Happy Anniversary (film)

Happy Anniversary

Theatrical release poster
Directed by David Miller
Produced by Ralph Fields
Screenplay by Jerome Chodorov
Joseph Fields
Based on Anniversary Waltz
1954 play
by Jerome Chodorov
Joseph Fields
Starring David Niven
Mitzi Gaynor
Carl Reiner
Loring Smith
Monique Van Vooren
Music by Robert Allen
Sol Kaplan
Al Stillman
Cinematography Lee Garmes
Edited by Richard Meyer
Distributed by United Artists
Release dates
 November 10, 1959 (1959-11-10)
Running time
 81 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Box office $1,800,000 (US/ Canada)[1]

Happy Anniversary is a 1959 comedy film starring David Niven and Mitzi Gaynor. Directed by David Miller, the movie's cast also included Carl Reiner and a young Patty Duke. Duke's next film, The Miracle Worker, would earn her an Academy Award.

Plot

Chris Walters (David Niven) is a happily married father of two. For his 13th wedding anniversary, he sneaks home with a gift for wife Alice (Mitzi Gaynor), a diamond brooch, and with a desire to have a romantic interlude.

Interruptions ensue. If it isn't their children, Debbie *Patty Duke) and Okkie (Kevin Coughlin), needing something, it's their maid, Millie (Elizabeth Wilson), or it's Alice's mother Lilly (Phyllis Povah) on the phone. And then two delivery men arrive with a new television set. It's a gift from Alice's parents, Lilly and Arthur (Loring Smith).

Chris is not pleased. He hates television. He thinks the whole idea of TV is a needless distraction and corrupting influence on today's youth.

At work, Chris has a partner, Bud (Carl Reiner), who is trying to woo a new client, Jeanette Revere (Monique Van Vooren), a woman who has been divorced four times. Jeanette is amazed in this day and age that a couple can remain happily married as long as the Walterses have.

Over a celebration dinner, Chris lets it slip that he and Alice had sexual relations a year before they got married. Lilly and Arthur are offended, having been under the impression that Alice didn't have relations with Chris until they were wed. They storm out. Chris is so angry, he kicks in the screen of the new TV. He argues with Alice and has to spend his anniversary night sleeping on the sofa.

A gift arrives from Bud—it's another TV. Chris is irritated again but promises not to cause a scene this time. When they turn it on, however, a show called "Kids Kouncil" has his daughter Debbie as a guest. And the child blurts out for all to hear that her parents are having marital difficulties and had been intimate prior to their wedding. Chris again kicks in the TV.

Chris storms out of the house this time. Meantime, Alice's parents also have a quarrel, which eventually leads to Lilly attempting to move in with her daughter. Everybody's angry now.

A distraught Chris wants to come home. Alice feels no one cares about her. She intends to leave home herself. The family doctor, however, suddenly informs Alice that she is pregnant. She decides to give Chris another chance ... as a gift arrives, yet another TV. This time it is from Chris.

Cast

Title song

"Happy Anniversary" is also the title of a popular song with music written by Robert Allen and lyrics by Al Stillman, that was introduced in this film. Recordings have been made by The Four Lads, Jane Morgan, Maureen Evans and Joan Regan.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Rental Potentials of 1960", Variety, 4 January 1961 p 47. Please note figures are rentals as opposed to total gross.

External links

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