The Marrying Man (1991) Online

1991 Kim Basinger Alec Baldwin Robert Loggia Jerry Rees

Original Title :: The Marrying Man
Genre :: Movie / Comedy / Music / Romance
Year :: 1991
Directror :: Jerry Rees
Cast :: Kim Basinger,Alec Baldwin,Robert Loggia
Writer :: Neil Simon
Budget :: $26,000,000
Type :: Movie
Time :: 1h 55min
Rating :: 5.7/10

The Marrying Man (1991) Online

Rich playboy Charley Pearl meets Vicki Anderson, singer at a nightclub in Las Vegas. But she's a gangster's-moll, Bugsy Siegel's, and when he finds the two of them in bed, he forces them to marry each other. Charley was going to marry his girlfriend but when she finds out about him and Vicki, she leaves him. And Vicki doesn't seem to be his kind of woman at all...

Cast overview, first billed only:
	Kim Basinger	-	Vicki Anderson
	Alec Baldwin	-	Charley Pearl
	Robert Loggia	-	Lew Horner
	Elisabeth Shue	-	Adele Horner
	Armand Assante	-	Bugsy Siegel
	Paul Reiser	-	Phil Golden
	Fisher Stevens	-	Sammy
	Peter Dobson	-	Tony
	Steve Hytner	-	George
	Jeremy Roberts	-	Gus
	Big John Studd	-	Dante
	Tony Longo	-	Sam
	Tom Milanovich	-	Andy
	Tim Hauser	-	Woody
	Carey Eidel	-	Cab Driver

According to Premiere Magazine, Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin, who moved in together during the filming, made life miserable for the crew with their demands and their attitude. First and foremost, there were Alec Baldwin's violent temper tantrums in which he threw a chair, smashed camera lenses, punched a wall and ripped a cellular phone from a Disney executive's hand. Things had already gotten off on the wrong foot when Disney Chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg when first meeting Baldwin reportedly joked "We could get a gate guard to do the same job as you." Baldwin naturally, didn't take kindly to the joke. As for Basinger, she was accused of habitual lateness (she kept production waiting on the set due to her elaborate morning routine, which included washing her hair with only Evian water and shampoo), flashing the crew, talking filthy on open walkie-talkies, refusing to shoot in sunlight, and demanding that no one look at her. Stories also included Basinger's feud with Simon over her dialogue (Basinger at one point told Neil Simon, "This isn't funny. Whoever wrote this doesn't understand comedy." Simon denied the incident. But he only visited the set one more time during filming) and a prima-donna attitude that ultimately resulted in the firing of the original director of photography because she didn't look like how she looked in the test shots that he had taken. One person from the set claimed that at one point, Basinger pushed the director, Jerry Rees aside and tried to direct a musical number herself. Basinger also wouldn't settle for having her makeup touched up between close-up shots. Instead, she had to have her makeup completely removed and re-applied between takes, something that made filming take about 20x longer than it should have. In other words retakes would take hours instead of minutes. Not only that, but Basinger wanted to shut down production so she could fly to Brazil to consult a psychic. It was also on the set that Basinger and Baldwin began a hot, steamy on-set romance. Allegedly, the crew emic'd the trailers to record them having sex and they then played them back so that Basinger and Baldwin could hear. One crewmember commented, "Honest to God, if I were destitute and living on the street with no food and somebody offered me a million dollars to work with Alec and Kim, I'd pass. Their actions were vile, deplorable, despicable."

This film was inspired by a true story. Writer Neil Simon heard about the stormy relationship between shoe millionaire Harry Karl and starlet Marie McDonald (nicknamed "The Body") and then wrote this script.

Neil Simon said of his experience working on the film: "With a play, I have only two people to please - myself and the director. With this movie, it was 19 executives, a director who'd never done anything but animation before, and two stars who would tell you what lines they'd say and what lines they wouldn't say."

From Carrie Fisher's memoir, Wishful Drinking, "Now, my stepfather Harry Karl was not a handsome man but because he was wealthy and well-groomed he was said to be distinguished looking. That's ugly with money. They actually made a movie about Harry Karl and Marie McDonald and their multiple marriages called The Marrying Man (1991) and Alec Baldwin played Harry Karl. I think the resemblance is astonishing."

Stars Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger fell in love and married three years after working on this project.

One of three movies released in 1991 that featured Bugsy Siegel as a character. The other two were Mobsters (1991) and Bugsy (1991).

Penelope Ann Miller was the first choice to play Adele Horner.

Kevin Costner was considered for the part of Charley Pearl.

Herbert Ross was originally going to direct the film, but dropped out before Jerry Rees took over the project.

Jodie Foster, Julia Roberts and Meg Ryan passed on the role of Vicki Anderson.

User reviews

Kadar

I cannot understand why the ratings and comments on this movie are as mediocre to poor as they are. This was a fun movie. Sure, it's a bit silly and it plays with history and facts but it's essentially just fun and harmless yet fast moving and entertaining. Does every movie have to be The English Patient? Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger do a really good job of lite hearted comedy about a couple that keeps finding each other, over and over again! Baldwin's pals, Paul Reiser, Fisher Stevens, Peter Dobson, and Steve Hytner, are great support players as they are funny and engaging about the trials and tribulations of this love affair.

Robert Logia is terrific as Baldwin's ex-fiancé's father, a power broker in Hollywood hell bent on destroying Baldwin's characters life after he jilts not once but TWICE his daughter played by Elizabeth Shue. But in many ways it is Armand Assante who steals the movie with his portrayal of Bugsy Siegel. Assante is so controlled and smooth, yet so believable as a cold blooded gangster/killer. He plays the role with a true sense of comedic timing.

The cast is first rate, the movie has some good twists and turns, and it'll go by quickly which every good movie will do. I liked it and I'm betting if you like lite hearted comedy you'll like it too.

komandante

This is the movie where Alec Balwin and Kim Baisinger fall in love, FOR REAL! Their chemistry is potent and obvious... and they were married shortly after!

Yes, it's very funny in places, a tribute to human emotional insanity under the influence of love... and OH so true.

Largely, to my mind, because of the REAL emotions between the main characters (they WEREN'T acting) it was fantastic. Alec is the quintessential male victim of love - totally illogical and totally devoted to the female who's totally seduced him. And she comes to believe a man willing to die for her is better than the meal ticket she's got in the mob guy... to everyone's detriment.

Watch it again, people, appreciating it's relation to actual history...

Mavivasa

There is love and there is hot, Charlie and Vicki had both, why is this so amazing? A myriad of reasons, so let's attempt to make the necessary detachment! Love is trust, mutual understanding, mutual respect and spiritual growth. Sex is fantasy, illusion, degrading escapism and some other kind of growth (guess what?). The film "Marrying Man" delves into the painstaking dichotomy of what a marriage should be, and what men really want out of it. The creative itemization to this movie is marvelous! All of the circumstances in this movie make love and hot the overt culprits to virtually all of Charlie's (Alek Baldwin) problems. The genre of this film evokes a tremendous wealth of humor which is based on the fact that a nefariously candid handful of guys are afflicted by their relentlessly sordid human nature! The entire movie appealed to me: Taking place in the fifties, the events of this era accommodated an auspicious camaraderie with the cavalier demeanor of this film! This movie was full of mildly lewd behavior which reflected the naivety of the times! Another stellar aspect to this flick was, of course, the given factual detail that Kim Bassinger looked utterly gorgeous!!. Neil Simon directs this movie, and, it surprises me how Mr Egalitarian Liberal of the Seventies, (Neil Simon) can be so flippant about this film's insinuated sexist wiles of chicanery, kidding or otherwise!! The music accommodated the pace of this film, and the acting was incredibly believable. People might say, "You are suppose to take a driver's license test four times if you have to, you are not suppose to marry the same woman four times". To which I say, "Marrying the same woman four times, "Can Do!!"

Weiehan

'The Marrying Man' is one of the most underrated Kim Basinger-movie of them all. I have to admit that it's one of my favorite ones. I'm not a person of romantic comedies, but if there's a real beauty goddess in it (like Kim) who makes the whole plot sexier it's really worth to see it. The film is a typical classic-type Hollywood-movie with the sweaty plot of an operetta. The acting is great, the pictures are so colorful and Kim shines like Rita Hayworth in 'Gilda' when she sings the hit songs of Cole Porter and co. Those people who thinks that these kinds of movies are silly have to understand that people of this world needs these nice tales. It's a very professional kind of entertaining with glamorous stars. Kim is a great singer! 'Let's Do It-Let's Fall in Love'...with her.

Phain

Look I admit its not the greatest ever made but I enjoyed it alot. It does not really do much wrong except maybe take the idea a bit far to be believable but look it beats an action movie. I wish they had made better charactors who were more believeable but that would have risked making it less funny. I remember though most clearly on of the lines from the movie which really stood out and was hilarious and is still everytime I think about it. Alex Baldwin is getting beaten up and thrown round a room by this hotshot rich guy who he really does not like and he gets thrown into a cupboard totally destroying the room and he is busy of all things handing out insults to his aggressor. The best of which is: "that suit...it looks like the lining to a better suit"

Mr_Mix

If you like Damon Runyon (obviously, Neil Simon does!), it's a probable 12 to 7 that you will LOVE this movie. Sets are fabulous depiction of "old Las Vegas" as are costumes. Because of the period depiction, this movie is more entertaining now than when it was released in 1991. Almost as good as "Let it Ride" (Richard Dryfus).

If you are looking for reality, you won't find it here. But what you will find is clever (remember, Neil Simon wrote it), good acting, and GREAT singing by Kim Basinger (I didn't know she could do that!)and absolutely fabulous narration by I don't even know who. The morning line on this movie may have been 5 to 2 but it closed an odds on favorite in my book.

Jum

Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger struggle to enliven soggy comedy about a playboy ne'er-do-well who marries and then divorces the same woman, a torchy singer and one-time gangster's moll, again and again. Rather ugly little movie, written for the screen by no less than Neil Simon, repeats its meet-cute formula until a certain bleary-eyed resentment sets in. It's not a promising idea in the cinematic sense, and director Jerry Rees can't get it off the runway (despite a lively opening). Good supporting players Armand Assante, Robert Loggia and Paul Reiser aren't much help. As for infant terribles Baldwin and Basinger: at this stage in their careers, neither was able to carry a picture. Baldwin is wiry but green and nervous; Basinger is more confident as a performer, but can find no strengths for herself in this material. ** from ****

Yozshujind

This movie on the face of it is complete rubbish. Harmless rubbish, but rubbish all the same. However it does have the redeeming feature of being extremely funny in places. The wacky story line makes this enjoyable, if unrealistic. The film is worth watching, just don't expect anything earth moving.

Low_Skill_But_Happy_Deagle

I didn't know the writing credits were on Neil Simon. And me and my wife saw the movie enjoying every line of the text. We're great admirers of Mr.Simon, who created the leading style in good American comedies humour. The Marrying Man is an invitation to find the right person in our lives. That person that awakes our most passionate side, the one which worth to live. Okay, I'm becoming a little dramatic, but my wife and I, we know (thanks God...and us) what true love can do with your life, for better! It's a great movie, plenty of meanings. Watch it twice!

Jare

This movie purports to be based on a real couple. Probably the real couple was more interesting and complex, but surely not as attractive. I generally have problems with Baldwin and Basinger -- normally I find them both rather cold. That's not true in this movie though, perhaps because they were (I've read) having a torrid affair during the filming. In any event, there is real electricity between them, and I like the period atmosphere. I also like the sort of "Disney-fied feel" the movie has; they have filtered out all of the messy parts of reality and made everything comprehensible. It's fake, but it's an appealing fake.

Whitehammer

Alec Baldwin plays Charley, an eccentric millionaire who is worth 28, 38, 48 million dollars, something like that! This buys a lot of things, maids, swimming pools, clout and influential friends...Oh!!! one more thing!! a twisted life!! Earmarked to marry some pro-corporate, social register bimbo, Charley falls in love with a lounge singer, and parenthetically he is hot for her as well!! Generally, you are not hot for the woman you fall in love with...Very unusual!! but, on the other hand,!! How Nice!! Kim Bassinger looks absolutely beautiful in this movie ,virtually every guy who watches this movie puts themselves in Alec Baldwin's position!! Being married to the same GORGEOUS!! woman copious times, insures that he is not only in love, but he also has the hots, CONSTANTLY!! GREAT MOVIE!! Not a typical Neil Simon film, this one takes the men's side!! The typical guy can laugh inwardly as well as outwardly throughout this entire film!! This is a better Neil Simon effort!! There are no platonic responsibilities to securing an amicable divorce!! Not everyone is a New York intellectual! Nice to know such an accomplished director can accommodate a prevailing eighties philosophy of men just acting like men!! I think this movie is so hilarious!! but then again!! I should!! I am a guy!!

kewdiepie

Whether you'd admit it or not, I don't believe that anyone watched this movie and didn't enjoy it. It talks to our basic instincts in a very honest way. I mean ain't we all looking for this undying passion? You look at them (Alec and Kim) in this movie and you can believe that this kind of passion can be found but you need to be lucky enough to be mutual. For we all know that we sometimes meet people and have such feelings for them and they don't exchange it back or vice versa.

The movie has so funny scenes and Baldwin is so funny as well. Kim is so charming and the whole movie would push you towards finding this kind of coupling.

Elildelm

An excellent romantic comedy. Kim Basinger is superb in the role of a cabaret singer. She is gorgeous, immediate, and really puts over a song. She radiates true star quality and the staging of the songs is stunning. The screenplay is fresh and funny, and creates a delightful artificial reality that is validated by the emotional truths it conveys. Alec Baldwin is appealing and natural. Elizabeth Shue is perfectly cast in a subsidiary role and delivers with conviction. Minuses are the supporting four Baldwin buddies and major lapses in mise en scene. A touching, funny, and underrated movie. If, like me, you've passed by the video box for eons, turned off by the Art Disco graphic design, take a deep breath and give it a try.

Iriar

This movie is a great a movie, especially when you don't know what the crap it's about before you watch it. I really liked this movie because it really gets you feeling as if you've been in a love hate relationship for three years when all you've been doing is watching a movie for two hours. And these two actors are great, the fact that they liked each other in real life adds to the passion they are supposed to feel.

I'm tired of watching movies where people get divorced that seem so perfect for each other and in the back of your mind you think they should get back with each other, but in the occasion they do get back together, it suddenly seems like the problems they had befor disappeares, that usually makes it unrealistic. Thats why this movie is perfect, you want them to get together, which they do, and they still address the problems from before making this a superb movie. Since in my opinion Notting Hill his the best romantic comedy to ever be made and since this movie is only one notch bellow that that makes this a good movie. Maybe the reason I also liked this movie is because it mostly takes place in California which is where I live and love. But even if I lived in Australia I would still like this movie.

thrust

It is difficult to review "movies of childhood" - on the one hand, in the memory preserved delight from seeing it two decades ago; on the other hand, you know that you have changed and what was once so loved, now may be disappointing. Moreover, if you've read devastating criticism on IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes and paid attention to the movie's low rating and its failure at the box office, you'll seriously doubt the wisdom of messing up your vivid impressions of childhood.

But here you have some free time, and while not expecting anything special, except for the romantic comedy with still young Baldwin and Basinger, you launch The Marrying Man.

Then unexpectedly in addition to the fun romantic story, you find clever humour and excellent Neil Simon's dialogues, psychologically credible analysis of relationships' problems, beautiful songs from the 1950s performed by Kim and perfectly conveyed elegance of the "golden age."

Although "The Marrying Man" in its own is a fairy-tale (probably because of this you've fell in love with this movie as a child), it is absolutely not for children. The movie's fabulousness, imperceptibly "catchy" to many is apparently equally repulsive to others. This fabulousness manifested not only in the glamorous beauty of Baldwin-Basinger pair, but also in the inescapable optimistic narrative, desire and ability of the main protagonists to forgive and to give each other more and more chances despite appearing would be hopelessly damaged relationships. Of course, in real life it seems unreal. And if it happens, it is extremely rare. But many would like to believe in a fabulous chance to correct the irreparable: to return passion, which was extinguished in the routine of life, to restore marriage, ruined by husband's workaholism and negligence, to start over and fall into another flaw when husband loses his self-esteem, when recriminations and resentment for lost opportunities seem insurmountable, still to forgive and to try again from the scratch, taking into account all the experienced mistakes - with mutual respect, love and support. And characters are giving these forgiveness and new opportunities to each other - a fairy tale, in which you secretly want to believe.

In this fairy tale with beautiful people, great music, stylish atmosphere, clever dialogues, good humour and adult problems, protagonists, despite all of life's disasters and deep resentment, still eager to find mutual support and love, friends remain loyal, and the story's ending, as a reward for all experienced, is optimistic. The Marrying Man is a good movie for those who have not forgotten how to believe in the beautiful fairy tales.

10 out of 10

Gosar

This film is proof that by just combining two of my favorite stars with the writing of Neil Simon, is not necessarily a guarantee of success. I understand that this is a comedy and the actions of the characters may be exaggerated for comic purposes. The problem is that even though the characters actions made no sense through the movie, it wasn't funny. I honestly found myself disliking Alec's character. Sorry everyone. I would rather watch Alec and Kim in The Getaway(1994) which I thought was a lot better than the 1972 original.

Lesesshe

This is probably one of the best romantic-comedy-drama movies I have ever seen. Sure, 'My Best Friend's Wedding' was good, too, but 'The Marrying Man' was great without all of the publicity. Alec Baldwin gives a radiant performance from slick, rich, toothpaste company heir that dates a young Elisabeth Shue to a slick, rich, toothpaste company heir that dates lounge singer (and future wife, both in the movie and outside) Kim Basinger to a bum who marries the same lady four times, hence the title. At times, I did get a little bored, but after I watched it for the second time, I saw things I didn't see the first time. This movie is a hidden gem for the acquired taste. Although I wouldn't recommend it for little kids or people who get bored with movies during the first ten minutes, it was a really great movie.

Winasana

A very rich toothpaste heir playboy (Baldwin) lets raging testosterone make all of his major decisions, which results in tiresomely predictable but never really fatal results. The object of most of his affection is a Las Vegas cabaret singer who is the girlfriend of Bugsy Siegel (Armand Assante in a too-brief appearance). Kim Bassinger does a lot of singing and even more shimmying, but that's about all she contributes to a script which consists mostly of a tiresome series of not very funny one-liners. Don't be misled by the Neil Simon credit. Simon has done far better plays, and should have known enough to burn the script of this disaster before letting anyone film it.

Sat

Jerry Rees's 'The Marrying Man' is one of those funny and spot-on flicks that have the potential to become classics, but they falter in the most important portion of the film... it's culmination.

'The Marrying Man' stars Alec Baldwin as a playboy, who is a 6 days away from his marriage... in a trip with friends, he falls in love with the sultry Kim Basinger, who also has her share of problems and complications. The film has a terrific first hour, in fact you're hooked into the screen completely! But the penultimate 40-minutes drag and become boring. The culmination is stupid and highly unconvincing. What disappoints more is that this flick is written by a genius like Neil Simon!

Moving on, Rees direction is fair. Acting wise, Robert Loggia is terrific in a brief role. He steals the show! Alec Baldwin is quite good. Kim Basinger looks amazing, as ever! Her performance is perfect. Elisabeth Shue is okay. All the actors who play Alec's friends are mechanical.

'The Marrying Man' deserves a watch. It has a superb first hour and the lovable Kim Basinger to it's kitty.

santa

This movie is all about the allure of anticipation, especially between two lovers. It's about that feeling you get when you fall "in love" with that special someone and can't get that person out of your mind. But it's also about how that feeling can all too often leave you before you know what has happened. In this respect, I think the movie does a good job depicting this phenomenon. Baldwin and Basinger express a real yearning for each other that can really be felt throughout the movie.

The only really bad part about this film is that the story is somewhat chopped up and the "narration"-style presentation could use some work. Other than that, it's good to watch if you catch it on TV or something.

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