Customer Reviews

40 Carats [VHS]

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

All the other reviewers of this movie have focussed on Liv Ullman and Gene Kelly. They are great in this film. But I found the real charm in the young man, as portrayed by Edward Albert. (Green Acres' Eddie Albert's son.) His role as a confident, self-assured young man, hot in pursuit of Liv, was fabulous. He conveyed humor, irony, self-deprecation and raw sex-appeal. He was even better than in his award winning role in "Butterflies Are Free". HE made the film for me, but all-in-all, I agree that this film is a joy and not to be missed.

This is an uplifting, cozy film about a May-December romance.
The characters are wonderful and you wish you can hang out with
them. Very funny and I can't believe it isn't out on DVD. See
it if you like warm 70's flicks. Gene Kelly is great.

This is a feel-good movie about a May-December romance.The story begins in romantic Greece and revolves around Liv Ulman trying to resist her "infatuation" with a younger man. A supporting role by Gene Kelly also helps to make this movie a gem. The impact on her family, his family and herself makes for a delicious comedy that has a...well you'll have to enjoy it for yourself to see how it all works out!

Years ago, I saw this story when it was on Broadway, right after the original leading lady left the show. She was replaced by June Allyson and Tom Poston played the Gene Kelly role. Anyway, the story and cast were wonderful. Just yesterday I remembered that I'd seen the movie version and thought it was about time I added it to my DVD collection. What a disappointment to find out it was only available in VHS. While I'd love to have it, I've had too much trouble with old videotapes deteriorating and in one case getting jammed in the videotape player and costing a fortune to have it repaired.

Hollywood (or whoever needs to hear this), PLEASE issue 40 Carats on DVD.

An enjoyable romantic comedy set in NYC and Greece. It's the story that clearly inspired "How Stella Got Her Groove Back," but is quite a bit better (and funnier) in my view. Nancy Walker (Rhoda, a zillion other shows) and Mrs. Howell from Gilligan's Island are just a few of the great actors in this gem of a film.

And while you're at it, what about the DVD of the other 1973 Liv Ullman film, "Lost Horizon?" There's an audience for this if a decent job is done on mastering/transferring.

Forty Carats is the frothy Broadway comedy typical of Broadway several decades ago. This film version is given a greater dimension with the casting of foreign actress Liv Ullman in the leading role. Ullman gives this comedy a greater degree of poignancy and depth. In this story about a 40-ish woman being romanced by a man almost half her age, one can see that Ullman was clearly too young for the part. Although this fact works against her performance, Ullman's extraordinary skill as an actress makes us believe in her plight and you end up rooting for a happy ending. Forty Carats has a good supporting cast. Film veteran Binnie Barnes is delightful as Ullman's mother and hoofer Gene Kelly plays a pivotal role as Ullman's ex-husband. The beautiful Deborah Raffin made her film debut as Ullman's daughter. But this is Ullman's movie all the way and she makes this film worth watching.

It is time this film was brought out on DVD so that younger generations can discover its magic for themselves.

Saw this film years ago and loved it. Can't understand why it's not shown more often, but a great film for today's more liberal generation, and for the more enlightened way we perceive women, though there's still a way to go. Unlike Something's Gotta Give, this doesn't have a politically correct ending! Though I loved that film too. Great, star-studded cast, well acted and directed.

"40 Carats" - a light and cheerful comedy is the only comedy I've seen Liv Ullmann in. She plays Ann Stanley, forty years old Manhattan Real Estate agent divorcee who lives with her mother and 16 years old daughter. On her vacation in Greece, she meets 22 years old Peter Latham (Edward Albert), and they spend the night together. Ann quietly disappears into the early morning hours, leaving him with the memories of the night and nothing else - no address or telephone number. Peter later returns to New York, where one evening he arrives to pick up a date for the evening. Guess, who his date's mother is?

What follows is, IMO, funny and charming romantic comedy with wonderful supporting performances from Gene Kelly (as Ann's first annoying husband), Binnie Barnes and Deborah Raffin. I've read some comments that Liv was miscast and was not comfortable playing such a light comedy after all the profound and tragic characters she had played for Bergman. I don't think so. For me, one of the most memorable scenes of the film is the one after Liv (Ann) returns home from her vacation and is asked what Greece was like? Ann turns to face a camera, smiles, and says, "Greece glows under the sun" - but it is her face, her smile, her eyes that glow. If ever the saying, the eyes are the soul's mirror, is true, it is about Liv's eyes. There are kindness, tenderness, strength, and something even more attractive than beauty itself in them - the goodness of her soul.

"40 Carats" was a very pleasant surprise for me. I hope that it will be released on DVD soon and become available for all admirers of Liv Ullmann and of funny and clever romantic comedies.

Great movie. Just google 40 Carats DVD and you'll find it. Don't let this classic pass you by because of Hollywood greed!