A Fine Madness *** (1966, Sean Connery, Joanne Woodward, Jean Seberg) – Classic Movie Review 8370

Director Irvin Kershner’s funny, appealingly whimsical 1966 screwball comedy A Fine Madness stars Sean Connery as a crazy New York City-based radical poet called Samson Shillitoe, and Joanne Woodward co-stars as his brash waitress wife Rhoda, with Jean Seberg as Lydia West.

It also stars Patrick O’Neal, Colleen Dewhurst, Clive Revill, Renée Taylor, Werner Peters, John Fielder, Kay Medford, Jackie Coogan, Zohra Lampert, Sorrell Booke and Sue Ane Langdon.

A Fine Madness is an early sign that Connery had ambitions and real talent as an actor away from James Bond, and Woodward is also very fine. Though amusing, the movie was judged too offbeat by popular audiences for it to be a hit though.

Also in the cast are Bibi Osterwald, Mabel Albertson, Gerald S O’Loughlin, James Millhollin, Jon Lorner, Harry Bellaver, Ayllene Gibbons, Bernie Meyer and Richard S Castellano.

Elliott Baker’s screenplay is based on his own novel. It is one of Connery’s least known movies, and deserves a bit of attention and TLC.

Kershner also made Connery’s Bond comeback movie Never Say Never Again, as well as The Empire Strikes Back.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8370

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