REVIEW: CACTUS FLOWER (1969)

At first glance, one would think the 1969 American comedy ‘Cactus Flower’ would be a revered film of its era as it has significant talent associated with it, was a box office success and saw Goldie Hawn win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

And yet whenever I’ve come across appraisal of the film over the years the response has been one of disappointment. Perhaps this is because for all the quality associated with it there was a second-hand feel to it. While in plot and talent it feels like it is based on the work of Neil Simon (director Gene Saks and star Walter Matthau had appeared in Simon’s ‘The Odd Couple’ the previous year) it isn’t. As well, this was one of the very rare films that highly-talented screenwriter I.A.L. Diamond wrote without his regular famed collaborator Billy Wilder.

And it has to be said ‘Cactus Flower’ starts on a less than promising note. After a rather painful song over the opening credits, the film begins with a suicide attempt of young lady Toni (Hawn) that is stopped by her neigbour Igor (Rick Lenz, with strong echoes of a youthful Jimmy Stewart). There’s nothing wrong with such a morbid event occurring in a comedy film per se, but it is done in such a phony sitcomish manner with Toni & Igor chatting amicably minutes afterwards as if he’d stopped her from buying the wrong pantyhose that one wonders whether the film can recover. Happily enough, it does.

The reason for Toni’s suicide attempt is that her lover Julian (a dentist played by Matthau) has decided to end the relationship on account of his wife and children. But we soon learn that Julian has no wife or kids and when he offers to marry Toni, she wants to meet a family that doesn’t exist. In desperation Julian turns to his assistant Stephanie (Ingrid Bergman) to pose as his wife. When you factor in that Stephanie is secretly in love with Julian a full-on farce of impersonation, mistaken identities and awkward meetups has begun.

After an uncertain, hackish opening, ‘Cactus Flower’ finds its groove by creating comic momentum by embracing the farcical nature of the innumerable lies and false relationships and characters the central characters get involved in. Particularly amusing are the scenes where Julian is desperately trying to convince Toni that he is a philandering married man instead of being a single man reluctant to commit, an amusing flip on the conventional man hiding his married status from his lover.

Hawn got the main critical plaudits (and of course an Oscar) in her first significant film role and certainly people who only knew her as the likable but one-note persona on the ‘Laugh In’ TV series would’ve been surprised she was capable of holding her own in comedic roles like this. But looking back now, the impact of her performance seems dulled as her wacky, charming persona that she displays here became so familiar in her cinema performances over the decades that her work here seems merely solidly impressive as opposed to Oscar-worthy.

Looking at the film now, the real standout performance is by Bergman as Julian’s weary dental assistant. It’s particularly impressive as she has the most challenging task of convincingly transitioning from a repressed, shy, middle-aged woman to someone who blossoms into a confident, charismatic persona. And Bergman does it with aplomb. The scene where she reacts with utter delight at (mistakenly) thinking that Julian has bought her a mink stole is delightful to watch. It’s a terrific performance that ensures the film’s success as much as any factor and she was unlucky to not to be the performer to at least get an Oscar nomination.

At first glance, one would think the 1969 American comedy ‘Cactus Flower’ would be a revered film of its era as it has significant talent associated with it, was a box office success and saw Goldie Hawn win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

And yet whenever I’ve come across appraisal of the film over the years the response has been one of disappointment. Perhaps this is because for all the quality associated with it there was a second-hand feel to it. While in plot and talent it feels like it is based on the work of Neil Simon (director Gene Saks and star Walter Matthau had appeared in Simon’s ‘The Odd Couple’ the previous year) it isn’t. As well, this was one of the very rare films that highly-talented screenwriter I.A.L. Diamond wrote without his regular famed collaborator Billy Wilder.

And it has to be said ‘Cactus Flower’ starts on a less than promising note. After a rather painful song over the opening credits, the film begins with a suicide attempt of young lady Toni (Hawn) that is stopped by her neigbour Igor (Rick Lenz, with strong echoes of a youthful Jimmy Stewart). There’s nothing wrong with such a morbid event occurring in a comedy film per se, but it is done in such a phony sitcomish manner with Toni & Igor chatting amicably minutes afterwards as if he’d stopped her from buying the wrong pantyhose that one wonders whether the film can recover. Happily enough, it does.

The reason for Toni’s suicide attempt is that her lover Julian (a dentist played by Matthau) has decided to end the relationship on account of his wife and children. But we soon learn that Julian has no wife or kids and when he offers to marry Toni, she wants to meet a family that doesn’t exist. In desperation Julian turns to his assistant Stephanie (Ingrid Bergman) to pose as his wife. When you factor in that Stephanie is secretly in love with Julian a full-on farce of impersonation, mistaken identities and awkward meetups has begun.

After an uncertain, hackish opening, ‘Cactus Flower’ finds its groove by creating comic momentum by embracing the farcical nature of the innumerable lies and false relationships and characters the central characters get involved in. Particularly amusing are the scenes where Julian is desperately trying to convince Toni that he is a philandering married man instead of being a single man reluctant to commit, an amusing flip on the conventional man hiding his married status from his lover.

Hawn got the main critical plaudits (and of course an Oscar) in her first significant film role and certainly people who only knew her as the likable but one-note persona on the ‘Laugh In’ TV series would’ve been surprised she was capable of holding her own in comedic roles like this. But looking back now, the impact of her performance seems dulled as her wacky, charming persona that she displays here became so familiar in her cinema performances over the decades that her work here seems merely solidly impressive as opposed to Oscar-worthy.

Looking at the film now, the real standout performance is by Bergman as Julian’s weary dental assistant. It’s particularly impressive as she has the most challenging task of convincingly transitioning from a repressed, shy, middle-aged woman to someone who blossoms into a confident, charismatic persona. And Bergman does it with aplomb. The scene where she reacts with utter delight at (mistakenly) thinking that Julian has bought her a mink stole is delightful to watch. It’s a terrific performance that ensures the film’s success as much as any factor and she was unlucky to not to be the performer to at least get an Oscar nomination.

Certainly ‘Cactus Flower’ has its share of flaws. It has a poor opening and its finale is dragged out and unwieldy due to having to wrap up the numerous plot strands and misunderstandings the main characters have with each other. But because of the skilled filmmaking and quality cast the majority of the film is a lot of fun and overall it’s a highly enjoyable comedy.

Certainly ‘Cactus Flower’ has its share of flaws. It has a poor opening and its finale is dragged out and unwieldy due to having to wrap up the numerous plot strands and misunderstandings the main characters have with each other. But because of the skilled filmmaking and quality cast the majority of the film is a lot of fun and overall it’s a highly enjoyable comedy.