Far more sprightly, and less stage and set bound than director Gene Saks' previous efforts: Barefoot in the Park(67) and The Odd Couple (68), Cactus Flower is not a work of art, but compared to most of the tired farces from the 60's like The Apartment, Move Over, Darling, How to Murder Your Wife, Goodbye Charlie, A Guide for the Marrried Man, Divorce, American Style, Any Wednesday, Kiss Me Stupid, Boys Night Out, it's a masterpiece. Though its stage origins show, Cactus Flower improves upon the source material with director Saks and writer I.A.L. Diamond effectively "opening up" and energizing Abe Burrows' Broadway hit. The film benefits from authentic New York City locations, and good performances from Ingrid Bergman and Goldie Hawn. Bergman is charming, looks great, and demonstrates a flair for comedy. Hawn in her Oscar winning role has never been better or more appealing. Matthau is expectedly funny though it's hard to understand why Hawn's character is so enamored of him, and in retrospect, Hawn's attempted suicide at the start of the film is out of character and more of a a contrivance. Nonetheless, the film has a plausible farcical set up, and once it gets going it generates laugh, and Rick Lenz, Jack Weston, Eve Bruce, and Vitto Scotti provide good support. The film is likable, and Hawn and Bergman help create the illusion that it all somehow matters.
Review of Cactus Flower
