Any Wednesday ** (1966, Jane Fonda, Jason Robards, Dean Jones, Rosemary Murphy) – Classic Movie Review 7547

‘It’s got some new ideas about multiple dwelling!’ Director Robert Ellis Miller’s 1966 comedy Any Wednesday turns a thin but affable Broadway farce by Muriel Resnik into a thin but affable movie – with the bright star performances of Jane Fonda, Dean Jones, Jason Robards Jr and Rosemary Murphy saving the day, but only just.

Robards plays John Cleves, a New York City executive businessman who spends every Wednesday with his mistress Ellen Gordon (Fonda), that is until his young business associate Cass Henderson (Jones) is accidentally sent to use the apartment and Elle falls for him.

Good though the three stars are, Murphy steals the show as Robards’s uncaring wife, Dorothy Cleves, who arrives to redecorate the apartment. She recreates her stage role from the original Broadway version. Nevertheless, Fonda sparkles and was Golden Globe nominated as Best Actress – Comedy or Musical.

Any Wednesday is amusing enough. But what is needed is some sharp Neil Simon wit. Talking of the apartment, compare this film with the similarly themed 1960 Billy Wilder film The Apartment and see again how good that is.

Producer Julius J Epstein provides the screenplay. Miller and Epstein reunited for the better Reuben, Reuben.

Also in the cast are Ann Prentiss, King Moody, Jack Fletcher, Kelly Jean Peters and Monty Margetts.

Any Wednesday, also known as Bachelor Girl Apartment, runs 109 minutes, is made by Warner Bros, is written by Julius J Epstein, based on the play by Muriel Resnik. produced by Julius J Epstein, and shot in Technicolor by Harold Lipstein, is scored by George Duning anddesigned by Alfred Sweeney.

The Broadway production opened on 18 February 1964 at the Music Box Theater and ran for 983 performances. Murphy was nominated for the 1964 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7547

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