''Rosie!'' is a 1967 American

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by

David Lowell Rich David Lowell Rich (August 31, 1920 – October 21, 2001) was an American film director and producer. He directed nearly 100 films and TV episodes between 1950 and 1987. He was born in New York City. He began directing on a regular basis in 1 ...

, based on

Ruth Gordon Ruth Gordon Jones (October 30, 1896 – August 28, 1985) was an American actress, screenwriter, and playwright. She began her career performing on Broadway at age 19. Known for her nasal voice and distinctive personality, Gordon gained internati ...

's play ''A Very Rich Woman''.

Plot

Rosie Lord is a widowed millionaire who, much to the dismay of her daughters Mildred and Edith, spends her money generously. When she announces she intends to buy a $2.5 million closed theater in a run-down part of Los Angeles, because it is the location where her late husband proposed to her and it is now threatened to be turned into a parking lot, her daughters decide that they have had enough. Edith and her husband Cabot complain that they are only granted $100,000 a year, and work together with cold-hearted and recently divorced Mildred to discourage Rosie from buying the theater. They are unable to convince her and her legal advisor Oliver to let them take care of her money, and thus decide to try to declare her incompetent, thereby hoping to put her in an insane asylum. Edith and Cabot's young daughter Daphne is appalled to overhear the scheme, and vows to help her grandmother. Daphne rushes to Oliver's office, but runs into his much younger associate David Wheelwright, who promises to help her after an emotional conversation. Oliver is upset to find out that one of his workers is taking matters in own hands, and meets with David to hear him out. David advises that they should put someone with Rosie to prevent her from doing anything outrageous, because their daughters are sending a private investigator to the case. Oliver takes his advice, but sends him on the job. David reluctantly starts the job, but is quickly drawn to Rosie's extraverted personality. Simultaneously, he goes on a few romantic dates with Daphne and they fall in love. After attending a piano recital, Rosie is abducted by two men, and later awakens in a locked rest home for the mentally unstable in the Santa Monica mountains. Rosie is heartbroken to learn that her daughters committed her to a sanitarium, and rejects an offer from Cabot to sign the papers for her release in exchange for making them responsible of her finances. He assures her that they can keep her in the sanitarium indefinitely if she does not obey their wishes, prompting Rosie to reconsider. Meanwhile, Daphne finds out what has happened, and furiously leaves the home, despite her mother's plea not to leave her. With the help of Oliver and David, Daphne enters the rest home and breaks Rosie out. Rosie, who cannot believe what her own daughters did to her, is next sued in court. Mildred and Edith's lawyer puts Rosie's sanity at debate, and Rosie is ready to announce her defeat during the process. Daphne and Oliver console her during the trial, and when Oliver announces his love for her, Rosie decides to fight again. She faints in court and pretends to be dying, to get her daughters to admit that she is sane (in order for Rosie to change her will just before dying). The case is thereby dismissed and Rosie is now free to marry Oliver.

Cast

Rosalind Russell Catherine Rosalind Russell (June 4, 1907November 28, 1976) was an American actress, comedienne, screenwriter, and singer,Obituary '' Variety'', December 1, 1976, p. 79. known for her role as fast-talking newspaper reporter Hildy Johnson in the H ...

as Rosie Lord *

Sandra Dee Sandra Dee (born Alexandra Zuck; April 23, 1942 – February 20, 2005) was an American actress. Dee began her career as a child model, working first in commercials, and then film in her teenage years. Best known for her portrayal of ingén ...

as Daphne Shaw *

Brian Aherne William Brian de Lacy Aherne (2 May 190210 February 1986) was an English actor of stage, screen, radio and television, who enjoyed a long and varied career in Britain and the United States. His first Broadway appearance in '' The Barretts of ...

as Oliver Stevenson *

James Farentino James Farentino (February 24, 1938 – January 24, 2012) was an American actor. He appeared in nearly 100 television, film, and stage roles, among them '' The Final Countdown'', ''Jesus of Nazareth'', and '' Dynasty''. Career Born in Brooklyn, N ...

as David Wheelwright *

Audrey Meadows Audrey Meadows ( Cotter, February 8, 1922 – February 3, 1996) was an American actress best known for her role as the deadpan housewife Alice Kramden on the 1950s American television comedy ''The Honeymooners''. She was the younger sister of ...

as Mildred Deever *

Vanessa Brown Vanessa Brown (born Smylla Brind, March 24, 1928 – May 21, 1999) was an Austrian-born American actress who worked in radio, film, theater, and television. Early life Born in Vienna, Austria, to Jewish parents (Nah Brind, a language teacher, a ...

as Edith Shaw *

Leslie Nielsen Leslie William Nielsen (11 February 192628 November 2010) was a Canadian actor and comedian. With a career spanning 60 years, he appeared in more than 100 films and 150 television programs, portraying more than 220 characters. Nielsen was bo ...

as Cabot Shaw * Margaret Hamilton as Mae *

Reginald Owen John Reginald Owen (5 August 1887 – 5 November 1972) was a British actor. He was known for his many roles in British and American films and television programs. Career The son of Joseph and Frances Owen, Reginald Owen studied at Sir Herbert ...

as Patrick *

Juanita Moore Juanita Moore (October 19, 1914 – January 1, 2014) was an American film, television, and stage actress. She was the fifth black actor to be nominated for an Academy Award in any category, and the third in the Supporting Actress category at a t ...

as Nurse *

Virginia Grey Virginia Grey (March 22, 1917 – July 31, 2004) was an American actress who appeared in over 100 films and a number of radio and television shows from the 1930s to the early 1980s. Biography Grey was born on March 22, 1917, in Edendale, Calif ...

as Mrs. Peters *

Dean Harens Dean Arthur Harens (June 30, 1920 – May 20, 1996) was an American actor. He appeared in movies, plays and many TV programs over four decades. Early years Born in South Bend, Indiana in 1920, Harens studied at the Goodman Theatre in ...

as Willetts *

Doris Lloyd Hessy Doris Lloyd (3 July 1891 – 21 May 1968) was an English–American film and stage actress. She is perhaps best known for her roles in ''The Time Machine'' (1960) and ''The Sound of Music'' (1965). Lloyd appeared in two Academy Award w ...

as Sedalia

Reception

Writing in ''The New York Times'', critic Howard Thompson called the film "a tasteless brew of comedy, pathos and grim drama...This one is downright embarrassing." He ended his review by writing "This is one 'Rosie!' the petals fall off and the thorns take over."

References

External links

*
Moviefone's Rosie Page
{{Ross Hunter 1967 films 1967 comedy films American comedy films American films based on plays Films based on multiple works Films directed by David Lowell Rich Films produced by Ross Hunter Films scored by Lyn Murray Films set in Los Angeles Universal Pictures films 1960s English-language films 1960s American films

Plot

Cast

Reception

See also

References

External links