Movie Stats:
Released 1964 (USA)
American, in English (some French, mostly non-translated)
Director - J. Lee Thompson
Stars - Shirley MacLaine, Dick Van Dyke, Paul Newman, Robert Mitchum, Gene Kelly
Plot Summary:
Upon the death of her latest husband, 4-time widow Louisa May Foster (MacLaine) tells her tale of woe to a psychiatrist. Van Dyke co-stars as Edgar Hopper, Louisa’s first husband; Newman as Larry Flint, her second husband; Mitchum as Rod Anderson, Jr., her third husband; and Kelly as Pinky Benson, her fourth husband.
Warnings:
Implied sexy times; minor violence.
Bad Stuff:
It’s very campy.
Little too long/formulaic.
Good Stuff:
It’s actually quite witty and funny. I particularly enjoyed each of the “our lives were like x kind of movie” scenes. They’re clever.
Newman is an absolute scream as a pretentious artist.
I like how it turned the “women are only after money” trope on its head.
Loved MacLaine’s costuming (by the incomparable Edith Head).
About the Performance:
MacLaine is a favorite of mine. There are few films of hers I’ve seen where I didn’t appreciate her performance. I think she’s hilarious in this. Many of her reactions are over-the-top, particularly in scenes where she has to cry, but they’re meant to be. You’re supposed to find this film ridiculous. In addition to flexing her comedy chops, she’s also very charming and she’s an absolute knockout. Her legs - wow!
Other performances of MacLaine’s I’ve reviewed: Terms of Endearment; The Apartment; Around the World in Eighty Days.
The Verdict:
So I was going to watch the film “Being There,” but the DVD’s availability on Netflix was low, and after it was skipped over several times, I realized I was just going to have to pick something else. I didn’t feel too sad about it because that film seemed like it was more of a vehicle for Peter Sellers anyway. After seeing what was available to me across a few different streaming platforms, I chose this film because it sounded funny & because there were so many great actors in it. I ended up really enjoying it. It’s so sweet and charming, with an edge of biting wit & an underlying sadness that gives it a bit of poignancy. I don’t have much to say about it that’s seriously negative. It made me laugh out loud more than once. Louisa is very relatable; I really wanted her to find her happy ending. This film gave me warm fuzzies.
I give it 4.25 stars.
This sounds great! I tend to not appreciate Shirly MacLaine in movies now, because she always plays the same character. But I've enjoyed her performances during her younger days. Sweet Charity in particular is a favorite.
ReplyDeleteIt's very fun! I don't think I've seen much of her recent stuff, but I feel like that happens a lot to older actors. Has Robert DeNiro, for example, played a character with any nuance in the 21st century?
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