Lily in Love (1984)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Károly Makk

Writer:

Frank Cucci (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

19 April 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Broadway star Fitzroy Wynn is thrilled when his wife Lily writes a new script with a brilliant lead role...

Plot Keywords:

Italian | Actor | Broadway | Script | Casting

Cast

Christopher Plummer	...	Fitzroy Wynn / Roberto Terranova
Maggie Smith	...	Lily Wynn
Elke Sommer	...	Alicia Braun
Adolph Green	...	Jerry Silber
Sándor Szabó	...	Teodor
János Kende	...	Gabor
János Xantus	...	Miklos
István Butykai	...	Bela
György Fehér
Dénes Ujlaky	...	Worker
Zoltán Bezerédy	...	Second Worker
Zoltán Gera	...	Malev Officer
Judit Meszléry	...	Malev Officer
Ildikó Kishonti	...	Actress
Rosetta LeNoire	...	Rosanna
David Purdham	...	Young Actor
Beatrix Porter	...	Young Actress
Jennifer Prichard	...	Young Actress (as Jennifer Babtist)
Merwin Goldsmith	...	Producer
Aaron Lustig	...	Chauffeur

Directed by
Károly Makk

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Frank Cucci		writer
Ferenc Molnár		play "A testör" (uncredited)

Produced by
Péter Bacsó	....	executive producer
Robert Halmi Jr.	....	executive producer
Robert Halmi Sr.	....	producer (as Robert Halmi)
Altman E. Robert	....	associate producer (as Robert E. Altman)

Original Music by
Szabolcs Fényes

Cinematography by
John Lindley

Film Editing by
Norman Gay

Casting by
Phyllis Kasha

Art Direction by
Tamás Vayer

Set Decoration by
Susan Kaufman
Harriet Zucker

Costume Design by
Clifford Capone
Emöke Csengey

Makeup Department
Edit Basilides	....	makeup artist: Ms. Smith
Erika Bayer	....	makeup artist
Carl Fullerton	....	special makeup effects artist
Magdolna Márta	....	makeup artist
Patrick Moreton	....	wigs/hair designer
Jolán Niederhoffer	....	hair stylist
Erzsébet Rácz	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Michelangelo Csaba Bolla	....	assistant unit manager (as Csaba Bolla)
Robert Halmi Jr.	....	unit production manager
Judith Kóczány	....	unit manager
András Ozorai	....	production manager
Joel Stillman	....	production supervisor
Ildikó Szolga	....	unit manager
László Vajda	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Kálmán Balogh	....	first assistant director
István Bucsi	....	first assistant director
Christopher Griffin	....	second assistant director
András Monory Mész	....	assistant director (as András Mész)
Dwight Williams	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Péter Brill	....	construction coordinator
Ferenc Heisz	....	construction coordinator
Ron Stone	....	property master

Sound Department
Jack Cooley	....	sound re-recording mixer
Farrel Levy	....	assistant sound editor (as Farrel Levy Duffy)
Lawrence Loewinger	....	sound recordist
István Sipos	....	sound recordist
György Sívó	....	dubbing editor
Sandy Tung	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Ferenc Hábetler	....	special effects
Péter Tímár	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Tamás Andor	....	camera operator
John Beymer	....	camera operator
Gábor Deák	....	assistant camera
Steve Drellich	....	first assistant camera
Bill Farber	....	best boy
József Halom	....	assistant camera
Ferenc Kátai	....	gaffer
Tamás Kende	....	still photographer
Richard C. Kerekes	....	dolly grip
Mitchell Andrew Lillian	....	key grip (as Mitch Lillian)
Marc Rogers	....	gaffer
Barry Wetcher	....	still photographer: New York (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sylvia Fay	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Elin Bjorkman	....	wardrobe (as Ellie Bjorkman)
Barbara Hause	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Ralph O. Sepulveda Jr.	....	apprentice editor
Karen I. Stern	....	assistant editor

Music Department
George Andrews	....	conductor
George Andrews	....	orchestrator
Irwin Fisch	....	composer: additional music
Gary Knox	....	music arranger: "This Will Never Change"

Other crew
William Curry	....	teamster captain (as Billy Curry Sr.)
Lydia Dean Pilcher	....	production assistant (as Lydia Pilcher)
Jean Garcia	....	secretary to producer
Adrienne Hamalian-Mangine	....	script supervisor (as Adrienne Hamalian)
Ferenc Kardos	....	technician
Edit Nagy	....	cashier (as Edith Nagy)
Gogi Sargeant	....	auditor
Victor Skita	....	assistant to producer
Michael Sweeney	....	production assistant
Selma Weitz	....	financial consultant

Production Companies

• Hungarofilm
• Mafilm
• Players Associates
• Robert Halmi

Distributors

• New Line Cinema

Other Companies

• EFX Unlimited  titles

Also Known As:

Játszani kell (Hungary)
Playing for Keeps

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

Hungary | USA

Language:

English | Hungarian

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:PG-13

Company:

Hungarofilm

Starts off fun...gets better...then crashes and burns.

First off, let me say that I believe Dame Maggie Smith to be the classiest actress in cinema. Her eyes are mesmerizing - she can look so coy and yet still patronize with a little curl in her grin. She certainly does not disappoint in this tale of comedic deception and romance.

The set-up is cute...Christopher Plummer plays Fitz Wynn, a truly talented but overly-satisfied stage actor who wants to star in a new movie written by his wife, Lily (Smith). Lily doesn't feel her Fitz is right for the part, and explains to him why and what she's looking for in the role. Fitz proceeds to orchestrate his own transformation (with the reluctant assistance of his agent) into Roberto Terranova, a blonde Italian who seems to be exactly what Lily wants. His deception seems successful, but does Lily want Roberto for more than just her movie?

It is at this point where the movie struggles - the initial delicious tension goes bland with redundancies; and although some wit is regained at the climax, the movie struggles through some sort of resolution, leaving us wondering just when the credits will roll?

Plummer does fine - his 'tantrums' seem contrived, but I don't really blame him. Smith is as witty as a lady can be with this material, which seems so dated now - especially the music (groan). As for the rest of the cast, Elke Sommer is totally wasted, and the remainders are unrecognizable and unimpressive.

In summary, the sole reason to watch *Lily in Love* is to watch Maggie Smith. She is graceful, she is radiant, and she is the perpetual professional. Rating 5/10 for the film :: 10/10 for Dame Maggie Smith