How many times can two people marry each other? Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton did it twice, but in the Hollywood Pictures comedy The Marrying Man, Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger are getting married double that amount, and not for all the right reasons.
The Plot
Charley Pearl is engaged to be married to Adele Horner, the daughter of a Hollywood studio boss. At his bachelor party in Las Vegas, the ever faithful and happy Charley meets Vicki, and life will never be the same.
Their affair is brief, and when Vicki’s boyfriend, Bugsy Siegel, catches them in the act, he forces them to get married. The next day Charley returns to LA, admit his misdeeds, and waits for an annulment so that he and Adele can be married.
When the time comes, through luck, or cruel chance, Charley and Vicki are brought back together and this time their relationship sticks. Until they get divorced, then remarried, and then divorced.
Charley, who was wealthy, sees his life change, and his fortune dwindles. The years go by, and the rollercoaster ride he has with Vicki seems to be over. Then again, maybe the fourth time is the charm.
The Good
The passion and chemistry that Baldwin and Basinger have is undeniable and all over the screen. The way they look at each other, and how they desire each other is more than enough to sell me on the characters' motivations. They are both funny in a variety of scenes. There are many moments that an audience member will say this isn’t going to be good, but the light witty banter makes The Marrying Man a funny film with some great performances.
Having a supporting cast including Robert Loggia, Paul Reiser, Fisher Stevens, Elisabeth Shue, and Armand Assante is a great way to liven up the story and ensure that we are not bogged down by the brutal nature of the lead character’s relationship.
The Bad and the Ugly
The movie is meant to be a farcical comedy, and it works, but who in their right mind would get married and divorced so many times to the same person. There is a reason why your marriage didn’t work. Maybe a second try would work, but four? Come on.
Knowing now about their marriage through their real divorce, the hostility between Basinger and Baldwin on screen plays very different now then what it did when the movie was released.
Not enough Robert Loggia. I would have loved to have seen ninety minutes of Loggia yelling at Baldwin.
Beyond the Film Facts
- Kim Basinger was nominated for a Razzie Award for her portrayal of Vicki. She lost to Sean Young for her work in A Kiss Before Dying.
- The film opened at just over $4 million.
- The movie was written by celebrated playwright Neil Simon.
- Baldwin and Basinger fell in love on set and moved in together during production.
- Reportedly Baldwin and Basinger were not well liked by the crew.
- According to “Premiere” magazine, Baldwin and Basinger did not behave well on the set.
- Disney Studio Chief Jeffery Katzenberg reportedly said to Baldwin that he could get a gate guard to do the same job that he does. This statement did not go over well with Baldwin.
- Apparently, Basinger would be often late for set, clashed with Simon, and had her own thoughts about the script.
- Baldwin’s temper would often get the best of him on set.
- The original budget of $15 million dollars ballooned to $26 million because of the onset turmoil.
- Reportedly, producer David Permut presented each member of the crew with a T-shirt emblazoned with the phrase “I survived the reshoot of ‘The Marrying Man.’”
- The film was called Too Hot to Handle in the United Kingdom and Australia.
- Shortly after the movie was released Baldwin called the movie the biggest mistake of his career.
- While many critics panned the movie, Roger Ebert gave the movie a three-star rating.
The Streamy Award
{The following four categories are based on a Film Reel scale.
1 Reel-Bored and Killing Time, 2 Reels-When You Have Some Time, 3 Reels-Make Some Time, 4 Reels-Big Screen Event}
The Marrying Man is funny. You will no doubt enjoy the movie, but it’s not something you need to drop everything to watch right away.
The movie gets a 2 Reels rating. You will most likely enjoy the show, but it can wait if you have other more important things to do.
Cast and Crew
- Alec Baldwin as Charley Pearl
- Kim Basinger as Vicki Anderson
- Robert Loggia as Lew Horner
- Elisabeth Shue as Adele Horner
- Paul Reiser as Phil Golden
- Fisher Stevens as Sammy
- Armand Assante as Bugsy Siegel
Directed by Jerry Reese
Produced by Hollywood Pictures / Silver Screen Partners IV / Permut Presentations
Release Date: April 5, 1991
Budget: $26 million
Box Office Gross
Domestic: $12,454,768
Coming Soon
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