''Strange Bedfellows'' is a 1965 American romantic

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 o ...

directed by Melvin Frank and starring

Rock Hudson Rock Hudson (born Roy Harold Scherer Jr.; November 17, 1925 – October 2, 1985) was an American actor. One of the most popular movie stars of his time, he had a screen career spanning more than three decades. A prominent heartthrob in the Gold ...

Gina Lollobrigida Luigia "Gina" Lollobrigida (born 4 July 1927) is an Italian actress, photojournalist, and politician. She was one of the highest-profile European actresses of the 1950s and early 1960s, a period in which she was an international sex symbol. As o ...

Gig Young Gig Young (born Byron Elsworth Barr; November 4, 1913 – October 19, 1978) was an American actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in ''Come Fill the Cup'' (1952) and '' Teacher's Pet'' ...

, and

Terry-Thomas Terry-Thomas (born Thomas Terry Hoar Stevens; 10 July 19118 January 1990) was an English character actor and comedian who became internationally known through his films during the 1950s and 1960s. He often portrayed disreputable members of th ...

. It was released by

Universal Studios Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...

Plot

Carter, a wealthy American (Hudson) and Toni, a bohemian Italian woman (Lollobrigida) meet in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, and impulsively marry. Then finding they have virtually nothing in common, they separate. Seven years later, just days before they are to take steps to move forward on their divorce, they meet again and begin to rekindle the romance. More turmoil ensues as Carter tries to establish a 'respectable family life' in order to ensure a promotion, and Toni continues involving herself in public protests.

Cast

as Carter Harrison *

as Toni Vincente *

as Richard Bramwell *

Edward Judd Edward Judd (4 October 1932 – 24 February 2009) was a British actor. Biography Born in Shanghai, he and his English father and Russian mother fled when the Japanese attacked China five years later. His career was at its peak in the 1960s ...

as Harry Jones *

as Assistant Mortician *

Arthur Haynes Arthur Haynes (14 May 1914 – 19 November 1966) was an English comedian and star of ''The Arthur Haynes Show'', a comedy sketch series produced by ATV from 1956

as Carter's Taxi Driver * Howard St. John as J. L. Stevens *

Nancy Kulp Nancy Jane Kulp (August 28, 1921 – February 3, 1991) was an American character actress and comedienne best known as Miss Jane Hathaway on the CBS television series ''The Beverly Hillbillies''. Early life Kulp was born to Robert Tilden and M ...

as Aggressive Woman * David King as Toni's Taxi Driver *

Peggy Rea Peggy Jane Rea (March 31, 1921 – February 5, 2011) was an American actress known for her many roles in television, often playing matronly characters.

as Mavis Masters * Joseph Sirola as Petracini * Lucy Landau as Jolly Woman * Bernard Fox as Policeman * James McCallion as Old Man *

Edith Atwater Edith Atwater (April 22, 1911 – March 14, 1986) was an American stage, film, and television actress. Career Born in Chicago, Atwater made her Broadway debut in 1933. In 1939, she starred in ''The Man Who Came to Dinner''. Her film career i ...

as Mrs. Stevens *

Hedley Mattingly Hedley Howard Mattingly (May 7, 1915 – March 3, 1998) was a British actor who appeared in many American films and television series. Career Hedley Mattingly was born in London, England. He began his career as a stage actor before the ou ...

as Bagshot *

John Orchard John Orchard (15 November 1928 – 3 November 1995) was an English actor. He is probably best remembered for playing Australian anesthesiologist "Ugly John" Black in the first season of ''M*A*S*H''. Career Orchard guest starred as Sgt. Walte ...

as Radio Dispatcher *

Henry Corden Henry Corden (born Henry Cohen; January 6, 1920 – May 19, 2005) was a Canadian-born American actor, best known for taking over the role of Fred Flintstone after Alan Reed's death in 1977. His official debut as Fred's new voice was in the 1 ...

as Sheik's Interpreter (uncredited) *

Maurice Dallimore Maurice Albert Dallimore (23 June 1912 – 20 February 1973) was an English actor who lived and worked mostly in the United States. Most noted for portraying proper British character roles, he appeared as a regular or recurring character on ma ...

as Gentleman in Rain (uncredited) *

Noel Drayton Noel Drayton (October 7, 1913 – December 7, 1981) was an actor who remains perhaps best known for playing supporting roles in Hollywood films like ''Elephant Walk'', ''The Court Jester'', '' Plymouth Adventure'' and ''Botany Bay'' during the ...

as Cab Driver (uncredited) * Jack Good as Binky Waring (uncredited) * Simon Scott as Jim Slade, Divorce Lawyer (uncredited)

Release

The film earned rentals in North America of $2,750,000. ''Strange Bedfellows'' was available on DVD on July 1, 2003.

Novelization

Slightly in advance of the film's release, as was the custom of the era, a paperback novelization of the screenplay was published by

Pyramid Books Jove Books, formerly known as Pyramid Books, is an American paperback and eBook publishing imprint, founded as an independent paperback house in 1949 by Almat Magazine Publishers (Alfred R. Plaine and Matthew Huttner). The company was sold to ...

. The author was renowned crime and western novelist Marvin H. Albert, who also made something of a cottage industry out of movie tie-ins. He seems to have been the most prolific screenplay novelizer of the late '50s through mid '60s, and, during that time, the preeminent specialist at light comedy.

References

Sources

External links

* * 1965 films 1965 romantic comedy films American romantic comedy films 1960s English-language films Films about marriage Films directed by Melvin Frank Films scored by Leigh Harline Films set in London Films shot in London Universal Pictures films 1960s American films {{romantic-comedy-film-stub