Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysLGBTQ+ Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

What a Way to Go!

  • 19641964
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 51m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
4.9K
YOUR RATING
Gene Kelly, Robert Mitchum, Paul Newman, Shirley MacLaine, Dean Martin, Dick Van Dyke, and Robert Cummings in 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.
Play trailer2:55
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Comedy
  • Romance
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.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.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.
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
4.9K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • J. Lee Thompson
  • Writers
    • Gwen Davis(story)
    • Betty Comden(screenplay)
    • Adolph Green(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Shirley MacLaine
    • Paul Newman
    • Robert Mitchum
Top credits
  • Director
    • J. Lee Thompson
  • Writers
    • Gwen Davis(story)
    • Betty Comden(screenplay)
    • Adolph Green(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Shirley MacLaine
    • Paul Newman
    • Robert Mitchum
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 79User reviews
    • 12Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Oscars
      • 1 win & 7 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:55
    Trailer

    Photos165

    Shirley MacLaine and Dick Van Dyke in What a Way to Go! (1964)
    Shirley MacLaine and Dick Van Dyke in What a Way to Go! (1964)
    Dick Van Dyke in What a Way to Go! (1964)
    Mark Bailey in What a Way to Go! (1964)
    Robert Mitchum and Mark Bailey in What a Way to Go! (1964)
    Shirley MacLaine and Mark Bailey in What a Way to Go! (1964)
    Gene Kelly and Shirley MacLaine in What a Way to Go! (1964)
    Shirley MacLaine and Dean Martin in What a Way to Go! (1964)
    Shirley MacLaine in What a Way to Go! (1964)
    Shirley MacLaine and Dean Martin in What a Way to Go! (1964)
    Shirley MacLaine, Pamelyn Ferdin, Jeff Fithian, William Corcoran, and Joe Fithian in What a Way to Go! (1964)
    Shirley MacLaine and Dean Martin in What a Way to Go! (1964)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Shirley MacLaine
    Shirley MacLaine
    • Louisa May Foster
    Paul Newman
    Paul Newman
    • Larry Flint
    Robert Mitchum
    Robert Mitchum
    • Rod Anderson, Jr.
    Dean Martin
    Dean Martin
    • Leonard 'Lennie' Crawley
    Gene Kelly
    Gene Kelly
    • Pinky Benson
    Robert Cummings
    Robert Cummings
    • Dr. Victor Stephanson
    • (as Bob Cummings)
    Dick Van Dyke
    Dick Van Dyke
    • Edgar Hopper
    Reginald Gardiner
    Reginald Gardiner
    • Painter
    Margaret Dumont
    Margaret Dumont
    • Mrs. Foster
    Lou Nova
    Lou Nova
    • Trentino
    Fifi D'Orsay
    Fifi D'Orsay
    • Baroness
    Maurice Marsac
    Maurice Marsac
    • Rene
    Wally Vernon
    Wally Vernon
    • Agent
    Jane Wald
    Jane Wald
    • Polly
    Lenny Kent
    Lenny Kent
    • Hollywood Lawyer
    Fred Aldrich
    Fred Aldrich
    • Restaurant Patron
    • (uncredited)
    Leon Alton
    Leon Alton
    • Awards Ceremony Guest
    • (uncredited)
    Don Anderson
    Don Anderson
    • Awards Ceremony Guest
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • J. Lee Thompson
    • Writers
      • Gwen Davis(story)
      • Betty Comden(screenplay)
      • Adolph Green(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Sex and the Single Girl
    6.4
    Sex and the Single Girl
    A New Kind of Love
    5.8
    A New Kind of Love
    All in a Night's Work
    6.1
    All in a Night's Work
    My Geisha
    6.5
    My Geisha
    From the Terrace
    6.7
    From the Terrace
    The Hawk of Wild River
    6.0
    The Hawk of Wild River
    Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys!
    5.9
    Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys!
    Morituri
    7.0
    Morituri
    The Prize
    6.8
    The Prize
    Gambit
    7.1
    Gambit
    Track the Man Down
    6.1
    Track the Man Down
    Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
    7.1
    Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      As a running gag that Larry Flint (Paul Newman) is a starving painter, in all his scenes he is eating something.
    • Goofs
      Louisa (Shirley MacLaine) clearly is hit by one of the robotic paint brushes in the painting sequence with Larry (husband #2; Paul Newman). It occurs when she is in the background walking after him amongst the animated brushes; the contraption hits her in the head.
    • Quotes

      Leonard 'Lennie' Crawley: What are you, an orthodox coward?

      Edgar Hopper: No, Lenny. I just believe in passive resistance.

      Leonard 'Lennie' Crawley: Oh, a Mahatma Hopper, I presume?

      Edgar Hopper: No, as a matter of fact, Gandhi and I both got it from this guy - Henry Thoreau.

    • Crazy credits
      The 20th Century Fox logo is shaded pink, Pinky Benson's favourite color.
    • Connections
      Edited into American Masters: Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer (2002)
    • 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 reviews79

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    All she wants is love, all she gets is money!
    This is a great film. Some have said it epitomizes the 1960s glamour comedies but what it cleverly does is parody them, and other film genres, through its movie dream sequences and the ridiculous and gorgeous costumes Shirley wears. It has a great cast and everyone is in top tongue in cheek form. Dick Van Dyke plays his usual neo-Marx brothers physical comedy schtick (with Margaret DuMont, no less!) at the height of his powers. Paul Newman is great playing against type as a tortured artist, a perfect sendup of Kirk Douglas' portrayal of Van Gough in *Lust for Life* (he even wears the same beard). Mitchum is suave and cool as a kind of Cash McCall gone wrong, but far more slick then Jim Garner ever was. To top it off, Gene Kelley does an incredible spot on parody of himself in the Holywood story, with iconic images taken straight from his greatest triumph *Singing in the Rain,* turned on their head and twisted into a grotesque commentary on the evils of Hollywood as opposed to its dreams and glamour. The scene where he is trampled to death by his fans holds up a hilarious mirror to the similar scene in *Singing in the Rain* where he has his clothes torn off by them. This film elevated parody to a high art form before anybody had even heard the term "post modernism!" And those gowns she wears! The best one is the one which is just a string of pearls down Shirley's sexy back (she faces away from the camera for the shole scene because she is obviously topless). They must have cost a fortune! this is obviously a film with a very Lush Bugett!
    helpful•33
    6
    • Lumiere-5
    • Aug 2, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 26, 1964 (Canada)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • I Love Louisa
    • Filming locations
      • Los Angeles Department of Water and Power - 111 N Hope St, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Apjac-Orchard Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $20,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 51 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Gene Kelly, Robert Mitchum, Paul Newman, Shirley MacLaine, Dean Martin, Dick Van Dyke, and Robert Cummings in What a Way to Go! (1964)
    Top Gap
    By what name was What a Way to Go! (1964) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in July
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    The Best Movies Coming This Summer
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.