Taxi Mauve, Un (1977, FRA/EIR/ITA) C-120m. **½ D: Yves Boisset. Starring Charlotte Rampling, Philippe Noiret, Peter Ustinov, Agostina Belli, Edward Albert, Fred Astaire, Jack Watson. Very interesting cast saddled with second-rate adaptation of Michel Déon's novel about group of disparate characters in Irish coastal town. Noiret has come there to hunt and forget, Albert is his American companion, whose sister Rampling's arrival spices things up. Ustinov as a stubborn Russian and Astaire as physician and driver of the title vehicle also populate this lumbering drama. Beautiful cinematography by Tonino Delli Colli and score by Philippe Sarde provide a dreamy quality. Otherwise this curio is much too vague and talky. Boisset also scripted. English title: THE PURPLE TAXI.