''Happy Anniversary'' is a 1959 American picture starring

David Niven James David Graham Niven (; 1 March 1910 – 29 July 1983) was a British actor, soldier, memoirist, and novelist. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Major Pollock in '' Separate Tables'' (1958). Niven's other roles ...

and

Mitzi Gaynor Mitzi Gaynor (born Francesca Marlene de Czanyi von Gerber; September 4, 1931) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. Her notable films include '' We're Not Married!'' (1952), '' There's No Business Like Show Business'' (1954), '' The Birds ...

. Directed by David Miller, the movie's cast also included

Carl Reiner Carl Reiner (March 20, 1922 – June 29, 2020) was an American actor, stand-up comedian, director, screenwriter, and author whose career spanned seven decades. He was the recipient of many awards and honors, including 11 Primetime Emmy Awards, ...

and a young

Patty Duke Anna Marie "Patty" Duke (December 14, 1946 – March 29, 2016) was an American actress and mental health advocate. Over the course of her acting career, she was the recipient of an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awa ...

Plot

Chris Walters is a happily married father of two. For his 13th wedding anniversary, he sneaks home with a gift for wife Alice, a diamond brooch, and with a desire to have a romantic interlude. Interruptions ensue. If it isn't their children, Debbie, and Okkie, needing something, it's their maid, Millie, or it's Alice's mother, Lilly, on the phone. And then two delivery men arrive with a new television set. It's a gift from Alice's parents, Lilly and Arthur. Chris is not pleased. He hates television, and thinks the whole idea of TV is a needless distraction and corrupting influence on today's youth. At work, Chris has a partner, Bud, who is trying to woo a new client, Jeanette Revere, a woman who has been divorced four times. Jeanette is amazed in this day and age that a couple can remain happily married as long as the Walters' have. Over a celebration dinner, Chris lets it slip that he and Alice had sex a year before they got married. Lilly and Arthur are offended, having been under the impression that Alice didn't have sex with Chris until they were wed. They storm out. Chris is so angry, he kicks in the screen of the new TV. He argues with Alice and has to spend his anniversary night sleeping on the sofa. A gift arrives from Bud—it's another TV. Chris is irritated again, but promises not to cause a scene this time. When they turn it on, however, a show called "Kids Kouncil" has his daughter Debbie as a guest. And the child blurts out for all to hear that her parents are having marital difficulties, and had been intimate prior to their wedding. Chris again kicks in the TV. Chris storms out of the house this time. Elsewhere, Alice's parents also have a quarrel, which eventually leads to Lilly attempting to move in with her daughter. Everybody's angry now. A distraught Chris wants to come home. Alice feels no one cares about her. She intends to leave home herself. The family doctor, however, suddenly informs Alice that she is pregnant. She decides to give Chris another chance, as a gift arrives, yet another TV. This time it is from Chris.

Cast

as Chris Walters *

as Alice Walters *

as Bud * Monique Van Vooren as Jeanette * Phyllis Povah as Lillian Gans / Grandma * Loring Smith as Arthur Gans / Grandpa *

as Debbie * Kevin Coughlin as Ockie Walters * Elizabeth Wilson as Millie the Maid

Title song

"Happy Anniversary" is also the title of a

popular Popularity or social status is the quality of being well liked, admired or well known to a particular group. Popular may also refer to: In sociology * Popular culture * Popular fiction * Popular music * Popular science * Populace, the total ...

song A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetiti ...

with music written by Robert Allen and lyrics by

Al Stillman Al Stillman ''(né'' Albert Irving Silverman; 26 June 1901 Manhattan, New York – 17 February 1979 Manhattan, New York) was an American lyricist. Biography Stillman was born to Jewish parents Herman Silverman and Gertrude Rubin ''(maiden).'' He a ...

, that was introduced in this film. Recordings have been made by

The Four Lads The Four Lads was a Canadian male singing quartet which, in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, earned many gold singles and albums. Its million-selling signature tunes include " Moments to Remember"; " Standing on the Corner"; " No, Not Much"; "Who Nee ...

Jane Morgan Jane Morgan (born Florence Catherine Currier; May 3, 1924) is an American former singer of traditional pop. Morgan initially found success in France and the UK before achieving recognition in the US, receiving six Music recording certification, ...

Maureen Evans Maureen Evans (born 23 March 1940, Cardiff, Wales) is a Welsh pop singer who achieved fame in the 1950s and 1960s. Career Evans career began as a singer with Waldini's Gypsy Band in the mid-1950s, mainly doing summer seasons at UK holiday r ...

and

Joan Regan Joan Regan (born Joan Bethel or Siobhan Bethel; 19 January 1928 – 12 September 2013) was an English traditional pop music singer, popular during the 1950s and early 1960s. Biography Regan was born in either Romford, Essex, or West Ham, Lo ...

Censorship

At the time, the

Motion Picture Production Code The Motion Picture Production Code was a set of industry guidelines for the self-censorship of content that was applied to most motion pictures released by major studios in the United States from 1934 to 1968. It is also popularly known as the ...

prohibited the portrayal of illicit sex as harmless or positive. For the film to be approved under the Code, a line had to be inserted in post-production in which Chris expresses his regret at having had premarital sex with Alice. As Niven was not available, the line was done as a voice-over impression of Niven by voice actor

Allen Swift Ira Stadlen (January 16, 1924 – April 18, 2010), known professionally as Allen Swift, was an American voice actor, best known for voicing cartoon characters Simon Bar Sinister and Riff-Raff on the ''Underdog'' cartoon show. He took his pro ...

References

External links