Ash Wednesday (1973)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

Larry Peerce

Writer:

Jean-Claude Tramont (writer)

Release Date:

1 November 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Barbara Sawyer and her beauticians.

Plot:

Barbara gets secret plastic surgery in Switzerland in an attempt to save her marriage to Mark, but he doesn't seem interested in meeting her...

Plot Keywords:

Plastic Surgery | Clinic | Facelift | Surgery

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Elizabeth Taylor	...	Barbara Sawyer
Henry Fonda	...	Mark Sawyer
Helmut Berger	...	Erich
Keith Baxter	...	David
Maurice Teynac	...	Doctor Lambert
Margaret Blye	...	Kate
Monique van Vooren	...	German Woman
Henning Schlüter	...	Bridge Player
Dino Mele	...	Mario
Kathy Van Lypps	...	Mandy
Dina Sassoli	...	Nurse Ilse
Carlo Puri	...	Paolo
Andrea Esterhazy	...	Comte d'Arnoud
Jill Pratt	...	Simone
Irina Wassilchikoff	...	Silvano del Campo
Maximillian Windisch-Graetz	...	Viet Hartung
Nadia Stancioff	...	Helga
Rodolfo Lodi	...	Prince Von Essen
Raymond Vignale	...	Gregory de Rive
Jose De Vega	...	Tony Gutierrez
Samantha Starr	...	Samantha
Elena Tricoli	...	Elena
Maria Grazia Marescalchi	...	Saleslady
Sandra Johnson	...	Sandy

Directed by
Larry Peerce

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jean-Claude Tramont		writer

Produced by
Dominick Dunne	....	producer

Original Music by
Maurice Jarre

Cinematography by
Ennio Guarnieri

Film Editing by
Marion Rothman

Casting by
Paolo Rolli

Production Design by
Phil Abramson

Costume Design by
Edith Head

Makeup Department
Alexandre	....	hair stylist: Mrs Taylor (as Alexandre de Paris)
Alberto De Rossi	....	makeup artist: Mrs. Taylor
Giannetto De Rossi	....	makeup artist
Mirella De Rossi	....	hair stylist
Giancarlo Novelli	....	hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Steve Barnett	....	assistant director
Tony Brandt	....	assistant director
Mario Jurisic	....	second assistant director

Sound Department
Amilcare Cuccoli	....	boom operator
David Dockendorf	....	sound re-recordist
Basil Fenton-Smith	....	sound
James J. Klinger	....	sound effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Cesare Allione	....	camera operator
Ennio Picconi	....	key grip
Gianni Rozzacchi	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Annalisa Nasalli-Rocca	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Cesare D'Amico	....	assistant editor
Allan LaMastra	....	assistant editor (as Allan La Mastra)
Paul LaMastra	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Elvira D'Amico	....	script supervisor
Lanfranco Diotallevi	....	production assistant
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Ruth A. Oberdorfer	....	assistant to producer
Mario Olivieri	....	production assistant
Chuck Painter	....	press attache
Luciano Pesciaroli	....	production assistant
Luciano Piperno	....	set manager
Alfredo Sinatra	....	production accountant
Dr. Rodolphe Troques	....	technical advisor

Production Companies

• Sagittarius Productions

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1973) (USA) (theatrical)
• Alvorada Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1978) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)

Other Companies

• Sergio Soldano  furs
• Valentino  costumes: for Mrs. Taylor and Mardi Gras

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Sagittarius Productions

Trivia:

Contains footage from actual facelift operations, which repulsed many viewers when it was originally released.

Soundtrack:

Ruby

Guilty Pleasure

Ash Wednesday (1973) Costarring Henry Fonda, Taylor plays your typical depressed, run-of-the-mill, middle-aged housewife who in an attempt to win back her divorce-seeking husband, goes to a Swiss spa to undergo plastic surgery and regain her youthful beauty. Well, not only is the operation a success, she comes out of it looking like, well Elizabeth Taylor. Dominick Dunne produced this movie before he went on to novel writing fame and fortune. It's considered a really bad movie. I consider it high seventies camp at its best. Most definitely a thumbs up. Watch it in college with your friends over vodka tonics.