The Bachelor (1999)

A committment-phobic man goes in search of a bride including his fed up girlfriend, to inherit his grandfather's $100 million inheritance.

Director:

Gary Sinyor

Writers:

Roi Cooper Megrue (play), Jean C. Havez,

Stars:

Chris O'Donnell, Renée Zellweger, Artie Lange

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Chris O'Donnell	...	Jimmie Shannon
Renée Zellweger	...	Anne Arden
Artie Lange	...	Marco
Edward Asner	...	Sid Gluckman
Hal Holbrook	...	Roy O'Dell
James Cromwell	...	The Priest
Marley Shelton	...	Natalie Arden
Peter Ustinov	...	Grandad James Shannon
Katharine Towne	...	Monique
Rebecca Cross	...	Stacey
Stacy Edwards	...	Zoe
Mariah Carey	...	Ilana
Sarah Silverman	...	Carolyn
Jennifer Esposito	...	Daphne
Brooke Shields	...	Buckley Hale-Windsor

Storyline

Jimmie is seeing his single friends get married one by one. He isn't too worried until his girlfriend Anne catches the bouquet at his friend Marco's wedding. Suddenly, his wild mustang days are numbered. He finally decides to propose to her, but he sticks his foot in his mouth and botches the proposal. Being insulted by the defeatist proposal, Anne leaves town on an assignment. After she's gone, he finds out that his recently-deceased grandfather's will stipulates that he gets nothing of a multi-million dollar fortune unless he's married by 6:05pm on his 30th birthday: tomorrow! Not being able to find Anne, Jimmie begins backtracking through his past girlfriends to find a wife.

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Plot Keywords:

grandfather | inheritance | love | bachelor | box office flop | 

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Taglines:

One thousand brides. One hundred million dollars. Jimmie Shannon is about to discover the true value of love.

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Genres:

Romance | Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for language

Details

Official Sites:

Metropolitan Filmexport (France) New Line Cinema

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

5 November 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

El soltero más codiciado

Filming Locations:

Cook Ranch, Galisteo, New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$21,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£291,436 (UK) (18 February 2000)

Gross:

£761,788 (UK) (3 March 2000)

Company Credits

Production Co:

George Street Pictures, Lloyd Segan Company, The, New Line Cinema

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of the brides mentions that she "went to Princeton where Brooke Shields went". Brooke Shields plays Buckley in the movie.

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Goofs

When Jimmie is at his grandfather's funeral, he says "...he rose up and called the doctors scum suckers." But that is clearly not what his mouth says.

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Quotes

[after Jimmie is rejected by his ex-girlfriend Stacey]
Jimmie: She's engaged.
Marco: Engaged, or married? Because if she's only engaged...

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Connections

Referenced in Family Guy: Brian's Got a Brand New Bag (2009)

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Soundtracks

"Lie Low"
Written by Matt Bronleewe, Steffany Vandeveer, Tiffany Arbuckle
Performed by Tiffany Arbuckle (as Plumb)

User Reviews

Here come the brides

Jimmy Shannon has a big problem. What is he to do with an inheritance of a hundred millions left to him by his grandfather if he doesn't marry by a set date? Having said the wrong things to the one woman he truly loves, has resulted in sending Anne Arden away; she wants nothing to do with him. Unknown to Anne, Jimmy is now a rich man. Will she come back to him, or will Jimmy marry someone else that will assure him of the millions he inherited?

When it comes to dumb situations made by Hollywood, nothing is too much. This formula film, directed by Gary Sinyor, doesn't go anywhere. It tries to be too cute for its own good. It also has a gimmick going for itself when hundreds of women dressed in wedding gowns come to claim Jimmy for themselves.

The problem is with the pairing of a bland Chris O'Donnell, with another bland actress, Renee Zellwegger, who is the epitome of "cuteness" in the movies. If the viewer accepts these two can even attract one another, then there is nothing wrong in the world. Ed Asner and Hal Holbrook, two good actors are seen in the film, but they have nothing to play with.

Steve Cohen's screenplay doesn't do justice to the original material created originally for Buster Keaton, a genius in his own right, who should probably he horrified by this take on "Seven Chances".