How to Murder Your Wife (1965)

A dedicated bachelor drunkenly marries a young woman and immediately lives to regret it.

Director:

Richard Quine

Writer:

George Axelrod

Stars:

Jack Lemmon, Virna Lisi, Terry-Thomas

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jack Lemmon	...	Stanley Ford
Virna Lisi	...	Mrs. Ford
Terry-Thomas	...	Charles
Eddie Mayehoff	...	Harold Lampson
Claire Trevor	...	Edna
Sidney Blackmer	...	Judge Blackstone
Max Showalter	...	Tobey Rawlins
Jack Albertson	...	Dr. Bentley
Mary Wickes	...	Harold's Secretary
Alan Hewitt	...	District Attorney
Barry Kelley	...	Club Member in Steam Room
William Bryant	...	Construction Worker (as Bill Bryant)
Charles Bateman	...	Club Member in Steam Room
Edward Faulkner	...	Club Member in Steam Room / Party Guest
Lauren Gilbert	...	Men's Club Manager

Storyline

Stanley Ford leads an idyllic bachelor life. He is a nationally syndicated cartoonist whose Bash Brannigan series provides him with a luxury townhouse and a full-time valet, Charles. When he wakes up the morning after the night before - he had attended a friend's stag party - he finds that he is married to the very beautiful woman who popped out of the cake - and who doesn't speak a word of English. Despite his initial protestations, he comes to like married life and even changes his cartoon character from a super spy to a somewhat harried husband. When after several months he decides to kill off Bash's wife in the cartoon, his wife misinterprets his intentions and disappears. Which leads the police to charge him with murder.

---

Plot Keywords:

comic book artist | misogyny | misogynist | scheme | husband wife relationship | 

---

Taglines:

WOMEN: WARNING! See It Before He Does! The Wife You Save May Be YOU!

---

Genres:

Comedy

---

Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

There are at least two art pieces in Ford's apartment that are drawn/painted in the style of "Big Eyes" artist Margaret Keane, who was extremely popular at the time (it's not known whether these are authentic Keanes used for the movie or just lookalikes from the production department).

---

Goofs

In the comic strip detailing the way in which he murdered his wife, Stanley includes a panel showing the purchase of a mannequin. The mannequin, however, is only used to represent his wife for the purpose of taking photos used in the drawing of his strip; it would obviously not be involved in an actual murder plot.

---

Quotes

Stanley Ford: My God, you're Italian!

---

Crazy Credits

At first, it only says How to Your Wife on the screen, in white letters. Then, the word Murder shows up in red letters in the space between the two rows of text.

---

Connections

References Goldfinger (1964)

---

Soundtracks

Bridal Chorus
(uncredited)
from "Lohengrin"
Music by Richard Wagner

User Reviews

Lemmon and the gorgeous Virna

Jack Lemmon is at his comedy best, in the genre of some like it hot, while his gorgeous co-star here is not Marilyn but Italian Virna Lisi beckons all of us to speak Italian.

She cooks, she kisses, she cooks .......all while looking like the best of Gina Lolabrigida and Marilyn Monroe wrapped in silk (the white dress in the party scene is breathtaking).

The Classic Terri Thomas shows once again his comedic under used genius as the English genteel butler. The court testimony of Terri is almost worth the film.

Jack Lemmon goes on to make so many great films while we are left to Italian dubs of Virna best. She has had a stellar career in Italy as she has ages oh so gracefully. At 68 she is still a babe. Virna and Sophia as a 70 year old women show the pure glory of womanhood.

With How to Murder Your Wife I laugh, I lust and I so enjoy the early sixties social comedy films that are absent Rock Hudson.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

26 January 1965 (USA)

Also Known As:

How to Murder Your Wife

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$12,467,420

Company Credits

Production Co:

Murder Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1