A ton of talent in this slice of life comedy that focuses on the need of men to have their nights away from their women. Gene Wilder, married to Ellen Burstyn, is having job issues (spending more time with job counselor Nancy Walker than his wife), while Bob Newhart is married to Cloris Leachman and not faithful. Problems for Wilder and Burstyn get worse aa his job prospects weaken, and he can't even bring himself to cheat (with Valarie Harper) when his wife takes their son away on a trial separation.
The film focuses more on Wilder than it does Newhart, with Bob a bad influence on Gene. The comedy is more verbal than physical, and probably more of a middle aged man's film than a woman's. Not surprising that the film features some of the most popular faces on TV in the early 70's considering that it was written by James L. Brooks, creator of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show". Leachman has one fantastic scene (in her Phyllis hairdo), but Harper and Walker don't appear together. Wilder and Newhart have great chemistry together. It's slice of life and death and in between, not much of a plot, but oh that cast.
The film focuses more on Wilder than it does Newhart, with Bob a bad influence on Gene. The comedy is more verbal than physical, and probably more of a middle aged man's film than a woman's. Not surprising that the film features some of the most popular faces on TV in the early 70's considering that it was written by James L. Brooks, creator of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show". Leachman has one fantastic scene (in her Phyllis hairdo), but Harper and Walker don't appear together. Wilder and Newhart have great chemistry together. It's slice of life and death and in between, not much of a plot, but oh that cast.