The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker

The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Lawrence Turman
Produced by Lawrence Turman
Written by Lorenzo Semple Jr
Charles Webb
Starring Richard Benjamin
Joanna Shimkus
Elizabeth Ashley
Adam West
Patricia Barry
Music by Fred Karlin
Cinematography László Kovács
Edited by Fredric Steinkamp
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release dates
  • August 19, 1971 (1971-08-19)
Running time
95 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $2,230,000[1] or $1.5 million[2]

The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker is an American romantic comedy-drama film released in 1971, based on a novel of the same title by Charles Webb. It was directed and produced by Lawrence Turman, whose credits most notably include producing 1967's high-grossing hit The Graduate, which also was 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.

Synopsis

The story mainly deals with the crumbling marriage of William Alren (Richard Benjamin) and his wife Lisa (Joanna Shimkus), 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 (Elizabeth Ashley) to get a divorce. Nan's own marriage to Chester (Adam West) 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.

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).

See also

References

Notes

  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. But They Still Say 'Larry Who?': They Say 'Larry Who?' By ALJEAN HARMETZHOLLYWOOD.. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 24 Jan 1971: D13.
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