What a Way to Go! (1964)

A four-time widow discusses her four marriages, in which all of her husbands became incredibly rich and died prematurely because of their drive to be rich.

Director:

J. Lee Thompson

Writers:

Gwen Davis (story), Betty Comden (screenplay)

Stars:

Shirley MacLaine, Paul Newman, Robert Mitchum

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Shirley MacLaine	...	Louisa May Foster
Paul Newman	...	Larry Flint
Robert Mitchum	...	Rod Anderson, Jr.
Dean Martin	...	Leonard 'Lennie' Crawley
Gene Kelly	...	Pinky Benson
Robert Cummings	...	Dr. Victor Stephanson (as Bob Cummings)
Dick Van Dyke	...	Edgar Hopper
Reginald Gardiner	...	Painter
Margaret Dumont	...	Mrs. Foster
Lou Nova	...	Trentino
Fifi D'Orsay	...	Baroness
Maurice Marsac	...	Rene
Wally Vernon	...	Agent
Jane Wald	...	Polly
Lenny Kent	...	Hollywood Lawyer

Storyline

This black comedy opens with Louisa Foster donating a multimillion dollar check to the IRS. The tax department thinks she's crazy and sends her to a psychiatrist. She then discusses her four marriages, in which all of her husbands became incredibly rich and died prematurely because of their drive to be rich.

---

Plot Keywords:

black comedy | exclamation point in title | punctuation in title | husband wife relationship | death of husband | 

---

Taglines:

What A Cast!... What A Past!... What A Show!...

---

Genres:

Comedy | Romance

---

Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Steve McQueen was originally mentioned to play one of the husbands.

---

Goofs

Shirley MacLaine is clearly hit by one of the robotic paint brushes in the painting sequence with husband #2 Paul Newman. She is in the background walking after him amongst the animated brushes, but keeps the scene going after the contraption hits her in the head. It is kept in the finished film.

---

Quotes

Movie executive: This picture is a cinch to do 50 million at the box office.
Pinky Benson: Yeah, too bad I only get half of that.
Second movie executive: And the studio wants you to co-star with Frank, Marlon and Cary in a remake of "The Four Horsemen."
Third movie executive: Well?
Pinky Benson: Why should I carry those deadweights? I'll play all four.

---

Crazy Credits

The 20th Century Fox logo is shaded pink, Pinky Benson's favourite color.

---

Connections

Referenced in The Art of Living (1965)

---

Soundtracks

I Think that You and I Should Get Acquainted
Lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green
Music by Jule Styne
Performed by Gene Kelly

User Reviews

"I'm reminding you to remind me to remind you..."

This was a film which, like many in the old days, used to come on 'regular' commercial television as a weekend matinée. Now, of course, it is nowhere to be found on television and is just itching to be released on home video. In retrospect, it impresses even more as a dark comedy; how much darker can you get when the central character is a four-time widow? And what a cast: Dick Van Dyke at the height of his TV popularity; Paul Newman (one of the biggest movie stars of the 1960's); and veterans Robert Mitchum, Dean Martin, and Gene Kelly. And the fantasy vignettes!! Some viewers have commented that they don't like them, but I think they add to the insane atmosphere of the film: MacLaine's union with Newman viewed as a black-and-white, slightly X-rated, Italian film or her life with Kelly imagined as a Hollywood musical (a clever way, incidentally, to show off her own talent as a dancer- not to mention those long, magnificent legs). My favorite one (isn't it everyone's?) is the fantasy sequence with husband Robert Mitchum- which shows off a spectacular Edith Head fashion show. I don't know who is sitting on the rights to this film, but it would be a wonderful gift for the movie-loving public to see this released to the masses ASAP.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

26 June 1964 (Canada)

Also Known As:

I Love Louisa

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power - 111 N Hope St, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Apjac-Orchard Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1