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IMDbPro

Happy Anniversary and Goodbye

  • TV Movie
  • 1974
  • TV-PG
  • 1h
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
259
YOUR RATING
Happy Anniversary and Goodbye (1974)
ComedyRomance

A couple approaching their 25th anniversary look to their respective best friends, an independent thinker and a swinger, for tips to spice things up.A couple approaching their 25th anniversary look to their respective best friends, an independent thinker and a swinger, for tips to spice things up.A couple approaching their 25th anniversary look to their respective best friends, an independent thinker and a swinger, for tips to spice things up.

  • Director
    • Jack Donohue
  • Writers
    • Arthur Julian
    • Arnie Rosen
  • Stars
    • Lucille Ball
    • Art Carney
    • Nanette Fabray
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    5.6/10
    259
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Jack Donohue
    • Writers
      • Arthur Julian
      • Arnie Rosen
    • Stars
      • Lucille Ball
      • Art Carney
      • Nanette Fabray
    • 3User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lucille Ball in Happy Anniversary and Goodbye (1974)
    Lucille Ball and Nanette Fabray in Happy Anniversary and Goodbye (1974)
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    Top cast

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    Lucille Ball
    Lucille Ball
    • Norma Michaels
    Art Carney
    Art Carney
    • Malcom Michaels
    Nanette Fabray
    Nanette Fabray
    • Fay
    Peter Marshall
    Peter Marshall
    • Greg Carter
    Don Porter
    Don Porter
    • Ed "Mad Dog" Murphy
    Rhodes Reason
    Rhodes Reason
    • Doug
    Doria Cook-Nelson
    Doria Cook-Nelson
    • Linda
    Arnold Schwarzenegger
    Arnold Schwarzenegger
    • Rico
    Louisa Moritz
    Louisa Moritz
    • Terry
    Florence Lake
    Florence Lake
    • Mrs. Foster
    Elaine Pepparde
    • Cindy
    Connie Garrison
    • Choo Choo
    Patricia Blair
    Patricia Blair
    • Miss Warren
    Linda Todd Michaels
    • Mitzi
    Sid Gould
    • Waiter
    Frieda Rentie
    • Restaurant Patron
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Jack Donohue
    • Writers
      • Arthur Julian
      • Arnie Rosen
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This is the first time Lucille Ball technically does not play a variation on her sitcom "Lucy" character. In the special's first half, her wig has a few streaks of gray in it and she appears to be padded to lend credence to Malcolm's lines about her sitting around on her "fat duff". Lucille Ball's personal hairstylist Irma Kusely is back to style her wigs. Here's Lucy (1968) prop master Kenneth L. Westcott, costumer Renita Reachii, production manager William Magginetti, and script supervisor Dorothy Aldworth are also part of the production.
    • Goofs
      Lucille Ball has Norma apply cold cream to her face before wiping off her lipstick and eye-make-up, rather than be seen on camera without any make-up.
    • Quotes

      [Norma opens the door and Rico walks in with exercise equipment]

      Rico: I am Rico.

      Norma Michaels: Oh, y-yes...won't you come...oh, you are in.

      [Norma shuts the door]

      Rico: Where do we do it?

      Norma Michaels: What?!

      Rico: Here, or in the bedroom?

      Norma Michaels: Oh, in here! In here.

      [Rico begins to take off his coat, with his tight exercise outfit on underneath, and he begins to set up the exercise equipment]

      Rico: I'll set the table.

      Norma Michaels: Need any help.

    • Crazy credits
      Credits list music editing by Ed Norton Music Service. This was also Art Carney's character name on "The Honeymooners." They worked on two episodes of "Here's Lucy."
    • Connections
      Featured in Kain's Quest: The Terminator (2017)
    • Soundtracks
      Oh, Promise Me
      Written by Reginald De Koven and Clement Scott

      Performed by Art Carney

    User reviews3

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    4/10
    Art Carney lets it all hang out; Lucy wets the bed.
    I'll say straight off that I've never been a Lucille Ball fan. But I'll give her some credit, or rather half-credit, for attempting to do something different here. The TV movie 'Happy Anniversary and Goodbye' was Ball's one-off attempt to portray a credible human being, rather than her usual wacky redhead. Unfortunately, 'Happy Anniversary and Goodbye' wasn't quite serious enough to be a genuine drama, and it wasn't funny enough to be a comedy either.

    Ball and Art Carney play Norma and Malcolm Michaels, a middle-aged married couple in midlife crisis: their anniversary is coming up, but he's decided he's tired of her and he wants a divorce. She feels similarly, and she agrees to a trial separation. Carney has really let himself go here. The former beanpole of his Ed Norton days is gone forever. In an early scene in the couple's bedroom, Carney's paunch is quite visible. This opening scene is unpleasant for other reasons too, with Ball's and Carney's characters insulting each other (very bitterly, not amusingly) and no real chemistry between them as performers.

    Norma decides she's still young enough and attractive enough to make a new start ... so she heads for Las Vegas, where she meets quite a few handsome men. (Lucille Ball briefly ogles Arnold Schwarzenegger here!) Eventually she meets smooth-talking Peter Marshall, who sweet-talks her into his hotel suite. (Marshall is excellent here.) We can tell he's a playboy stud because he's got a waterbed. And he's ready to make Norma his next sexual conquest...

    Ball actually does some good acting here, conveying her character's conflicting moods. We sense that she wants to jump into the sack with Marshall ... partly to spite her husband Malcolm, and partly to prove to herself that she still has some sexual appeal. Yet she also conveys that, on some level, she still loves her husband and doesn't want to cheat on him.

    The reason why I give Lucille Ball only half-credit rather than full credit for trying something new here is because she clearly didn't trust herself to pull it off, and she decided to add some 'insurance' in the form of her usual so-called 'wacky' Lucy antics. Norma is wearing high heels when Marshall tries to get her into his waterbed. She can't get past him, so she jumps ONTO the waterbed and runs across it in her high heels. Of course, the waterbed springs several leaks. Marshall and Ball are running round in circles (or rectangles, rather) on top of the waterbed while it spews improbable gallons of water onto both of them, as if they're performing "Singin' in the Rain". It's only vaguely funny. I was hoping that Desi Arnaz would show up with his Cuban accent, shouting "It sprung a lick!". Instead, the ending we get is very obvious indeed.

    I was also annoyed by the presence of untalented performer Sid Gould. In real life he was Ball's cousin-in-law, which is the only possible explanation for why she often gave this grossly unfunny man small but showy roles in her productions. I'll rate 'Happy Anniversary and Goodbye' just barely 4 out of 10. Nice try, Ball.
    helpful•11
    9
    • F Gwynplaine MacIntyre
    • Dec 4, 2007

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 19, 1974 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Lucille Ball: Fröhliche Silberhochzeit
    • Filming locations
      • Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production companies
      • Lucille Ball Productions
      • Timex
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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