Cactus Flower

Adapted from the Broadway play, Cactus Flower is nonthink entertainment given superlative star treatment by Walter Matthau, Ingrid Bergman, and Goldie Hawn. Hawn, in her Oscar-winning debut, plays Toni, a twentysomething free spirit engaged to dentist Julian Winston (Matthau), who isn't ready to give up his bachelorhood just yet. To avoid marriage, he lies to Toni and tells her that he is already married (with children) to his assistant, Stephanie (Bergman). At first, Stephanie is against the idea of being dishonest, but because of the secret love she harbors for Julian, she gives in. Romantic entanglements ensue, leading to a touching conclusion. Ingrid Bergman always had a flair for light comedy, but was only given rare opportunities to show it (Indiscreet, The Yellow Rolls-Royce). Matthau is wonderfully befuddled, and Hawn began the first in a series of kooky characterizations. With hilarious support from Jack Weston, Rick Lenz, and Eve Bruce, Cactus Flower is a blossoming laugh fest!

I am surprised by the relatively low rating this film has. It is a screwball comedy & romance film rolled together by someone besides Billy Wilder but it does a really good job & even won an Oscar.

It is Ingrid Bergman's first film in the US since the 1950's & even though she is no longer the young bombshell she was in her early films, she brings off a difficult role quite handsomely. This film proves she had multiple talents beyond her good looks.

Goldie Hawn who won an Oscar in this, her first film, as supporting actress is very good as the modern sophisticated yet quirky latest mistress to Dentist playboy, love them & leave them Walter Mathaw. Goldie is delightful to all the senses in this role which with a great cast set her up as a slam dunk for this early career award.

This film is not real deep, but is a gem that has stood the test of time very well. Not sure why it's average is so low as I give it a solid 8.

Ingrid Bergman, playing dentist Walter Matthau's faithful receptionist who harbors a little crush on her boss, is absolutely wonderful in this film. She handles the witty repartee in the script with aplomb and steals a terrific scene where she and Goldie Hawn talk in a record booth (Ingrid's monologue is a front, but her face tells you she believes in it with all her heart). Matthau is an odd choice for the leading man (he's too old for Goldie Hawn and too unrefined for Bergman, not to mention too unfocused to be a dentist), but I liked the way he tries hard to please Goldie and stumbles around trying to free himself from a lie. Hawn (who won a Supporting Oscar) is just as fresh and bubbly as she is today. This bedroom farce isn't terribly sophisticated (and faintly reminds one of "Any Wednesday" besides), but it's a welcome relief from the noisy, teen-oriented comedies churned out of present-day Hollywood. "Cactus Flower" is a lovely sigh! *** from ****

Saks's 'Cactus Flower' is delightful comedy that revolves around a free spirited young lady Toni (Goldie Hawn), her liar of a dentist boyfriend Julian (Walter Matthau) and his always dependable and honest assistant, Stephanie (Ingrid Bergman). It's pretty much a love triangle that stretches to a love rectangle tangled with lies leading to hilarious situations. While the movie is light and fun, it's also ahead of its time as it touches themes like feminism and gender stereotype.

I was surprised to learn that Ingrid Bergman was in her 50s during filming. At most I guessed her to be in her early 40s. She looks amazing. The actress has always had a flair for comedy and she brings class to her role. A supercute Goldie Hawn is absolutely charming and vivacious. I couldn't have pictured anyone other than Walter Matthau as Julian. The rest of the cast are impressive.

'Cactus Flower' is a well made movie. Quincy Jones's music has a foottapping effect. The cinematography and editing are solid. Saks never derails from the main story.

This film has plenty of laugh out loud moments but my favourite one is the final dance sequence. That had me pretty much rolling on the floor. To sum it up, 'Cactus Flower' is a wonderful comedy. I'll be revisiting it sometime.

When I saw LAUREN BACALL do CACTUS FLOWER on Broadway, I never dreamed that one day I would see an actress like INGRID BERGMAN playing the Bacall role on screen. But here Ingrid really lets her hair down for some good comedy moments as the dental nurse pretending to be WALTER MATTHAU's wife so he can go on with the fib he's told GOLDIE HAWN.

It's a story played for laughs from beginning to end, good-humored stuff that never runs out of dry humor and wit throughout its running time. There are plenty of one-liners or gags that are way above the usual situation comedy stuff one hears on TV--the lines ring true because they blend so well with the characters and their motives.

As the daffy girl who contemplates (in the beginning) committing suicide over her unhappy affair with Matthau, GOLDIE HAWN (fresh from her days as a star on TV's "Laugh In") does a dumb blonde role to perfection. Easy to see why she won that Supporting Actress Oscar.

Ingrid is surprisingly fetching in a rare comedy role, although there are times when she seems just a bit too matronly for the part. At any rate, she's a surprising choice to play the nurse who puts on a freeze act at the office but is considerably warmer off duty.

As Goldie's next door neighbor, Igor, Rick Lenz acquits himself admirably, and makes a suitable match for her in that final scene.

Matthau plays the kind of character that became his stock in trade in all those Neil Simon roles he had--a lovable cad who gets caught up in his own messes when he tells lie after lie.

It's the kind of rib-tickling comedy that'll have you laughing out loud at some of the amusing lines that Abe Burrows and I.A.L. Diamond have managed to scrap together, based on a French farce.