''Some Kind of a Nut'' is a 1969 American

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

written and directed by

Garson Kanin Garson Kanin (November 24, 1912 – March 13, 1999) was an American writer and director of plays and films. Early life Garson Kanin was born in Rochester, New York; his Jewish family later relocated to Detroit then to New York City. He at ...

and starring

Dick Van Dyke Richard Wayne Van Dyke (born December 13, 1925) is an American actor, entertainer and comedian. Dick Van Dyke on screen and stage, His work spans screen and stage, and List of awards and nominations received by Dick Van Dyke, his awards includ ...

, Angie Dickinson and Rosemary Forsyth. This was the final film of Dennis King.

Plot

Fred Amidon is a

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

bank teller whose wife Rachel is divorcing him. Fred already has a new fiancée, bank colleague Pamela Anders, with whom he is about to embark on a vacation. While on a picnic in the park, Fred is stung on the chin by a bee. Because it hurts him to shave, Fred lets a full beard grow. He returns to work from vacation and is surprised when his boss orders him to shave. Pamela doesn't care for the beard, either, but Fred is tired of always conforming to everyone else's desires and demands. He refuses and is fired. Colleagues come to Fred's defense. The male ones grow beards in support. Co-workers go on strike and carry picket signs outside the bank, soon joined by hippies and jazz musicians with beards. Fred becomes an overnight media sensation. Rachel likes the new Fred's backbone and fortitude. Pamela does not. She drugs his wine and has her brothers shave him. Fred wakes up with their work half-finished. He flees on foot, wearing half a beard and nothing else but underwear and shoes. Police arrest him and place him in a psychiatric ward. Rachel rescues him, they reconcile and Fred shaves the beard, which he never intended to keep.

Cast

as Fred Amidon * Angie Dickinson as Rachel Amidon * Rosemary Forsyth as Pamela Anders * Zohra Lampert as Bunny Erickson * Elliott Reid as Gardner Anders * Steve Roland as Baxter Anders * Dennis King as Otis Havemeyer * Pippa Scott as Dr. Sara * Heywood Hale Broun as Himself * Peter Brocco as Mr. Suzumi * Benny Baker as Cab Driver * Harry Davis as Dr. Phillip D. Ball * Roy Roberts as 1st Vice President * Jonathan Hole as 2nd Vice President * Robert Ito as George Toyota * Danny Crystal as Dr. Abrams * Lucy Saroyan as Samantha * David Doyle as Larry, Bank Teller * Carole Shelley as Rita, Bank Teller *

Jennifer O'Neill Jennifer O'Neill (born February 20, 1948) is a Brazilian-born American author, model, and former actress. Born in Brazil, and moving to the United States as an infant, she first came to prominence as a teenaged model (person), model, and for he ...

as the beauty (uncredited) *

Howard Hesseman Howard Hesseman (February 27, 1940 – January 29, 2022) was an American actor known for his television roles as burned-out disc jockey Dr. Johnny Fever on '' WKRP in Cincinnati'' and the lead role of history teacher Charlie Moore on '' Head ...

as bartender (uncredited)

References

External links

*
''Some Kind of a Nut'' at AllMovie
* * 1969 films 1969 comedy films American comedy films American satirical films 1960s English-language films Films directed by Garson Kanin Films produced by Walter Mirisch Films scored by Johnny Mandel Films set in New York City Films shot in New York City United Artists films 1960s American films Films with screenplays by Garson Kanin {{1960s-US-film-stub