Summary
A four-time widow discusses her four marriages, in which all of her husbands became incredibly rich and died prematurely because of their drive to be rich.
Cast
Shirley MacLaine
Louisa May Foster
Paul Newman
Larry Flint
Robert Mitchum
Rod Anderson Jr.
Dean Martin
Leonard Crawley
Gene Kelly
Pinky Benson
Robert Cummings
Dr. Victor Stephanson
Dick Van Dyke
Edgar Hopper
Reginald Gardiner
Painter
Margaret Dumont
Mrs. Foster
Lou Nova
Trentino
Fifi D'Orsay
Baroness
Maurice Marsac
Rene
Wally Vernon
Agent
Jane Wald
Polly
Lenny Kent
Hollywood Lawyer
Fred Aldrich
Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Leon Alton
Awards Ceremony Guest (uncredited)
Don Anderson
Awards Ceremony Guest (uncredited)
Army Archerd
TV Announcer (uncredited)
Anton Arnold
Mr. Foster (uncredited)
Phil Arnold
Publicity and Press Agent (uncredited)
Mark Bailey
Private Airline Pilot (uncredited)
Al Bain
Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
John Barton
Farmer (uncredited)
Al Beaudine
Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Marjorie Bennett
Mrs. Freeman (uncredited)
Nesdon Booth
Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Eugene Borden
Man (uncredited)
Lynn Borden
Woman (uncredited)
Barbara Bouchet
Girl on Plane (uncredited)
John Cliff
Waiter (uncredited)
Christopher Connelly
Ned (uncredited)
Tom Conway
Lord Kensington (uncredited)
William Corcoran
Leonard Crawley Jr. (age 7) (uncredited)
Paul Cristo
Party Guest (uncredited)
Carol Daniels
Bathing Beauty (uncredited)
Alphonso DuBois
Frenchman (uncredited)
Peter Duchin
Cocktail Party Pianist (uncredited)
James Elsegood
Shipboard Number Dancer (uncredited)
Anthony Eustrel
Willard (uncredited)
Pamelyn Ferdin
Geraldine Crawley (age 4) (uncredited)
Fred Fisher
Customer (uncredited)
Jeff Fithian
Jonathan Crawley (age 5) (uncredited)
Joe Fithian
Jonathan Crawley (age 5) (uncredited)
Jacques Foti
Policeman (uncredited)
Milton Frome
Lawyer (uncredited)
Teri Garr
Shipboard Number Dancer (uncredited)
Roy Goldman
Diner Customer (uncredited)
Roy Gordon
Minister (uncredited)
Sid Gould
Movie Executive (uncredited)
Jack Greening
Chester (uncredited)
Paula Lane
Movie Executive's Girl (uncredited)
Joel Grey
Patron (uncredited)
Crew
Director
J. Lee Thompson
Lyricist, Screenplay
Adolph Green
Lyricist, Screenplay
Betty Comden
Story
Gwen Davis
Reviews
Geronimo1967
December 2, 2024
7
I recall a time when I saw Joan Collins in "Dynasty" (c. 1983) and her character was called "Alexis Carrington Colby Dexter"... I had never known a lady to keep the names of all of her husbands one after the other. Well, Shirley MacLaine beat her to it - by about 20 years - as her portrayal of "Louisa May Foster Hopper Flint Anderson Benson". The film begins as an elegantly dressed woman tries to give the IRS a cheque for a couple of hundred million dollars. They think she is bonkers and refer her to a shrink to whom she reminisces about her hitherto marital relationships. Dean Martin in the first local bigwig to take a shine to her, but she falls for local shopkeeper Dick Van Dyke who manages to turn his tiny shop into a thriving business emporium before disaster strikes. Next she meets struggling artist Paul Neman in Paris; then Millionaire Robert Mitchum as she leaves Paris, then Gene Kelly in a cheap and cheerful diner in which she tries to get away from it all - she even proposes to her shrink - before, well it sort of goes full circle. This is a fun exposé of MacLaine's skills - singer, dancer, bon viveur, - and the male stars are very much in her orbit. Newman is particularly good (and handsome) as her painter who uses automated painting techniques to create his masterpieces, and poor old Bob Mitchum who seems to offer title more than a private plane and an arm for her to hold as she parades a line of elegant line of couture that would rival any Milan or Paris catwalk. There's a decent, if maybe too long, song and dance routine with Kelly too! The comedy is a bit predictable, and the sound-stage look of the thing is a bit too static at times, but the compendium nature of the storytelling is engaging, as is the star, and it flew by. Not great, but good.
Media
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$20,000,000.00
Revenue:
$13,298,000.00
