Vierzig Karat

I managed to watch this one on Amazon streaming movies. It came out in 1973, the same year I moved to the New Orleans area to start a new job and the year my first son was born. The 1970s was a distinct time.

The way this movie starts seems like it will be a romantic comedy, and there is lots of comedy, but it really turns out to more be a statement on how we choose partners in life, with some serious young/old couple insight.

It starts in Greece, Liv Ullmann (about 34 or so) plays 40-yr-old Ann Stanley who is vacationing and her car breaks down. A motorcyclist shows up, Edward Albert (about 22 or so) as 22-yr-old Peter Latham. He offers her a ride into town but they end up sleeping on a small alcove at water's edge. She sees their almost 20-yr age difference as too great, she disappears as dawn breaks and goes back to her real estate job in Manhattan.

Imagine Ann's surprise when Peter shows up at her home to escort her teen daughter Trina to a party. Several comedic situations occur, everyone assumes Peter is after Trina, but instead he really is after Ann. Then a wealthy 43-yr-old client of Ann's from Tulsa takes an interest in 17-yr-old Trina. The points being made, an 18-yr difference or a 25-yr difference should not be the deciding matter. It also is a commentary on how society more easily accepts a younger girl pairing up with an older man than the opposite.

It was also great seeing Gene Kelly as Billy Boylan, Ann's ex-husband and Trina's dad. He was in his early 60s and still in fine form, and he didn't make many movies after this one.

Overall a very enjoyable movie with good actors, adapted from a stage play.

I do love this little film. I also think Edward Albert is the only actor is this film who isn't overacting. Or miscast. I could watch this film all day, just to watch Edward. He has to be about the most beautiful young man ever put on the planet. In this film he is charming and a complete breath of fresh air, however quaint that may sound. The premise of a woman old enough to be the man's mother become romantically involved was BIG at the time. When the scene is relaxed and the acting natural, it's a lovely film to watch. In scenes of awkward overacting, Edward stands out as a natural, his uniqueness, talent and intelligence radiate from his face. I am not so sure of the comedy rating of this film. It's actually quite serious part of the time. I wish he had been given more excellent parts to play throughout his career.

Beautiful 36, no… 38, no… 39, no… 40-year-old Liv Ullmann (as Ann Stanley) from Norway originally is driving through gorgeous Greece when her car overheats. Along comes handsome 22-year-old Edward Albert (as Peter Latham) from Pittsburgh, USA on a motorcycle. Believing herself too old to ride a motor bike, Ms. Ullmann instead strips down to her underwear for a swim with Mr. Albert. One thing leads to another and they have sex on the beach. Perhaps feeling a little old and out of sorts after the act, Ullmann leaves Albert while he sleeps...

Back home in New York, guess who arrives to pick up Ullmann's daughter for a date?

At first this seemed like it was going to be a drama, but it's obviously a comedy by the time Ullmann and Albert meet in New York. It probably would have been funnier if a woman more experienced in situation comedy played Ullmann's part, but the film does garner some chuckles. Although Albert does look like the younger of the two, the age difference seems more like ten than twenty years. Ullmann appears closer to Albert's age than she does to ex-husband Gene Kelly (as Billy Boylan). Respected elder Binnie Barnes (as Maud Ericson) does well in her last feature.

****** 40 Carats (6/28/73) Milton Katselas ~ Liv Ullmann, Edward Albert, Gene Kelly, Binnie Barnes

Based on a hit Broadway play that won a Tony Award for Julie Harris, 40 CARATS is a comedy about a 40-ish woman who is pursued by a 22-year-old man. Liv Ullmann, looking very pretty, stars as the New York City realtor who meets the young man (Edward Albert) while on vacation in Greece. By coincidence (and a big one) he meets her again when he shows up for a blind date with her daughter (Deborah Raffin). It turns out he's from a wealthy family which interests Ullmann's swinging mother (Binnie Barnes).

Into this mix are Ullmann's first husband (Gene Kelly), her secretary (Nancy Walker), a hick from Texas (Billy Green Bush), a customer (Natalie Schafer), and Albert's parents (Don Porter, Rosemary Murphy).

The plot revolves around the machinations and misconceptions of who is dating who and is it proper for Ullmann to marry a much younger man.

Ullmann is good as the "middle-aged" woman. Albert is sort of creepy. Kelly is annoying as is Green Bush. Walker gets in a few zingers. Raffin is a blank. But in her final film appearance the 70-year-old Binnie Barnes (looking decades younger) steals every scene she's in as a swinging grandmother who's always borrowing Raffin's clothes and can't wait to hit the dance floor. This role was played by Glenda Farrell on Broadway.

The second film directed by Milton Katselas.. he only directed six! and they were all off-beat thangs... i loved Butterflies are Free; that one had Goldie Hawn, and ALSO had Edward Albert. 40 Carats is a May-December story, with Ann (Liv Ullmann) having a quick romance with Peter (Edward Albert) in Greece. They meet again later, back in the states, but things are different, more proper. Keep an eye out for Nancy Walker (Rhoda's mom) and Natalie Schafer (Lovey Howell!) and of course, Gene Kelly with a mustache. Interesting cast. The story itself is silly and all over the place, but its fun to see the cast in this oddball work. Edward Albert died young at 55, only a year after his dad, the OTHER Eddie Albert. kind of fun. Liv Ullmann waaaaya over-acts. just go with it. Showing on the Cinémoi channel.