Customer Reviews

Any Wednesday [VHS]

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3 star:		(1)
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Jane Fonda did quite a few of these situation sex comedies early on in her career, before her "Barbarella" period, and long before she became a serious actress in "They Shoot Horses, Don't They" and "Klute". Most were based on hit Broadway plays, like "Barefoot in the Park" by Neil Simon. "Any Wednesday" is just such a light, sexy comedy based on a hit Broadway play, which plays up Ms. Fonda's All-American good looks and quick comic timing.

In this film, Ms. Fonda plays a young art gallery employee who is being aggressively courted by one of the richest financiers in the world, played with a twinkle in his eye by Jason Robards. Unfortunately the Robards character is also a married man, which is a definite no-no for the virginal Jane. But after a year of phone calls and romance, Robards catches Jane in a weak moment when she is about to lose her beloved apartment. The apartment is going co-op and she cannot afford to buy it. Rich Mr. Robards buys the apartment for Jane, and sets her up there as his once-a-week mistress -- on Wednesday nights when he has told his wife he is going out of town. That's the set-up and the end of Act 1.

Complications set in when a new secretary sends handsome, (and single) Dean Jones to the apartment, which Robards is calling an "executive suite" so he can get a tax write-off. At some point, the boss' wife also shows up and then the hilarity begins, since the wife finds Jones and Fonda in the apartment and immediately assumes they are a married couple visiting from out-of-town and being put up in her husband's executive suite.

I enjoy these frothy comedies from the sixties, and this is one of the cutest. Unfortunately it is not available on DVD yet, only on VHS. So in order to enjoy it, I ordered it through the Amazon downloading program which put it straight onto my computer for under ten bucks. Pretty good deal until I can get ahold of the DVD.

cute movie, great cast, good story. the movie is easy to follow. anyone who likes romantic comedies will like this.the subject matter is not really suitable for young kids. it is about a married man who keeps a mistress. Jane Fonda is perfect in roles like this- cute, funny but not the sharpest tool in the shed. good on screen chemistry with dean jones. If you like jane Fondas early work, you'll like this.

This was yet another bedroom comedy/farce that ran successfully on Broadway for several seasons in the mid 1960's. Although Sandy Dennis as Ellen Gordon won a Tony Award, at that point of her career she was more a stage name than movie star. So the role was given to Jane Fonda who was in the forefront for most of the ingénue roles in films of Broadway romantic comedies of the early to mid 1960's. Since Ellen is the star role, and the film revolves around her, this would seem to be a good choice.

Ellen Gordon (Jane Fonda), a thirty-year-old child-woman has been the mistress of married business tycoon John Cleves (Jason Robards) for two years and is both guilty and unhappy about her status. Cleves' company bought her East Side apartment in Manhattan when it was going co-op and she couldn't afford the price. Technically, it's now the executive suite of his company to be used by visiting businessmen and dignitaries. However, it never is, Ellen remains living there alone except for Wednesdays when Cleves spends the night with her. On Ellen's birthday, Miss Linsley (Ann Prentiss), Cleves' inept new secretary sends Cass Henderson (Dean Jones), a young out of town businessman, who has urgent business to settle with Cleves over to the apartment just after he has left. Surprising Ellen, Cass suspects she is being kept by someone high in the company, possibly Cleves himself, and stalls for time to try and find out. In the meantime, Miss Linsley strikes again and sends Dorothy Cleves (Rosemary Murphy) over to the apartment after Cleves. Dorothy assumes Ellen and Cass are married, likes them, but is appalled by the décor of the "executive suite". Cleves telephones Ellen while Dorothy is there, but gets Cass instead, Cleves is jealous and enraged and comes back to the apartment after Dorothy has gone to confront Cass and get rid of him. In the meantime, Ellen now even more ashamed after meeting the sweet natured and gracious Dorothy impulsively proposes marriage to Cass. He while nonplussed is still intrigued and attracted to Ellen. While the three of them are arguing, who should arrives back but Dorothy, decorator in tow. Cleves escapes detection, but is furious when Dorothy invites Cass and Ellen for dinner with them that evening, and Cass blithely accepts. That's enough of the plot I hope to pique your interest.

After Jane Fonda's debut film in "Tall Story", this is the second weakest in her quintet of Broadway adaptations. In her autobiography, she made it clear she found this movie extremely conventional, and she doesn't seem like she has her heart in it. There is a frenetic quality to her emoting, she doesn't seem relaxed, and her voice is too often shrill. Her physical appearance works against her as well, according to the credits "Carita" is the wigmaker, she put poor Ms. Fonda in a towering blonde fright wig, which is frumpy and aging. Dorothy Jeakins costumes lack flair and youthfulness for an ingénue role, and this was the mid sixties when fashion was exploding along with everything else. Ms. Fonda's face is drained of color with the pale makeup that is used, as contrasted with her blooming complexion in "Sunday in New York". The total effect works against Ms. Fonda, and while she has her charming moments, and you are rooting for her happiness, she is still not quite at the top of her form. Luckily, "Barefoot in the Park" released the following year would restore her back to a top notch comic actress.

Jason Robards is a silver fox as John Cleves, but the character is very unsympathetic, and as written has very little charm. Fortunately Fonda and Robards would work together more felicitously eleven years later in "Julia". As Cass Henderson, Ellen's knight in shining armor, Dean Jones has an earnest good guy quality, and Rosemary Murphy as Dorothy Cleves hits a bulls eye as the cultured socialite right down to her affected "Larchmont Lockjaw" accent to borrow a term from my wife.

Good points are the New York City exteriors; the bright, warm lighting that is ideal for romantic comedy, and the spacious, airy apartment of Ellen's. Also, veteran screenwriter Julius Epstein has opened up Muriel Resnik's play, with many locations outside the stage set of Ellen's apartment, and developed the story for example showing how Ellen and Cleves met and started their affair. All involved made sure it wasn't just the filmed play like an earlier example of a big Broadway hit "Mary, Mary." Finally, it's a good curio piece of a genre rarely seen nowadays, so there is the nostalgia factor as well.

If you feel the price may be a little steep, since as far as I can see there are no extras,this is another film that shows up frequently on the cable channel Turner Classic Movies, it was shown just last week. Give it a try; it's light and amusing if you're in the mood for a slightly naughty romantic comedy that won't improve your mind!

Ellen (Jane Fonda) can not afford her apartment. John Cleves (Jason Robards) the married man with which she has an understanding (every Wednesday), comes up with a scheme to pay for the apartment as a company location for guests. John is very thoughtful he tells Ellen that He will be getting a divorce "now where have we heard that one before?" And even gives her a diamond bracelet (which happens to have the company logo imbedded.)

Ditsy secretary (Ann Prentiss) send irate supplier (Dean Jones) to stay at guest location as it was designed for. As you can guess things get convoluted from there. Who gets the girl? Who does the girl want? Does wife (Rosemary Murphy) ever get wise? What is the importance of sleeves and balloons?

If you liked "Sunday in New York"; You will love this.

Sunday in New York [VHS]

I think this movie good. I wish all of you can see this movie. It is a very good movie. This movie was a lot of fun. I liked watching this movie when I watched it. Well, it really was funny so I thought I would see if anybody really read these reviews. I liked Jane Fonda back in 1966 or at least the movies she was making around that time. This is not like SUNDAY IN NEW YORK, my favorite with her, but you should like this movie anyway.