Queen of Hearts

Five minutes into this sleeper, when clandestine Italian lovers Danny (Joseph Long) and Rosa (Anita Zagaria), take a suicide leap and land in a haytruck, we know we're in for a quirky little movie. The story is narrated by Eddie (Ian Hawkes), the 10 yr. old youngest son of Danny and Rosa. He relates the story of his parents betrothal, as well as how the family came to own and operate a busy cafe in London. To put it simply, Eddie's father had a vision: a talking pig's head gave him a gambling tip, which Danny later parlayed into enough coin to open his cafe. With a bustling family, a successful business, and only occasional hassle from a live-in mother-in-law, Danny and Rosa seem to have been blessed with fortune. But, as it turns out, trouble is just around the bend. The main drama of the story begins when Barbariccia (Vittorio Amandola), Rosa's rejected lover from the past, launches an all-out attack on the couple who destroyed his heart. Queen of Hearts is a stylish, witty comedy that mixes elements of high camp with serious drama, and somehow manages to pull it off. Highly recommended. (R. Pitman) [DVD Review—Mar. 29, 2011—MGM, 112 min., PG, $19.98—Making its first appearance on DVD-R, 1989's Queen of Hearts sports a fine transfer and a Dolby Digital soundtrack. The sole extra is a theatrical trailer. Bottom line: nice to see this wonderful dramedy available, even on DVD-R.]