What a Way to Go! * (1964, Shirley MacLaine, Robert Cummings, Dick Van Dyke, Robert Mitchum, Gene Kelly, Dean Martin, Paul Newman) – Classic Movie Review 10,279

Director J Lee Thompson’s 1964 compendium black comedy What a Way to Go! stars Shirley MacLaine as a four-time widow.

Witty Broadway authors Betty Comden and Adolph Green (Singin’ in the Rain) write the screenplay, based on a story by Gwen Davis, but they do their best to put people off MacLaine, who plays a simple country girl called Louisa Foster who marries a series of men and becomes immensely rich. But their greed puts them in early graves.

The husbands are obsessed artist Larry Flint (Paul Newman), tycoon Rod Anderson Jr (Robert Mitchum), egotistical entertainer Pinky Benson (Gene Kelly) and poor Edgar Hopper (Dick Van Dyke).

Martin plays a rich suitor called ‘Lennie’ Crawley and Margaret Dumont plays MacLaine’s mother, Mrs Foster.

With all this talent, and more, what went wrong? J Lee Thompson probably was not the right director.

The main cast are Shirley MacLaine, Robert Cummings, Dick Van Dyke, Robert Mitchum, Gene Kelly, Dean Martin, Paul Newman, Reginald Gardiner, Margaret Dumont, Dick Wilson, Sid Gould, Lenny Kent, Tracy Butler, Lou Nova, Maurice Marsac, Wally Vernon, Jane Wald, Fifi D’Orsay and Tom Conway in his final film.

Made on a huge $20,000,000 budget, it is a plush production, as reflected in its Oscar nominations for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color and Best Costume Design, Color (Edith Head, Moss Mabry).

Edith Head (1897–1981).

Edith Head wound up with eight Oscars. Her 35 Oscar nominations and eight awards make her the most honoured costume designer and most honoured woman in Academy Award history.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,279

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