The Fortune (1975)

Director:

Mike Nichols

Writer:

Carole Eastman (written by)

Release Date:

16 October 1975 (Argentina)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Romance

Tagline:

It takes three to tango (if you don't count the chicken)

Plot:

Two bumbling hustlers in the 1920s attempt to gain the fortune of an heiress. Nothing will stop them . not even murder.

Plot Keywords:

Scheme | 1920s | Heiress | Will | Across State Lines

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Stockard Channing	...	Fredrika Contessa 'Freddie' Biggars / Sullivan
Jack Nicholson	...	Oscar Sullivan aka Oscar Dix
Warren Beatty	...	Nicky Wilson
Ian Wolfe	...	Justice of the Peace
Rose Michtom	...	His Wife
Brian Avery	...	Airline Steward
Florence Stanley	...	Mrs. Gould
Dub Taylor	...	Rattlesnake Tom
Catlin Adams	...	Girl Lover (as Nira Barab)
Christopher Guest	...	Boy Lover
Scatman Crothers	...	Fisherman
Tom Newman	...	John the Barber
Jim Antonio	...	1st Policeman
Vic Vallaro	...	2nd Policeman
Richard B. Shull	...	Chief Detective Sergeant Jack Power

Also Known As:

Spite and Malice

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Finland:K-16 | Iceland:L | Sweden:11 | UK:12 (video rating) (2005) | UK:AA (original rating) | USA:PG | UK:15 (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Culver City Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Stockard Channing replaced Bette Midler who was passed over for the role after asking Mike Nichols "What other movies have you done?" Cher also met Nichols to discuss the role but she, too, was not cast.

Quotes:

Nicky Wilson: [To Frederica who's screaming because Oscar is walking on the plane's wing during flight] Just ignore him.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Lion Roars Again (1975)

Amusing Nichols film with Hilarious Nicholson!

Mike Nichols' last good film that I'm sure bombed at the time. Stockard Channing almost steals the show as the young heiress, Warren Beatty is perfectly cast, and Nicholson is hilarious without doing much (great hair). There were a lot of good films in the 70's and this should have been included on most lists.

A 7 out of 10. Best performance = Jack Nicholson. There are scenes that fall flat, but the ones that work make it worthwhile. Great costumes and art-set direction as well. It's hard to imagine these two actors (Beatty & Nicholson) playing the characters they did in REDS six years later after playing these buffoons. Give it a shot.