A feather weight sitcom stretched out into a feature film. Walter Matthau is a womanizing dentist who throws his conquests off by claiming to be married. When he finds himself smitten with kooky Goldie Hawn, he recruits his spinsterish nurse (Ingrid Bergman) to play his "wife," in order to convince Hawn he's getting a divorce. Mayhem ensues. There's lots of wisecracks in what is essentially a filmed play (Abe Burrows wrote the play, I.A.L. Diamond did the screenplay). Most of the funniest lines come from Jack Weston, as one of Matthau's less savory patients. Bergman is fun and it's great to see her playing in a comedy. Matthau is Matthau and Hawn (who won an Oscar) brightens up a story that could have been pretty dull stuff. Quincy Jones did the score, but listen for a number of songs from other Columbia products (TO SIR WITH LOVE; THE MONKEES) playing in the discotheque scenes. Directed by Gene Saks.
Review of Cactus Flower
