Surprise Package (film)

Surprise Package
File:Surprise Package (film poster).jpg Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Stanley Donen
Produced by	Stanley Donen Paul B. Radin
Screenplay by	Harry Kurnitz
Based on	A Gift from the Boys 1958 novel by Art Buchwald
Starring	Yul Brynner Mitzi Gaynor Noël Coward
Music by	Benjamin Frankel
Cinematography	Christopher Challis
Edited by	Jim Clark
Production company	Stanley Donen Productions
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures Corporation
Release dates	September 29, 1960 (1960-09-29) (US)
Running time	100 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$1,100,000 (US and Canada rentals)

Surprise Package is a 1960 American comedy film directed by Stanley Donen and starring Yul Brynner, Mitzi Gaynor, and Noël Coward. The supporting cast features George Coulouris, Michael Balfour, Eric Pohlmann and Barry Foster. The screenplay concerns an American gangster living on a Greek island and a deposed King who hatch a plan to steal some crown jewels.

Plot

Nico March is being deported by the U.S. government. Not wanting his money confiscated, he orders accomplice Johnny to hide it for now while also keeping an eye on Nico's longtime girlfriend, Gabby Rogers.

Exiled to an island, Nico quickly meets corrupt cop Mirales, who wants a bribe, and a banished king, Pavel, who wants to sell Nico his old crown. Nico is double-crossed by Johnny, who instead of sending him the money sends Gabby instead.

Nico figures out where the king's crown is hidden inside the old castle and plans to steal it, using Gabby to distract him. Other criminals, including Dr. Panzer and strongman Igor, want to get to it first. They steal it from Nico and knock him unconscious, but end up placed under arrest. Tibor, Nico's Hungarian spy friend, steals it back, and gets shot and dies in Gabby's arms, and Gabby gives it to Stavrin, who will place the crown in a monastery, for all the people of Anatolia to see. Nico proposes, and Gabby accepts, and they get married. Nico and the king both need money, so they turn the latter's castle into a casino, where Gabby "now" works as the hat & coat check girl.

Cast

• Yul Brynner as Nico March
• Mitzi Gaynor as Gabby Rogers
• Noël Coward as King Pavel II
• George Coulouris as Dr. Panzer
• Michael Balfour as Oscar
• Eric Pohlmann as Mirales
• Guy Deghy as Tibor
• Lyndon Brook as Stavrin
• Alf Dean as Igor Trofim (as Man Mountain Dean)
• Lionel Murton as US Marshal
• Barry Foster as US Marshal
• Michael Balfour as Oscar
• Cec Linder as Lawyer
• Bill Nagy as Johnny Stettina
• Frederick Leister as Aide to King Pavel II
• Paul Carpenter as TV News Broadcaster
• Danny Green as Nicky Canfield
• Carol White as Sexy Teenager

See also

• List of American films of 1960

External links

• Surprise Package at IMDb
• Surprise Package at AllMovie
• Surprise Package at the TCM Movie Database
• Surprise Package at the American Film Institute Catalog