Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969)

A light-hearted picture of middle-aged love and friendship.

Director:

Paul Mazursky

Writers:

Paul Mazursky, Larry Tucker

Stars:

Natalie Wood, Robert Culp, Elliott Gould

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Natalie Wood	...	Carol Sanders
Robert Culp	...	Bob Sanders
Elliott Gould	...	Ted Henderson
Dyan Cannon	...	Alice Henderson
Horst Ebersberg	...	Horst
Lee Bergere	...	Emilio
Donald F. Muhich	...	Psychiatrist
Noble Lee Holderread Jr.	...	Sean Sanders
K.T. Stevens	...	Phyllis
Celeste Yarnall	...	Susan
Lynn Borden	...	Cutter
Linda Burton	...	Stewardess
Greg Mullavey	...	Tim - Group Leader
Andre Philippe	...	Oscar
Diane Berghoff	...	Myrna

Storyline

Documentary-filmmaker Bob Sanders and his wife Carol attend a group-therapy session that serves as the backdrop for the film's opening scenes. Returning to their Los Angeles home, the newly "enlightened" couple chastise their closest friends, Ted and Alice, for not coming to grips with their true feelings. Bob insists that everyone "feel" rather than intellectualize their emotions, and Carol pronounces "that's beautiful" after anyone says anything even remotely personal. Ted and Alice humor their friends, but a good-natured sexual tension is obviously at work among the foursome.

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Plot Keywords:

underwear | breasts | adulterous husband | adulterous wife | lust | 

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Taglines:

Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice request the company of your pleasure.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

In 1973, US network ABC developed this movie into a sitcom, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1973). It aired for seven episodes before it was canceled due to awful ratings and reviews. Most of the subtext about wife-swapping was eliminated, predictably (since it was 1973 and they couldn't really explore issues like that on network television). The series is most noteworthy for casting a young Jodie Foster as Elizabeth Henderson, Ted and Alice's daughter.

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Goofs

When the 4 of them are together after the party, Bob puts on a record, but later the music is still audibly playing but in the background you can see the record player and it does not have a record playing.

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Quotes

Ted Henderson: You know there's a double standard operating here and I'm not going to play that game. I am not going to do anything I don't want my wife to do.

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Connections

Spoofed in Green Acres: The Ex-Con (1970)

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Soundtracks

Burbank Brown
by Ray Greathouse and Morris Bachemin
Instrumental by Sweet Progress

User Reviews

Psychological partner-swapping that drags on with no payoff

Even though Natalie Wood stars in this film, it's not very good. It chronicles the healthy descent of four friends who fall into a cavalcade of swinging and partner-swapping to help their marriage after attending a secluded psychotherapy course. As everyone rejuvenates their sexual thinking and behavior, other problems rear their ugly heads, and the four realize only love is needed to revitalize a marriage.

It's pretty gutsy material for the time, and I'm fairly sure you wouldn't see a film this brave come from a major studio with big-name stars today. Still, it's just not very good! I didn't care for any of the characters, especially Robert Culp's portrayal of Bob Sanders and Dyan Cannon's whiny rendering of Alice Henderson, and the story just dragged on and on without any closure or action. I'd wait for this one to come on late at night when there's absolutely nothing else on!

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Movie Channel [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

January 1970 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice

Filming Locations:

Riviera Hotel & Casino - 2901 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Frankovich Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1