The Last Married Couple in America (1980)

Mari and Jeff Thompson start to doubt their own marriage when every couple they know separate.

Director:

Gilbert Cates

Writer:

John Herman Shaner

Stars:

George Segal, Natalie Wood, Richard Benjamin

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
George Segal	...	Jeff Thompson
Natalie Wood	...	Mari Thompson
Richard Benjamin	...	Marv Cooper
Valerie Harper	...	Barbara
Bob Dishy	...	Howard
Dom DeLuise	...	Walter Holmes
Marilyn Sokol	...	Alice Squib
Priscilla Barnes	...	Helena Dryden
Oliver Clark	...	Max Dryden
Mark Lonow	...	Tom
Allan Arbus	...	Al Squib
Arlene Golonka	...	Sally Cooper
Sondra Currie	...	Lainy
Robert Wahler	...	Rick
Catherine Hickland	...	Rebecca

Storyline

Jeff and Mari Thompson have been married for fifteen years. Although their marriage is not perfect, they are seemingly happy in their married and family life. But all their married friends seem to be getting divorced or separated. These newly single friends try to convince both Jeff and Mari - together and individually - that divorce is the way to go. Even if they do decide to remarry, it will be an inevitability that that marriage too will end in divorce. And divorce can even re-energize the love in an otherwise stale marriage. In light of these assertions by their friends, Jeff and Mari do evaluate their marriage. Their friends also place each of them in potentially compromising positions, despite the fact that they still are married. Will Jeff and Mari's marriage be able to withstand all this outside pressure?

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Plot Keywords:

marriage | divorce | love | panties | pink panties | 

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Taglines:

Endangered Species

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie is considered a 1980s update of the earlier Paul Mazursky comedy Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969). It is also one of three 1980 films that have been likened to Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969). The films include Loving Couples (1980), A Change of Seasons (1980) and The Last Married Couple in America (1980).

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Alternate Versions

NBC edited 6 minutes from this film for its 1985 network television premiere.

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Connections

Featured in Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind (2020)

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Soundtracks

Piano Sonata F Major
Composed by Joseph Haydn (as Haydn)

User Reviews

See it for Natalie Wood

No, this isn't a very good movie. Fun to watch though if for no other reason than to laugh at the supposed 'hip' attitude of the whole thing when in truth it's about as conventional as a Love Boat episode. The party scene at the end with the hookers, swingers and disco version of 'Singin' in the Rain' is hilarious.

But the reason to see this movie is for Natalie Wood, who gives this film heart. She's absolutely wonderful in it. She was a terrific actress, even in something as frivolous as this ... funny, beautiful, a class act to the very end! None of today's actresses come close to her kind of star-power. I miss great actresses like Natalie Wood.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 February 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Last Married Couple in America

Filming Locations:

Beverly Gardens Park, 9439 Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, United States

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,454,289, 10 February 1980

Gross USA:

$12,835,544

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$12,835,544

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1