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IMDbPro

The Opposite Sex

  • 1956
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 57m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
1.8K
YOUR RATING
Leslie Nielsen, June Allyson, Joan Blondell, Joan Collins, Agnes Moorehead, Dolores Gray, Sam Levene, Ann Miller, and Ann Sheridan in The Opposite Sex (1956)
Kay Hilliard (June Allyson), a former nightclub singer, married ten years and mother of a young daughter, is informed that her husband Steven (Leslie Nielsen) is having an affair with chorus girl Crystal Allen (Dame Joan Collins), so she goes to Reno for a divorce. After that, Steven marries Crystal, but Crystal isn't true. When Kay hears about this, she starts fighting to win her ex-husband back.
Play trailer3:43
2 Videos
37 Photos
ComedyMusicalRomance

Shortly after their 10th wedding anniversary, New York City theater producer Steven Hilliard (Leslie Nielsen) and his wife, former popular radio singer Kay Ashley Hilliard (June Allyson), ar... Read allShortly after their 10th 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... Read allShortly after their 10th 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 show... Read all

  • Director
    • David Miller
  • Writers
    • Fay Kanin
    • Michael Kanin
    • Clare Boothe Luce
  • Stars
    • June Allyson
    • Joan Collins
    • Dolores Gray
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.1/10
    1.8K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • David Miller
    • Writers
      • Fay Kanin
      • Michael Kanin
      • Clare Boothe Luce
    • Stars
      • June Allyson
      • Joan Collins
      • Dolores Gray
    • 67User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations

    Videos2

    Theatrical Trailer
    Trailer 3:43
    Watch Theatrical Trailer
    The Opposite Sex: I Take It Off
    Clip 2:43
    Watch The Opposite Sex: I Take It Off

    Photos37

    Joan Collins in The Opposite Sex (1956)
    June Allyson, Joan Collins, Barrie Chase, Carolyn Jones, and Ellen Ray in The Opposite Sex (1956)
    June Allyson, Jack Dodds, Casse Jaeger, Frank Radcliffe, and Marc Wilder in The Opposite Sex (1956)
    June Allyson and Casse Jaeger in The Opposite Sex (1956)
    Jerry Antes, Barrie Chase, Helen Jay, and Ellen Ray in The Opposite Sex (1956)
    Alice Pearce in The Opposite Sex (1956)
    Sandy Descher in The Opposite Sex (1956)
    Dick Shawn in The Opposite Sex (1956)
    Dolores Gray and Alice Pearce in The Opposite Sex (1956)
    June Allyson, Agnes Moorehead, Janet Lake, Ann Miller, and Jeff Richards in The Opposite Sex (1956)
    Ann Sheridan and Murray Pollack in The Opposite Sex (1956)
    Leslie Nielsen, Joan Collins, and Dolores Gray in The Opposite Sex (1956)

    Top cast

    Edit
    June Allyson
    June Allyson
    • Kay Ashley Hilliard
    Joan Collins
    Joan Collins
    • Crystal Allen
    Dolores Gray
    Dolores Gray
    • Sylvia Fowler
    Ann Sheridan
    Ann Sheridan
    • Amanda Penrose
    Ann Miller
    Ann Miller
    • Gloria Dahl
    Leslie Nielsen
    Leslie Nielsen
    • Steve Hilliard
    Jeff Richards
    Jeff Richards
    • Buck Winston
    Agnes Moorehead
    Agnes Moorehead
    • Countess de Brion
    Charlotte Greenwood
    Charlotte Greenwood
    • Lucy
    Joan Blondell
    Joan Blondell
    • Edith Potter
    Sam Levene
    Sam Levene
    • Mike Pearl
    Bill Goodwin
    Bill Goodwin
    • Howard Fowler
    Alice Pearce
    Alice Pearce
    • Olga
    Barbara Jo Allen
    Barbara Jo Allen
    • Dolly DeHaven
    Sandy Descher
    Sandy Descher
    • Debbie Hilliard
    Carolyn Jones
    Carolyn Jones
    • Pat
    Jerry Antes
    Jerry Antes
    • Leading Male Dancer - Banana Number
    Alan Marshal
    Alan Marshal
    • Ted
    • Director
      • David Miller
    • Writers
      • Fay Kanin
      • Michael Kanin
      • Clare Boothe Luce
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Although the second Mrs. Dick Powell (Joan Blondell) was no fan of the third Mrs. Powell (June Allyson), she asked her daughter (and Allyson's stepdaughter) Ellen Powell to speak to Allyson about a role in this movie. It was Blondell's return to movies after a five-year absence, and despite the rather difficult history involving the two Mrs. Powells, all went reasonably smoothly.
    • Goofs
      In the 1945 sequences, June Allyson's hairstyle and clothing is strictly 1956.
    • Quotes

      Amanda Penrose: [to Kay] What do you think marriage is anyway? Something safe and comfortable you can take for granted? This is a rough world, Kay, and marriage has to live in it. It has to be won over and over again, as many times as necessary and against all challenges. And anyone who hasn't the guts to fight ought to have learned to live alone and like it a long time ago.

    • Crazy credits
      Opening credits: Manhattan Island ... A body of land consisting of four million square males-completely surrounded by women.
    • Connections
      Featured in TCM Guest Programmer: Joan Collins (2015)
    • Soundtracks
      The Opposite Sex
      (uncredited)

      Music by Nicholas Brodszky

      Lyrics by Sammy Cahn

      Performed over the opening credits by Dolores Gray

      Performed during "The Psychiatrist" musical sketch with Dick Shawn, Jim Backus,

      Joan Collins and Carolyn Jones

    User reviews67

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    6/10
    a missed opportunity
    This remake of The Women (1939) misses the boat for two main reasons - 1. it's too nice. Joan Crawford's Crystal Allen was far more acidic than Joan Collins' sweet little version 2. it casts loads of talented musical performers - and doesn't use them! Ann Miller, Joan Blondell, Ann Sheridan, Doleres Gray - all wasted. June Allyson is miscast as Kay Hilliard, a little long in the tooth for all this.

    (Incidentally interesting to see Blondell and Allyson in the same film, considering their shared marital history off-screen as successive wives to Dick Powell).

    Pros - the musical numbers aren't bad, if a bit on the camp side; it features a fashion parade throughout to die for; it's colourful.

    Otherwise it rips off the original, adds songs and men, and messes the whole thing up. It's watchable, but Norma, Joan, Paulette, and Rosalind will remain the standard for this particular story.
    helpful•26
    14
    • didi-5
    • Mar 2, 2003

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 29, 1957 (Sweden)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Das schwache Geschlecht
    • Filming locations
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production company
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $2,834,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 57 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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    Leslie Nielsen, June Allyson, Joan Blondell, Joan Collins, Agnes Moorehead, Dolores Gray, Sam Levene, Ann Miller, and Ann Sheridan in The Opposite Sex (1956)
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