A Touch of Class (1973)

Romantic comedy about a pair of clandestine lovers in a London-Spain tryst.

Director:

Melvin Frank

Writers:

Melvin Frank, Jack Rose

Stars:

George Segal, Glenda Jackson, Paul Sorvino

Won 1 Oscar. Another 10 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
George Segal	...	Steve Blackburn
Glenda Jackson	...	Vickie Allessio
Paul Sorvino	...	Walter Menkes
K Callan	...	Patty Menkes
Cec Linder	...	Wendell Thompson
Michael Elwyn	...	Cecil
Mary Barclay	...	Martha Thompson
Nadim Sawalha	...	Night Hotel Manager
Ian Thompson	...	Derek
Ève Karpf	...	Miss Ramos (as Eve Karpf)
David de Keyser	...	Doctor Alvarez (as David De Keyser)
Gaye Brown	...	Dora French
Carl Oatley	...	Bell Boy
Rebecca De Los Reyes	...	Rent-A-Car Clerk
Felipe Solano	...	Airline Clerk Malaga

Storyline

American Steve Blackburn, in the insurance business, is married with two kids. Vickie Allessio, a self described design "stealer" for a knockoff fashion house, is a recent divorcée with two kids. Steve and Vickie are running into each other more and more in their day to day lives in London before even knowing who the other is, which suits them both fine, as when they do finally officially meet, Steve is up front that he wants to have an affair with her, Steve who has had affairs in the past whenever his wife Gloria, who is from old money, isn't around which is currently the case as she is in the States visiting her parents. Vickie, in turn, is up front that she is amenable to a no-strings affair with him under specific circumstances, namely that it be at least a classy short term affair, meaning no cheap motels, and preferably a weekend away somewhere warm. Able to arrange a business trip to Málaga, Spain, for a week, Steve convinces Vickie to change their agreed weekend to a week and...

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Plot Keywords:

neo screwball comedy | affair | resort | bikini | bus | 

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Taglines:

Not since Gable battled with Colbert and Hepburn battled with Grant has comedy been such fun. Watch Segal take on Jackson.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

25 May 1973 (UK)

Also Known As:

Een slippertje met allure

Filming Locations:

London Heathrow Airport, London Borough of Hillingdon, London, England, UK

Box Office

Gross USA:

$18,312,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Brut Productions, Gordon Film Productions, Joseph E. Levine Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Glenda Jackson was not present at the Academy Awards Ceremony when she won her Best Actress Oscar for A Touch of Class (1973). The film's writer-director-producer Melvin Frank accepted the gong on her behalf. Lost and Found (1979) was the pair's first cinema movie collaboration since Jackson's Oscar win for Best Actress in a Leading Role

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Goofs

At 2:43, where Steve falls isn't where he gets up at 2:48.

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Quotes

Steve Blackburn: I suppose your husband likes to sleep late on Sundays?
Vickie Allessio: Yes, he does.
Steve Blackburn: I suppose you like to go home and cook him a nice big breakfast?
Vickie Allessio: No.
Steve Blackburn: Don't you like to cook?
Vickie Allessio: Oh, I love to cook.
Steve Blackburn: Doesn't he like to eat?
Vickie Allessio: He loves to eat.
Steve Blackburn: I, I don't understand.
Vickie Allessio: We have different kitchens, his is in Milan.
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in At the Movies: The Seventies (1993)

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Soundtracks

Amor mio
Written by George Barrie and Sammy Cahn

User Reviews

Great fun about adults who like sex

Underrated, as far as I'm concerned. One of the top sex comedies about two very real people who are both mature and interested in sex. It doesn't hurt that Glenda Jackson's so very committed to the role and George Segal's so very sexy.

That title tune's a pip, too. Nominated for Best Picture and deservedly so. This is the sex comedy that modern filmmakers should look to.