The Marrying Man
Encyclopedia
The Marrying Man is a 1991 romantic comedy film starring Alec Baldwin
and Kim Basinger
. The script is by Neil Simon
. Basinger's performance in the film earned her a Golden Raspberry Award nomination for Worst Actress.
His four best friends—a comedian, a songwriter, a singer and a baseball manager (none particularly successful as yet)—accompany Charley on a drive to Las Vegas for a final bachelor's fling. Charley is willing to foot the bill for Phil, Sammy, Tony and George but is eager to get back home to his fiancee. They make a quick stop for a drink at a nightclub where Vicki Anderson, a glamorous singer, immediately disrupts Charley's thoughts of wedded bliss. He tries to pick up Vicki after her performance but is sternly warned that she belongs to somebody else. Vicki responds to Charley's charm, however, and obligingly offers to leave a window open at her home. Charley shows up and they end up in bed, only to be caught in the act by her other lover—Bugsy Siegel, the notorious gangster.
Rather than react violently, Bugsy amuses himself with the notion that he will take the scared-stiff Vicki and Charley to a justice of the peace in the middle of the night and make them marry one another. Charley drives her back to California and offers to pay her expenses, but Vicki walks out, wanting nothing more from him. In the meantime, their wedding photo pops up on the front page of the morning newspaper—with Charley's engagement announcement to Lew Horner's daughter appearing on a later page, as the enraged studio boss points out. Charley apologizes and still wants to marry a sobbing Adele. He agrees to get an annulment from Vicki and to pay a considerable sum to charity if he should dare disappoint Horner's daughter again.
Charley accidentally runs into Vicki again and can't help himself. Charley is remarries Vicki and once again leaving his fiancee in the lurch. Lew Horner stops just short of killing Charley, instead sending a couple of thugs to beat him and toss him into a swimming pool. Charley accepts this as fair. Vicki is happy, too, momentarily, coming home with an offer that could advance her career, only to learn that Charley's father has died and he is needed on the other side of the country in Boston, where he is now expected to run the family's business.
Vicki puts her career on hold and spends two years in Boston, enduring high society and boring tea parties. She can't wait to get back to California and her career, but when Charley reneges on his promise, Vicki promptly gets a divorce. It doesn't take long for Charley to return west. He and his friends track Vicki to a nightclub where she has taken up with another shady figure. They become involved in a violent brawl. Charley then makes off with Vicki and marries her a third time, to the amazement of his pals. As a gesture of gratitude, Charley sinks millions of dollars into a movie studio where he intends to produce pictures featuring his wife. But while the careers of his buddies take off, Charlie and Vicki begin to have children and raise a family. Nothing at the new studio gets under way and Charlie goes broke. He angrily blames Vicki, who walks out on him yet again.
Divorced and depressed, a haggard-looking Charley is found by his friends quite a bit later at a nightclub, where he tells them he has recently gone into a promising new line of work: computers. He stares dreamily at the stage where Vicki is performing her act. Charley shows his friends a diamond engagement ring that he has brought with him. Vicki slides it onto her finger.
, a '50s performer nicknamed "The Body" who was married to shoe mogul Harry Karl more than once and also reportedly the mistress of Bugsy Siegel
.
Charley Pearl's four friends, the comedian, songwriter, singer and baseball manager, are believed to be loosely based on Phil Silvers
, Sammy Cahn
, Tony Martin
and Leo Durocher
, according to AllMovie.com and other sources.
Alec Baldwin
Alexander Rae "Alec" Baldwin III is an American actor who has appeared on film, stage, and television.Baldwin first gained recognition through television for his work in the soap opera Knots Landing in the role of Joshua Rush. He was a cast member for two seasons before his character was killed off...
and Kim Basinger
Kim Basinger
Kimila Ann "Kim" Basinger is an American actress and former fashion model.She is known for her portrayals of Domino Petachi, the Bond girl in Never Say Never Again , and Vicki Vale, the female lead in Batman . Basinger received a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture...
. The script is by Neil Simon
Neil Simon
Neil Simon is an American playwright and screenwriter. He has written numerous Broadway plays, including Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues, and The Odd Couple. He won the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play Lost In Yonkers. He has written the screenplays for several of his plays that...
. Basinger's performance in the film earned her a Golden Raspberry Award nomination for Worst Actress.
Plot
Charley Pearl is the heir to a toothpaste empire's fortune. He is a playboy who doesn't work for a living, spending his time indulging in hobbies like speedboats and fast cars. Charley is engaged to be married to the daughter of Lew Horner, a foul-mouthed, hot-tempered Hollywood studio mogul. Horner is concerned that Charley has no ambition of any kind and no apparent guilt about it. The studio chief warns Charley that if he should make Adele unhappy in any way, there will be hell to pay.His four best friends—a comedian, a songwriter, a singer and a baseball manager (none particularly successful as yet)—accompany Charley on a drive to Las Vegas for a final bachelor's fling. Charley is willing to foot the bill for Phil, Sammy, Tony and George but is eager to get back home to his fiancee. They make a quick stop for a drink at a nightclub where Vicki Anderson, a glamorous singer, immediately disrupts Charley's thoughts of wedded bliss. He tries to pick up Vicki after her performance but is sternly warned that she belongs to somebody else. Vicki responds to Charley's charm, however, and obligingly offers to leave a window open at her home. Charley shows up and they end up in bed, only to be caught in the act by her other lover—Bugsy Siegel, the notorious gangster.
Rather than react violently, Bugsy amuses himself with the notion that he will take the scared-stiff Vicki and Charley to a justice of the peace in the middle of the night and make them marry one another. Charley drives her back to California and offers to pay her expenses, but Vicki walks out, wanting nothing more from him. In the meantime, their wedding photo pops up on the front page of the morning newspaper—with Charley's engagement announcement to Lew Horner's daughter appearing on a later page, as the enraged studio boss points out. Charley apologizes and still wants to marry a sobbing Adele. He agrees to get an annulment from Vicki and to pay a considerable sum to charity if he should dare disappoint Horner's daughter again.
Charley accidentally runs into Vicki again and can't help himself. Charley is remarries Vicki and once again leaving his fiancee in the lurch. Lew Horner stops just short of killing Charley, instead sending a couple of thugs to beat him and toss him into a swimming pool. Charley accepts this as fair. Vicki is happy, too, momentarily, coming home with an offer that could advance her career, only to learn that Charley's father has died and he is needed on the other side of the country in Boston, where he is now expected to run the family's business.
Vicki puts her career on hold and spends two years in Boston, enduring high society and boring tea parties. She can't wait to get back to California and her career, but when Charley reneges on his promise, Vicki promptly gets a divorce. It doesn't take long for Charley to return west. He and his friends track Vicki to a nightclub where she has taken up with another shady figure. They become involved in a violent brawl. Charley then makes off with Vicki and marries her a third time, to the amazement of his pals. As a gesture of gratitude, Charley sinks millions of dollars into a movie studio where he intends to produce pictures featuring his wife. But while the careers of his buddies take off, Charlie and Vicki begin to have children and raise a family. Nothing at the new studio gets under way and Charlie goes broke. He angrily blames Vicki, who walks out on him yet again.
Divorced and depressed, a haggard-looking Charley is found by his friends quite a bit later at a nightclub, where he tells them he has recently gone into a promising new line of work: computers. He stares dreamily at the stage where Vicki is performing her act. Charley shows his friends a diamond engagement ring that he has brought with him. Vicki slides it onto her finger.
Cast
- Alec BaldwinAlec BaldwinAlexander Rae "Alec" Baldwin III is an American actor who has appeared on film, stage, and television.Baldwin first gained recognition through television for his work in the soap opera Knots Landing in the role of Joshua Rush. He was a cast member for two seasons before his character was killed off...
as Charley Pearl - Kim BasingerKim BasingerKimila Ann "Kim" Basinger is an American actress and former fashion model.She is known for her portrayals of Domino Petachi, the Bond girl in Never Say Never Again , and Vicki Vale, the female lead in Batman . Basinger received a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture...
as Vicki Anderson - Armand AssanteArmand Assante-Personal life:Assante was born in New York City and raised in Cornwall, New York, the son of Katherine , a music teacher and poet, and Armand Anthony Assante, Sr., a painter and artist. His father was Italian and his mother was Irish, and was raised in a devoutly Roman Catholic family...
as BugsyBugsy SiegelBenjamin "Bugsy" Siegel was an American gangster who was involved with the Genovese crime family... - Paul ReiserPaul ReiserPaul Reiser is an American stand-up comedian, actor, television personality, author, screenwriter and musician. He is most widely known for his role on the long-running television sitcom Mad About You.-Early life:...
as Phil - Fisher StevensFisher StevensFisher Stevens is an American actor, director and producer. His most recent successes include the 2010 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for his film The Cove and 2008 Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary Feature for his film Crazy Love...
as Sammy - Steve HytnerSteve HytnerStephen Arthur "Steve" Hytner is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as Kenny Bania in Seinfeld...
as George - Peter DobsonPeter DobsonPeter Dobson is an American actor who has appeared in Drowning Mona, The Frighteners, The Poseidon Adventure, and the film adaptation of Last Exit to Brooklyn. He also had a cameo role in Forrest Gump as Elvis Presley. Peter also credits himself under alternate name Derek Hoyle...
as Tony - Robert LoggiaRobert LoggiaRobert Loggia is an American film and television actor and director.- Early life :Loggia, an Italian American, was born on Staten Island, the son of Elena Blandino, a homemaker, and Benjamin Loggia, a shoemaker, both of whom were born in Sicily, Italy...
as Lew Horner - Elisabeth ShueElisabeth ShueElisabeth Judson Shue is an American actress and producer, most famous for her roles in the films The Karate Kid, Adventures in Babysitting, Cocktail, Back to the Future Parts II and III and Leaving Las Vegas, for which she won five acting awards and was nominated for an Academy Award, a Golden...
as Adele
Trivia
There has been speculation that Neil Simon based the character of Vicki on singer Marie McDonaldMarie McDonald
Marie McDonald was an American singer and actress known as "The Body Beautiful" and later nicknamed "The Body".- Early life :...
, a '50s performer nicknamed "The Body" who was married to shoe mogul Harry Karl more than once and also reportedly the mistress of Bugsy Siegel
Bugsy Siegel
Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel was an American gangster who was involved with the Genovese crime family...
.
Charley Pearl's four friends, the comedian, songwriter, singer and baseball manager, are believed to be loosely based on Phil Silvers
Phil Silvers
Phil Silvers was an American entertainer and comedy actor, known as "The King of Chutzpah." He is best known for starring in The Phil Silvers Show, a 1950s sitcom set on a U.S...
, Sammy Cahn
Sammy Cahn
Sammy Cahn was an American lyricist, songwriter and musician. He is best known for his romantic lyrics to films and Broadway songs, as well as stand-alone songs premiered by recording companies in the Greater Los Angeles Area...
, Tony Martin
Tony Martin
Anthony or Tony Martin may refer to:Education*Tony Martin , professor at Wellesley College known for racial controversies in the early 1990s.*Donald A...
and Leo Durocher
Leo Durocher
Leo Ernest Durocher , nicknamed Leo the Lip, was an American infielder and manager in Major League Baseball. Upon his retirement, he ranked fifth all-time among managers with 2,009 career victories, second only to John McGraw in National League history. Durocher still ranks tenth in career wins by...
, according to AllMovie.com and other sources.