10 (1979)

A Hollywood composer goes through a mid-life crisis and becomes infatuated with a sexy, newly married woman.

Director:

Blake Edwards

Writer:

Blake Edwards

Stars:

Dudley Moore, Bo Derek, Julie Andrews

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dudley Moore	...	George Webber
Julie Andrews	...	Samantha Taylor
Bo Derek	...	Jenny Hanley
Robert Webber	...	Hugh
Dee Wallace	...	Mary Lewis
Sam J. Jones	...	David Hanley (as Sam Jones)
Brian Dennehy	...	Donald
Max Showalter	...	Reverend
Rad Daly	...	Josh Taylor
Nedra Volz	...	Mrs. Kissell
James Noble	...	Dr. Miles
Virginia Kiser	...	Ethel Miles
John Hawker	...	Covington
Deborah Rush	...	Dental assistant
Don Calfa	...	Neighbor

Storyline

Forty-two year old famed composer/playwright George Webber is going through a midlife crisis. He is seriously dating thirty-eight year old actress/singer Samantha Taylor, who he loves, although he admits their connection is more intellectual than it is emotional. She, in turn, loves him, despite barely tolerating his often infantile behavior. This behavior includes spying on a neighbor's sexual encounters with a wide array of women, this spying about which the neighbor knows, as he does it himself. Driving one day, George spots a young woman who he believes is the most beautiful creature he's ever seen - an "eleven" on a scale of ten, tens which he didn't believe existed before her. Beyond the fact that she is probably half his age, a problem with George's infatuation is that she is just off to her own wedding. George and Sam's relationship takes a hit with an argument which is further exacerbated by a series of misunderstandings. As such, George decides to pursue the woman of his ...

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Plot Keywords:

midlife crisis | bikini | adultery | farce | infatuation | 

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Taglines:

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water... (UK one-sheet)

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 October 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

Elle

Filming Locations:

777 Ledo Way, Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,526,692, 7 October 1979, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$74,865,517

Company Credits

Production Co:

Geoffrey Productions,Orion Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Included among the American Film Institute's 2000 list of the 500 movies nominated for the Top 100 Funniest American Movies.

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Goofs

Shadow of a helicopter following George Webber when he drives on the highway.

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Quotes

George Webber: I was in the Royal Air Force as a matter of fact.
Bill Collins: I thought you had to be English to be in that.
George Webber: You do.
Bill Collins: You an English fella, huh?
George Webber: Mm-hmm.
Bill Collins: [after long reflection] That's all right.

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Crazy Credits

When the credits of the cast begins to scroll up and out of the iris of the telescope's view to George and Samantha's inside penthouse, only the members of the cast are seen and not their characters they played.

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Alternate Versions

The TV print substitutes tamer versions of some of 10's racier moments. In particular, scenes featuring porn star Annette Haven as Dudley Moore's exhibitionist neighbor have been removed, replaced with scenes involving another actress. On scene features Moore's character using a telescope to watch a naked A. Haven making love (in the TV version, we see the substitute actress kissing a man while wearing a robe). A later scene, originally shown as a nude orgy, is replaced by a similar scene, but with everyone wearing bathing suits. In addition, the comedic lovemaking scene between Derek and Moore is played in the dark in the TV version.

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Connections

Referenced in Tales from the Warner Bros. Lot (2013)

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Soundtracks

Don't Call It Love
Music by Henry Mancini
Lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager
Portion sung by Dudley Moore (uncredited) and Robert Webber (uncredited) in songwriting scene
[Heard instrumentally as main title]

User Reviews

A Very Melancholy Comedy

"10" (4 outta 5 stars) Kind of weird seeing this movie again after 20 years. When I first saw it I was just a kid in my early 20s and now I am older than the character Dudley Moore plays in this movie... a cranky, disillusioned composer going through a mid-life crisis. Dang, I never had one of those at 40... does this mean I'm overdue? Anyway, flawed as this movie is, it is still a classic. It's generally considered a "comedy" but the most effective scenes are the quieter, more melancholy scenes. (The scene where Moore plays the piano in the bar for Dee Wallace gets me every time.) This is probably the best role of Moore's career... he's able to come across as sympathetic even while acting like a jerk for most of the movie. It's the supporting performances by Julie Andrews, Dee Wallace, Robert Webber and Brian Dennehy that really give the movie its depth. Thankfully, Bo Derek doesn't really have to do any acting, so she doesn't throw the movie too much out of whack. The movie seems a lot sadder to me these days... though I thought it was hysterically funny 25 years ago.