The Opposite Sex (1956)

Shortly after their tenth wedding anniversary, New York City Theater Producer Steven Hilliard (Leslie Nielsen) and his wife, former popular radio singer Kay Ashley Hilliard (June Allyson), ... See full summary »

Director:

David Miller

Writers:

Fay Kanin (screenplay), Michael Kanin (screenplay)

Stars:

June Allyson, Joan Collins, Dolores Gray

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
June Allyson	...	Kay Ashley Hilliard
Joan Collins	...	Crystal Allen
Dolores Gray	...	Sylvia Fowler
Ann Sheridan	...	Amanda Penrose
Ann Miller	...	Gloria Dahl
Leslie Nielsen	...	Steve Hilliard
Jeff Richards	...	Buck Winston
Agnes Moorehead	...	Countess de Brion
Charlotte Greenwood	...	Lucy
Joan Blondell	...	Edith Potter
Sam Levene	...	Mike Pearl
Bill Goodwin	...	Howard Fowler
Alice Pearce	...	Olga
Barbara Jo Allen	...	Dolly DeHaven
Sandy Descher	...	Debbie Hilliard

Storyline

Shortly after their tenth wedding anniversary, New York City Theater Producer Steven Hilliard (Leslie Nielsen) and his wife, former popular radio singer Kay Ashley Hilliard (June Allyson), are getting a Kay-initiated Reno divorce after Kay finds out about a marital indiscretion he had with Crystal Allen (Dame Joan Collins), a gold digging chorus girl in one of his shows. News of the indiscretion made its way to Kay indirectly by her catty friend, Sylvia Fowler (Dolores Gray). In Kay getting the divorce, Kay's best friend, playwright Amanda Penrose (Ann Sheridan) believes Kay is playing right into the wants of Crystal, whose main goal is not to be happily married to Steven, but to get what such a marriage can bring to her in material wealth and comfort. Amanda does not believe Steven loves Crystal and that he still really does love Kay. And Kay does proceed with the divorce despite believing theirs was a happy and loving marriage before she learned of the indiscretion, and despite ...

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Plot Keywords:

chorus line | stage show | reno nevada | remake | based on play | 

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Taglines:

FAST, FRANK, FUNNY! (original print ad - all caps)

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The three Reno divorcees drive into the country in a 1956 Lincoln convertible.

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Goofs

At the end of the "Yellow Gold" musical number, two chorus boys leap up onto the banana trees for their final pose. Just as the curtain is closing, you can see the stage-left dancer slip from his position and slide down the tree.

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Quotes

Title Card: Manhattan Island... A body of land consisting of four million square males - completely surrounded by women.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits: Manhattan Island ... A body of land consisting of four million square males-completely surrounded by women.

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Connections

Version of Producers' Showcase: The Women (1955)

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Soundtracks

Yellow Gold
(uncredited)
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
Performed by Jerry Antes, Joan Collins, Carolyn Jones

User Reviews

why is everyone trashing this movie?

I don't know why so many people on here are trashing this film. Is it a classic movie, no. But is it so awful, no. It is a perfectly good, entertaining movie. I think Allyson, the perfect 50's movie wife, is cast well as Kay, who is a perfect wife who gets left. I thought it was a little inside 50s joke, here is the perfect wife being left. Anyway, she is good and yes she was not 20, but it is a wife role and her daughter is about 10. It is not a young woman's part, that is the whole point; the husband leaves her for a younger woman. Ann Miller, Agnes Moorehead, Ann Sheridan, Dolores Gray, Joan Collins are all great. Does Miller sing or dance, no. But maybe someone was thinking she was a good actress and funny with lines and could be in a movie and not tap dance. I am sure she was happy to be cast as an actress for once. She was always a very funny performer. So check the movie out for yourself, it is really pretty good (and nice to see Allyson in some pretty clothes after all those years of white blouses in movies).

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 April 1957 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

The Opposite Sex

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,834,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Perspecta Stereo (as Perspecta Sound) 4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1