The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker

The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker
The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Lawrence Turman
Written by	Lorenzo Semple Jr.
Based on	The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker; by Charles Webb
Produced by	Lawrence Turman
Starring	Richard Benjamin; Joanna Shimkus; Elizabeth Ashley; Adam West; Patricia Barry;
Cinematography	László Kovács
Edited by	Fredric Steinkamp
Music by	Fred Karlin
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release date	August 19, 1971;
Running time	95 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$2,230,000 or $1.5 million

The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker is a 1971 American romantic comedy-drama film produced and directed by Lawrence Turman (in his directorial debut) and written by Lorenzo Semple Jr., based on a novel of the same title by Charles Webb. Turman had produced 1967's high-grossing hit The Graduate, also adapted from a book by Webb.

It stars Richard Benjamin in the title role and Joanna Shimkus as his beleaguered wife, with Adam West, Elizabeth Ashley, Patricia Barry, and Tiffany Bolling in supporting roles.

Plot

The story mainly deals with the crumbling marriage of William Alren and his wife Lisa, and how William uses voyeurism and extra-marital affairs to "spice up" his marriage. William gives up his career as a stockbroker, and takes up voyeurism full-time.

After putting up with her husband's various dalliances, Lisa is advised by her outspoken sister Nan to get a divorce. Nan's own marriage to Chester is in no better shape than Lisa's and equally on the rocks. The film ends with William and Lisa reunited, but not before Lisa finally gets "revenge" on her husband.

Cast

Richard Benjamin as William Alren
Joanna Shimkus as Lisa
Adam West as Chester
Elizabeth Ashley as Nan
Patricia Barry as Dr. Sadler
Tiffany Bolling as Train Girl

Critical reception

Critic Leonard Maltin felt that while the film was a "humorous and sad depiction of marital breakdown", the cast was let down by a script that "seems uncertain as to what point it wants to drive across" (Maltin, 1991: 769). Steven Scheuer concurred somewhat, saying that while the film was "occasionally amusing" it also tended to be "generally heavy-handed" (Scheuer, 1990: 672).

Roger Greenspun generally found the picture to be miscast, especially Richard Benjamin, feeling that while he is "a good comedian [he is] miscast [in this role]" (Greenspun, 1971). He also thought it closer to an "unsuccessful television pilot" than a movie, in terms of its treatment of themes such as "sexual mechanics, the mechanics of marital supremacy, [and] the nuclear family as a machine for getting on in the suburbs" (Greenspun, 1971). Leslie Halliwell called it a "sardonic adult comedy of the battle of the sexes" (Halliwell, 2000: 522).

References

Greenspun, Roger (1971) "The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker" The New York Times, August 20, 1971. (accessed 6 April 2008). [1]
Halliwell, Leslie (2000) Walker, John (ed.) Halliwell's Film & Video Guide 2001, HarperCollinsEntertainment, London.
Maltin, Leonard (1991) Leonard Maltin's Movie and Video Guide 1992, Signet, New York.
Scheuer, Steven H. (1990) Movies on TV and Videocassette, Bamtam Books, New York.

Notes

^ Solomon, Aubrey. Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series). Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1989. ISBN 978-0-8108-4244-1. p256
^ ALJEAN HARMETZ (Jan 24, 1971). "But They Still Say 'Larry Who?': They Say 'Larry Who?'". New York Times. p. D13.

External links

The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker at IMDb

[1] Solomon, Aubrey. Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series). Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1989. ISBN 978-0-8108-4244-1. p256

[2] ALJEAN HARMETZ (Jan 24, 1971). "But They Still Say 'Larry Who?': They Say 'Larry Who?'". New York Times. p. D13.

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