Ingrid Bergman, Walter Matthau & Goldie Hawn in Cactus Flower (1969)
Dr. Julian Winston (Matthau) is having an extramarital affair with Toni Simmons (Hawn). This would be more shocking if he was actually married. In truth, he only tells girls he's married to avoid commitment. When he changes his mind and decides to ask Toni to marry him, she agrees on one condition - she can meet the first wife. Enter Stephanie Dickinson (Bergman), Dr. Winston's nurse. He convinces her to play the part of his wife for the purposes of the meeting. This is complicated by the fact that Stephanie is actually secretly in love with Julian.
This charming film was a big hit in 1969, winning Goldie Hawn a Best Supporting Actress Oscar and going on to be one of the biggest box office grossers of the year. It's since been somewhat forgotten, though there is still a fan base that remembers and appreciates it out there. Look for Jack Weston as a snyde patient of Dr. Winston's.
You can find this film on DVD and it's available to rent on YouTube. Above is the original trailer for it, uploaded to YouTube by ClassicMovieTrailers.
Obscurity factor: 3 (on DVD and YouTube, dimly remembered by the general public)
I got to meet Matthau when I was about 10. They were filming a movie out by our bus stop in the middle of nowhere Littlerock, CA. Three of us got off the bus & went to go see what they were doing. Matthau came out of a trailer & signed a black & white photo of himself for us. He even put it in a manila envelope for us :D
Sadly I must have lost it somewhere along my life. I will treasure the memory, tho :)
Thank you :) I believe the movie was Hopscotch, but I could be wrong. For some reason I thought Sally Field was in it, too. I've never seen Hopscotch, either.
Walter Matthau was one of my favorite actors. I enjoyed just about everything he's been in. I will need to try & watch this sometime :)
ReplyDeleteI think you'll be pleased with it. It's a delight!
ReplyDeleteI imagine I will be pleased with it :)
ReplyDeleteI got to meet Matthau when I was about 10. They were filming a movie out by our bus stop in the middle of nowhere Littlerock, CA. Three of us got off the bus & went to go see what they were doing. Matthau came out of a trailer & signed a black & white photo of himself for us. He even put it in a manila envelope for us :D
Sadly I must have lost it somewhere along my life. I will treasure the memory, tho :)
What a nice memory. What was the film he was shooting?
ReplyDeleteThank you :) I believe the movie was Hopscotch, but I could be wrong. For some reason I thought Sally Field was in it, too. I've never seen Hopscotch, either.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Matthau file is The Survivors :)