Candy (1968)

Based on Terry Southern's satirical novel, a sendup of Voltaire's -Candide-. Young Candy is a high school girl who seeks truth and meaning in life, encountering a variety of kookie characters and humorous sexual situations in the process.

Director:

Christian Marquand

Writers:

Buck Henry (screenplay), Mason Hoffenberg (novel),

Stars:

Ewa Aulin, Charles Aznavour, Marlon Brando

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ewa Aulin	...	Candy Christian
Charles Aznavour	...	Hunchback juggler
Marlon Brando	...	Grindl
Richard Burton	...	MacPhisto
James Coburn	...	Dr. A.B. Krankheit
John Huston	...	Dr. Arnold Dunlap
Walter Matthau	...	Gen. R.A. Smight
Ringo Starr	...	Emmanuel
John Astin	...	T.M. Christian / Jack Christian
Elsa Martinelli	...	Livia
Sugar Ray Robinson	...	Zero
Anita Pallenberg	...	Nurse Bullock
Lea Padovani	...	Silvia Fontegliulo
Florinda Bolkan	...	Lolita
Marilù Tolo	...	Conchita

Storyline

Candy Christian is an innocent young girl when she first hears NcPhito, an alcoholic Welsh poet, talk of love and self-sacrifice. Candy narrowly escapes McPhisto's attempt to rape her, only to succumb to her father's Mexican gardener, Emmanuel. When her father catches her with the gardener, he banishes her to a trip with his twin brother, Uncle Jack, and Jack's wife Aunt Livia, who are headed for New York City. As Candy makes her way to the airport, Emmanuel's three sisters attack her because she has corrupted their brother. Because of Candy, Emmanuel has now forsaken the priesthood. During the scuffle, Candy's father takes a blow to the head, resulting in a serious head injury. Candy nearly gives in to a General Smight on the plane in exchange for a blood transfusion for her father. In New York, an ego-maniacal brain surgeon Dr. Krankeit operates on her father, while Uncle Jack pursues his own operation on Candy. When Candy bashes him with a bedpan, Uncle Jack is put in her father's ...

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Plot Keywords:

hermit | california | gardener | sex | surgeon | 

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Taglines:

Good Grief, It's Candy!

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Fantasy

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

France Italy USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 December 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

Candy - hun er så fræk

Filming Locations:

Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

American Broadcasting Company (ABC), Corona Cinematografica, Dear Film Produzione

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was entirely financed thanks to Marlon Brando's participation. Marquand and Brando knew each other for a long time and were good friends. Brando agreed to do the film as a favor to his friend. He didn't particularly like the script but he had fun shooting his sequence. Then other stars agreed to play a part in the movie and it was even easier to convince the producers.

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Quotes

Candy Christian: This hospital is filled with very sick people!

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Connections

Featured in Twisted Sex Vol. 16 (1996)

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Soundtracks

"Rock Me"
Performed by Steppenwolf

User Reviews

This film needs more consideration than it has been accorded.

I saw this film over the weekend on Showtime for the first time since I saw it in 1969. My memories of the film were sketchy and after it was over, I logged on here to find serious discussion of it so I could interpret some of the symbolism in the movie. What I found instead was inadequate discussion of what was good about the movie. Admittedly, it was over the top in a way that was typical of "alternative" movies in the late 60s, but there were some very interesting points that most people seem to overlook. Also open for dismissal seems to be the final sequence in the film where Candy walks through a field and passes each person she encountered during the movie. At the beginning of this sequence, she is wearing a pristine white sheet as a toga, but by the end of the stroll her sheet is covered in an ornate flower design. Almost throwaway bits during the stroll include Walter Matthau's army general as Don Quixote, the "Fountain of Youth" injections being given by James Coburn and John Astin's two characters being revealed as two aspects of the same. This movie seems quite capable of generating some serious discussion other than the obvious attack on its excesses and the vapid acting of the lead actress.