Cactus Flower

Directed by Gene Saks
Produced by M. J. Frankovich
Written by Abe Burrows (play),
Pierre Barillet (Fleur de cactus),
Jean-Pierre Grédy (Fleur de cactus),
I.A.L. Diamond (screenwriter)
Starring Walter Matthau,
Ingrid Bergman,
Goldie Hawn
Music by Quincy Jones
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date(s) December 16, 1969
Running time 103 min.
Language English
Budget $3,000,000 (est.)

Cactus Flower is a 1969 comedic film directed by Gene Saks and starring Walter Matthau, Ingrid Bergman, and Goldie Hawn. The film is adapted from an earlier Broadway stage play, written by Abe Burrows, which in turn was based upon the French play Fleur de cactus. The film was the seventh highest grossing film of 1970.

Synopsis

The film begins with 21-year-old Toni Simmons trudging across the road at night to post a letter. Subsequently, she returns to her apartment and attempts to gas herself using a "second-hand" stove. Fortunately, her neighbor, Igor Sullivan, smells the gas and rescues her from imminent death using rescue breathing, which evolves into a French kiss after Toni regains consciousness.

The movie then moves to the cause of the suicide attempt. Toni's lover Julian, a dentist and philanderer, had previously told Toni that he has a wife and three kids, in order to avoid commitment issues. However, upon learning of the suicide attempt, he decides to rethink his bachelor status and to marry Toni, resulting in him needing a wife to divorce.

In order to resolve his dilemma, Julian decides to ask Miss Stephanie Dickinson, his spinsterish Swedish nurse of ten years, to pose as his wife. At first unwilling, she ultimately accepts the role, since she has secretly developed a crush on Julian. However, upon meeting Miss Dickinson, Toni intuitively senses Miss Dickinson's love for Julian. This causes her to ask Julian to help Miss Dickinson find another man, in order for everyone to be happy. To resolve the situation, Julian involves several other characters, including Julian's friend Harvey, Señor Arturo Sánchez, and Igor. Ultimately, Toni finds out about the lie and leaves Julian for Igor, while Julian falls in love with Miss Dickinson.

The namesake of the film is a prickly cactus that Miss Dickinson keeps on her desk at the dentist's office. Similar to Miss Dickinson, the cactus is cold and inhospitable. However, by the end, both the cactus and Miss Dickinson have bloomed.

Cast

Actor Role Other notes
Walter Matthau Dr. Julian Winston a dentist
Ingrid Bergman Stephanie Dickinson Dr. Winston's assistant
Goldie Hawn Toni Simmons Dr. Winston's girlfriend
Jack Weston Harvey Greenfield a friend and patient of Dr. Winston
Rick Lenz Igor Sullivan a writer and Toni's neighbor
Vito Scotti Señor Arturo Sánchez a diplomat and patient of Dr. Winston
Irene Hervey Mrs. Durant a patient of Dr. Winston
Eve Bruce Georgia a date of Harvey Greenfield's
Irwin Charone Record Store Manager Toni's employer
Matthew Saks nephew one of Mrs. Dickinson's nephews

Reception

On release, the film received considerable acclaim from both the critics and the general public, becoming one of the highest grossing films of 1969 and 1970. Howard Thompson of The New York Times stated that "both the expansive scenario of I. A. L. Diamond and the flexible direction of Gene Saks open up and even ventilate the story."[1]. Roger Ebert declared that "the chemistry works" and "the movie is better than the play."[2]

In her first major film role, Goldie Hawn, who had earlier been described as the "dizzy cream puff who is constantly blowing her lines [on Laugh-In],"[3] was especially commended for being "a natural reactress; her timing is so canny that even her tears run amusingly."[4] Her performance in Cactus Flower won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, her sole Oscar to date.

Awards

Goldie Hawn won two awards for her supporting role:

• Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress - Goldie Hawn
• Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture - Goldie Hawn

In addition, there was a nomination for Ingrid Bergman and an additional one for Goldie Hawn:

• BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role - Goldie Hawn
• Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy - Ingrid Bergman

Memorable lines

• Julian: "I'll divorce my wife."
• Toni: "But what about the children?"
• Julian: "I'll divorce them, too"

• Harvey: "All girls want to be married. I know. I've been subdivided three times."
• Julian: "Not Toni Simmons. She thinks I'm already married."
• Harvey: "Julian, you pulled that old stunt on her, huh?"
• Julian: "The minute I met her I knew this girl could make me do anything. So just to protect myself in the clinches, I told her that I had a wife and three children."
• Harvey: "Three children is a nice touch."
• Julian: "And I told it to her right away so that everything between us would be open and above board."
• Harvey: "Good. Very good. That's such a big, dirty, rotten, filthy lie it has class."

• Harvey: "Excuse me Sergeant, uh, Miss Dickinson. Dr. Winston asked me to make an appointment for a lady friend of mine."
• Miss Dickinson: "How about a week from Tuesday, at 7 a.m.?"
• Harvey: "You're kidding! I'm asleep at 7 a.m."
• Miss Dickinson: "Oh, I thought the appointment is for a lady."
• Harvey: "That's right. We're both asleep at 7 a.m., heh heh heh."
• 'Miss Dickinson gives him an icy stare.
• Harvey: "I'm sorry. I hope I haven't shocked you."
• Miss Dickinson: "No, but it must be a terrible shock for her."

• Miss Dickinson: "By the way, Mr. Greenfield, who is paying for this treatment?"
• Harvey: "Put it on my tab."
• Miss Dickinson: "There is no more room on your tab."
• Harvey: "Julian! I feel insulted! It isn't as though I'm planning to stick you!"
• Julian: "It isn't as if you're planning to pay me either."

• Miss Dickinson (reading a wine bottle label): "I didn't know they made champagne in Idaho!"

• Miss Dickinson: "Well... I am no sex goddess, but I haven't spent my life in a tree."

See also

• List of American films of 1969
• Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya - A Bollywood remake

Notes

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Cactus Flower (film)

• Cactus Flower at the Internet Movie Database
• Cactus Flower at the TCM Movie Database

The films of Gene Saks
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
Television