You are selling Niven way short. In his time, he was seen as the epitome of sophistication and charm. It goes beyond physical appearance. Niven was known for his wit and style and was one of the most popular stars of the fifties and sixties. And let's not forget that he was Ian Fleming's choice to play James Bond (which, of course, he did in the original CASINO ROYALE). Also, let's keep in mind that even though Sean Connery is well into his seventies, he is considered to be extremely sexy and attractive -- and he is certainly balder than Niven.
And both Niven and Connery have something that George Clooney lacks, class.
Older men (particularly those with a certain "gentlemanly" air about them) are more often than not extremely attractive to younger women. There's a whole mix of features that will attract a lady, but just think of another film where this applies...... "Charade", which paired Cary Grant with Audrey Hepburn. In that film they must have been 60 and 35 (-ish) respectively, but the chemistry works marvellously.
Niven had some of that debonair suaveness even as a much older man - as has already been pointed out, just think of Sean Connery in those terms.
A well-bred lady is bound to be attracted to a gentleman who is polite and charming - looks and "performance" don't have to be part of the equation.
"Lolita"
"The Silence of the lambs"
Exactly!!! I'm only 37 years old, but I think that David Niven was a hottie with that gentleman air about him. He was perfectly cast.
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Jim Hutton: talented gorgeous hot hunk; adorable as ElleryQueen; SEXIEST ACTOR EVER
It was only just around the time this movie came out that youth culture was starting to become the dominant force it continues to be - boys were still aspiring to be men, not vice-versa - and Niven's suave self-assurance always transcended age. Mind you, this is coming from someone who is as old now as he was then, without quite as much hair or suave...
shareDavid Niven had sex appeal, without being considered the classicaly handsome leading man. He was still leading man material. And, of course, his wonderful British accent.
shareHe was sexy in "Death on the Nile", too.
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Jim Hutton: talented gorgeous hot hunk; adorable as ElleryQueen; SEXIEST ACTOR EVER
David Niven has always been one of my favorite actors. For stylishness he is equaled only by Cary Grant and Fred Astaire. As for the ladies, read his two great autobiographies, "The Moon's a Balloon" and "Bring on the Empty Horses" if you doubt his ladies' man credentials. He and Errol Flynn cut a huge swatch in their day.
shareWhy are 12 year olds allowed to post questions on IMBD.
Look, sweetheart, I'm sure you're a bright little girl, or boy, and someday will grow up to be a big, strong fireman, or a really great Mommy/doctor, but try now to put down dolly and concentrate...
David Niven was a HUGE MOVIE STAR. You don't know what that means, I know, because the cult of celebrity has been so vulgarized in the last 30 years, and ...oops, I forgot to whom I was talking... Uh... a long time ago, big movie stars were... well, big. They were able to play parts that... oh forget this...
You don't get this, and you never will.
oh brother. That's it? That's the best you got?? What are you a jr high kid??
suzycreamcheese RIP Heath Ledger 1979-2008
David Niven was *beep* HOT in this!!!
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