Prudence Hardcastle (Deborah Kerr) is on the pill. So is her sister-in-law, but someone has been swapping aspirin for their pills. Is it the teenage niece, the maid, the chauffeur, a lover,...
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Title: Prudence and the Pill (1968)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Deborah Kerr | ... | Prudence Hardcastle | |
| David Niven | ... | Gerald Hardcastle | |
| Robert Coote | ... | Henry Hardcastle | |
| Irina Demick | ... | Elizabeth Brett | |
| Joyce Redman | ... | Grace Hardcastle | |
| Judy Geeson | ... | Geraldine Hardcastle | |
| Keith Michell | ... | Dr. Alan Huart | |
| Edith Evans | ... | Lady Roberta Bates | |
 |
David Dundas | ... | Tony Bates |
|
|
Vickery Turner | ... | Rose the Maid |
| Hugh Armstrong | ... | Ted the Chauffeur | |
| Peter Butterworth | ... | Chemist | |
| Moyra Fraser | ... | Woman in Tea Shop | |
|
|
Annette Kerr | ... | Gerald's Secretary |
| Harry Towb | ... | Racetrack Official | |
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Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
Prudence Hardcastle (Deborah Kerr) is on the pill. So is her sister-in-law, but someone has been swapping aspirin for their pills. Is it the teenage niece, the maid, the chauffeur, a lover, Prudence's husband Gerald (David Niven), or all of the above? Written by Mike Smith <mismith@brody.med.ecu.edu>
Taglines:
A fertile new field in comedy opens. The first story of husbands, wives, mistresses, maids, chauffeurs, daughters, boy friends, and...The Pill See more »Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
UKLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
23 May 1968 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Prudencia y la píldora See more »Company Credits
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)Color:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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Prudence Hardcastle: Oh, Gerald, do you mind. I'm trying to follow the plot.
Gerald Hardcastle: [scathingly] I'm sorry. I didn't realise there *was* one.
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Written by Bernard Ebbinghouse
Performed by The Bernard Ebbinghouse Orchestra
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Did You Know?
Trivia
This was once intended as a starring vehicle for Laurence Harvey and Diane Cilento. See more »Quotes
[Prudence is engrossed in watching a Western on television. Gerald is bored with it and starts to talk to her]Prudence Hardcastle: Oh, Gerald, do you mind. I'm trying to follow the plot.
Gerald Hardcastle: [scathingly] I'm sorry. I didn't realise there *was* one.
See more »
Soundtracks
Main TitlesWritten by Bernard Ebbinghouse
Performed by The Bernard Ebbinghouse Orchestra
See more »
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The main idea behind "Prudence and the Pill" is one that doesn't make sense to me. While birth control pills might have looked VERY different in the UK in the 1960s, all the ones I've seen look absolutely nothing like aspirins or vitamins--which are much, much larger. So how could people be replacing another person's birth control pills with aspirins without anyone realizing it?
This 1960s sex comedy stars Deborah Kerr and David Niven...both of which made quite a few sophisticated sex comedies in the 1950s and 60s (such as the horrible CASINO ROYALE, BEDTIME STORY and THE GRASS IS GREENER). In this film, Mr. and Mrs. Hardcastle have an open marriage and both have their lovers. In addition, Mrs. Hardcastle's niece (Judy Geeson) is sleeping with her boyfriend. However, someone is messing with these ladies' birth control pills and soon complications ensue.
Like most of the sex comedies of the era, this film talks a lot about sex (or, more rightly, INSINUATING a lot about sex) without really showing or saying much at all. Racy stuff for the time...very tame stuff when seen today. So, while it portrays folks who have affairs and premarital sex, it's done with 60s sensibilities--being both extremely broad-minded AND old fashioned at the same time.
So is this any good and is it worth seeing? Well, at least for me, no especially. I might have enjoyed it had it just been more interesting, made more sense or made me laugh. Plus, and I guess this makes me sound very prudish, but I thought the Hardcastles were a pathetic couple...and I really didn't care one bit about what happened with them. What was a kooky sex romp back in the day now just seems dated and sub-par despite the big-name stars in it.