Review of Cactus Flower (1969) by Allan C — 01 Jun 2018

Charming 1960s generational sex comedy is very much of it's time, but also timeless in it's humor around age and romance. Adapted from a Broadway play by Billy Wilder's longtime co-writer I.

A. L. Diamond ("The Apartment," Some Like it Hot," "One, Two, Three," etc.), "Cactus Flower" tells the story of dentist Walter Matthau and his young girlfriend Goldie Hawn.

Matthau has told Hawn he's a married man, even though he's really not, and when he tells her he wants to leave his wife, Hawn says she wants to meet Matthau's non-existent wife. Enter Matthau's 50-something spinster receptionist, Ingrid Bergman, who he convinces to pose as his wife so he can seal the deal with Hawn.

The film has the same (for it's time) edgy sexy comedy humor that Wilder and Diamond films were known for (and by some reviled for), reminding me somewhat of "Kiss Me, Stupid," except that this film has a more liability factor than "Stupid," which although was funny also had a bit of a creep factor to it.

Hawn won an Oscar for her portrayal of a cute young hippie chic, but for me it was Bergman who really shines. Her characters is introduced as a rather stern and austere character, but once she's pulled into Matthau's lies, Bergman's reserved 50-something characters comes to life.

The scene where she cuts loose on the dance floor at a go-go club is a joy to watch as such exudes all of her charm and star power in a way that reminds you that not all actors are created equally and some have an innate ability to light up the screen.

That scene was intended to create drama for Matthau's character to begin to be torn between the two women, and although Bergman was 54-years old at the time, she is probably one of only a few actresses who could manage to outshine a young Goldie Hawn.

On the downside, I would say director Gene Saks has rather flat direction and lacks the sparkle of a Wilder picture, but Diamond's script and dialogue crackles, standing alongside the best of Wilder and Diamond's collaborations.

Overall, "Cactus Flower" is a charming sex comedy that's a wonderful showcase for it's wonderful three lead actors and is a must see for film comedy fans.