A frog in Manhattan
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | A frog in Manhattan |
| Original title | The April Fools |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1969 |
| length | 95 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 16 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Stuart Rosenberg |
| script | Hal Dresner |
| production | Gordon Carroll |
| music | Marvin Hamlisch |
| camera | Michel Hugo |
| cut | Bob Wyman |
| occupation | |
| |
A frog in Manhattan , also known as Darling, Get a Divorce (Original Title: The April Fools ) is a 1969 American comedy film starring Jack Lemmon and Catherine Deneuve .
action
Howard Brubaker, a successful stockbroker, lives in Darien , Connecticut with his wife Phyllis and son Stanley. However, he imagined family life differently. Phyllis doesn't love him and Stanley ignores him. He's also had enough of the constant commuting between Darien and his job in New York . Howard meets the enchanting Frenchwoman Catherine at a cocktail party held by his boss Ted Gunther. Howard, who has no idea that Catherine is Ted's wife and is also stuck in a bleak marriage with him, invites her for a drink without further ado. In the safari bar recommended by Ted, where the waitresses go from table to table disguised as animals, Howard tries in vain to order something to drink. So he and Catherine decide to go to a nightclub instead. There Catherine meets the hobby astrologist Grace Greenlaw, who thinks that she and Howard would be a very good match, and invites them both to her home without further ado. While she is laying the cards to Catherine, Grace's husband asks André Howard to fight with him. It is his newest hobby and he still has a lot to practice. Howard works up a sweat during a duel and is always defeated by André, but Catherine sees in him the shining knight who is destined for her by fate.
Howard and Catherine tour the Greenlaws estate together. In the greenhouse, Howard admits that since seeing a theatrical performance at his school, he has had the impression of being a prince who has been turned into a frog, waiting to be kissed by a princess. Catherine finally gives him a kiss and they start dancing together. Howard brings Catherine back to her apartment building at dawn. In the elevator, Catherine reveals to him that she is heartbroken in her marriage and that she would like to run away and return to Paris .
Howard, who has just been promoted, begins his work day after a walk in Central Park . He feels rather uncomfortable in his new, spacious office and his advances secretary, who Ted only hired because of her physical appeal, doesn't approve of him. Without further ado he decides to quit and to go to Paris with Catherine. He learns from the doorman of her apartment building that she is Ted's wife, but it doesn't stop him from declaring his love for her with a fabric frog. After a day spent together in Central Park, they want to meet at the airport. While Catherine tries to make it clear to Ted that she is leaving, Howard tells his friend and attorney Potter Shrader that he is planning to divorce Phyllis. She accepts his decision with extreme indifference, which confirms him all the more that he is doing the right thing. Then Howard rushes to the airport, where he just catches the plane to Paris. Catherine, who thought he would not come any more, happily takes his hand.
background
The film was shot in Stamford , Connecticut , as well as in Manhattan and at New York's JFK International Airport . For Catherine Deneuve , it was the first major Hollywood film, having only been known as the advertising face of Chanel in the United States until 1968 . Shirley MacLaine was originally also discussed for her role.
A frog in Manhattan was released in US cinemas on May 28, 1969 . In Germany, the film was first shown in cinemas on September 19, 1969.
Reviews
"Profound characterizations, accurate humor and occasionally Chaplin-like tragicomics raise the film in places above the level of mere entertainment," said the lexicon of international films . Cinema described the film as a "[v] enjoyable and finely cast love comedy". The Protestant film observer judged somewhat less positively , according to which "[t] he film fairy tales in places [...] are unfortunately mixed up with scenes", "which are mediocre gossip". Nevertheless, the film was "overall very nice entertainment".
Variety said Jack Lemmon was both "funny" and "touching" in his role. The comedians Jack Weston and Harvey Korman are also amusing. In the romantic scenes, the film switches to the “low flame”, but Catherine Deneuve in her first Hollywood film is worth “just looking at”.
Web links
- A frog in Manhattan in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Pictures of the film on cinema.de
Individual evidence
- ↑ A frog in Manhattan. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .
- ↑ cf. cinema.de
- ↑ Evangelical Press Association Munich, Review No. 460/1969.
- ↑ “Jack Lemmon is both funny and touching as the mild-mannered stockbroker […]. Things slow down to a mere simmer, by contrast, in the romantic segments although Deneuve, in her first American film, is worth just looking at. " See Review: 'The April Fools' . In: Variety , 1969.