During the prohibition period, the three-mile zone on the American coast was a busy shipping area. This was the only place where alcohol smugglers could get their forbidden goods past the coast guard and to the thirsty souls of America. The powerful but somewhat stupid Captain Cornelius von Zeelinga (Lino VENTURA) also travels along this "rum boulevard" on his various ships. On his journeys between Cuba, Jamaica and America, the film fan repeatedly sees adventure films with the popular silent film diva Linda LaRue (Brigitte BARDOT), who knows how to enthuse her audiences, especially in skimpy leopard skin costumes. One day the captain actually gets to know the blonde beauty. This is accompanied by the most hair-raising events. Because the voluptuous diva is not only followed by her film family (Guy MARCHAND as a dapper screen partner), but soon also by an English lord (Clive REVILL), who even wants to make the cheeky blonde a margravine.

This French film by Robert ENRICO was shot mainly in Mexico and Belize (formerly British Honduras). Without a stringent plot, the turbulent comedy is entertaining with its bizarre ideas and slapstick interludes. BARDOT in particular can really put on a great show and shows in various silent film scenes what enormous star power she had. BB also goes all out comedic, so that the film from the legendary French film studio GAUMONT is remembered above all for her presence.

The decade of the 1920s saw the arrival of prohibition to America. That era became a boon for enterprising people and bandits to profit from the smuggling of liquor to a thirsty society which could not do without its drinking habits. Creative ways for getting the prohibited booze to drinkers in the United States is the basis of this story,

Captain Cornelius Von Zeelinga, is a naval captain that is surprised as this tale begins, by the U S Coast Guard, and his precious cargo of rum is destroyed. Corny, as he is otherwise known, begins to wander through Mexico, the Caribbean, and Panama, after he has made a small fortune in a game where wealthy Americans, looking for fun, fire at him on a dark room.

Cornelius discovers a screen goddess, Linda Larue, a luscious woman who becomes the object of his love. Wherever Corny goes, finds an excuse for watching one of Linda's epics, which begin with silent fare, graduating to the "talkies". Not only does Linda get the best of his imagination, he manages to meet her in person! His passion for the silver screen star will consume him to the point that smuggling becomes an after thought.

This 1971 French production, directed by Robert Enrico, showed up on a cable channel recently and we watched as a curiosity. Obviously a vehicle for Lino Ventura, who played heavier roles, was a change of pace for the actor, who showed great flair for comedy. The surprise though was the beautiful Brigitte Bardot,one of the sexiest film stars of the French cinema of all times. She plays the larger than life, Linda Larue, with gusto. Although the film has not "aged" well, it has some good moments. Shot in Almeria and Belize, it is a pleasant excuse to spend some time in the company of Mr. Venura and Ms. Bardot.

"Rum Runners" could be taken as an experiment: is it possible to make an 80-minute film with apparently no script at all? Well, it is possible....that doesn't mean it is desirable, though. Virtually nothing happens in this movie. I don't mean nothing interesting, I mean NOTHING. Lino Ventura is a likable actor, and Brigitte Bardot still looks great in one of her last screen appearances, but they are both defeated by this non-existence of a script. Bardot has an unusual introduction - projected on a theater screen as a silent-film star - but has little to do from that point on. What's more, the film has fallen into public domain, which means that if you do find a copy it will probably be dubbed, cropped, and faded in color. Don't go out of your way to search for a copy, in any case. * out of 4.