How to Murder Your Wife

Amazon.com

"Being married is the normal way to live... isn't it?" The note of doubt at the end of that statement is fully exploited in How to Murder Your Wife (1965), a barbed piece of war-between-the-sexes comedy. Cartoonist Jack Lemmon, an exponent of the Playboy philosophy, lives in the ultimate swinging bachelor townhouse ("Everything masculine and perfect," manservant Terry-Thomas says approvingly) until a drunken evening leads to marriage with an Italian bombshell (Virna Lisi). What to do? The whole movie seems to exist in order to arrive at Lemmon's clever courtroom oration in the final half-hour, which is tartly funny if datedly misogynistic: he unleashes a male fantasy of trashing the gray-flannel suit and late-model station wagon for Hefneresque freedom. The wheel-spinning of the early reels is curious coming from screenwriter George Axelrod, usually a reliable satirist. He had better hours than this, notably in Breakfast at Tiffany's and Lord Love a Duck. --Robert Horton

Description

He had what every man wanted'then she came along! Legendary funnyman Jack Lemmon stars in this "hilarious farce of almost unremitting fun" (The Hollywood Reporter) with the "breathtakingly beautiful" (LA Herald-Examiner) Virna Lisi. Bachelorhood is bliss for cartoonist Stanley Ford (Lemmon)complete with an English butler (Terry-Thomas), delectable dames and extra-dry martinis. But when he attends a bachelor party and meets an Italian beauty (Lisi) who pops out of a cake, his fate is sealed. The next morning, he discovers he's married to her even though she can barelyspeak Englishand now the consummate bachelor will go to any lengths to untie the knot!

Customer Reviews:

A culturally historical document.......2007-09-11

This very charming -- and quite funny! -- movie is not nearly as misogynistic as the title might suggest. It's basically a "love catches up with the confirmed bachelor" story, the kind that's been done a gazillion times by Hollywood.

What sets "How to Murder Your Wife" apart is how it perfectly captures the fantasy of the idealized bachelor lifestyle (Playboy magazine, James Bond, etc.) of the early 1960s. Jack Lemmon plays a syndicated newspaper cartoonist who lives in a swanky Manhattan townhouse, and is aided and abetted in his adventures by his "gentleman's gentlemen," the hilarious Terry-Thomas. The film is graced by a Mancini-esque, hepcat-cool music score composed by Neil Hefti; again, a perfect product of its time.

For anyone who was around at the time, seeing this movie will transport you back to that still-pretty-innocent age. For anyone who came after, this'll be like an especially amusing time capsule... but very cool.

How to Murder your wife.......2007-08-21

It was fine. The disk was loose in the case when it arrived but it played ok even though it was scratched.

Misogamy Unbound.......2007-02-18

I don't know how women respond to this wickedly funny perspective on marriage, but it should strike a chord with most men. But there are two teensy flaws.

1) While it makes a lot of sense for one of the most beautiful and seductive actresses ever, Virna Lisi, to be cast so that she can be leered at, would any man want to rid himself of her?

2) Even at his most dapper, is Jack Lemmon really the type of man who, as a bachelor, can attract a field full of Virna Lisi's? Shouldn't he be grateful for just one?

Otherwise, it is an honest look at men's inner cynic -- set to comedy so that women will think it's just a lark. Conversely, it's a blood stirring introduction to Virna Lisi (a man-trap if there ever was one) whose real acting talent wasn't fully appreciated by most American males ... for some reason. ;)

One of the best comedies ever.......2007-02-17

Although the movie begins saying that "we are gathered here to learn and so you shall and so you shall" at the end of the movie you come out wiser but not of what you expect. I do not want to elaborate as I should not ruin the movie for those who have not seen it. However I am going to say this: it is one of the funniest movies ever that deals with the battle of sexes and you can watch it over and over and overagain . It is that funny. The casting could not have been better while the script is magnificent. Buy it.

How To Murder Your Wife.......2007-01-11

This movie shows how love can capture even the strongest bachelor. It's funny, and never boring. I believe this is one of Jack Lemmon's best movies.

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