| The Facts of Life | |
|---|---|
) | |
| Directed by | Melvin Frank Norman Panama |
| Produced by | Melvin Frank Norman Panama |
| Screenplay by | Norman Panama |
| Story by | Melvin Frank |
| Starring | Bob Hope Lucille Ball |
| Music by | Leigh Harline Johnny Mercer |
| Cinematography | Charles Lang |
| Edited by | Frank Bracht |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
Release date |
|
Running time | 103 minutes |
| Language | English |
The Facts of Life is a 1960 romantic comedy starring Bob Hope and Lucille Ball as married people who have an affair. Written, directed, and produced by the longtime Hope associates Melvin Frank and Norman Panama, it was more serious than many other contemporary Hope vehicles.
The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning one for Best Costume Design (for Edith Head and Edward Stevenson). For her performance, Lucille Ball was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress – Comedy. The film features an opening animated title sequence created by Saul Bass.
Thirteen years later, Frank directed and co-wrote A Touch of Class, which likewise dealt with a middle-aged couple trying to have an affair, centering on a disaster-laden trip to a place where they wouldn't be recognized. However, it has never been considered an outright remake.
Plot
As the yearly vacation of six neighbors, the Gilberts, Masons, and Weavers, approaches, Kitty Weaver (Lucille Ball) and Larry Gilbert (Bob Hope) find themselves frustrated with the routine. When both their spouses (Ruth Hussey and Don DeFore) are kept away from the vacation, Kitty and Larry find themselves alone in Acapulco, with the Masons (Philip Ober and Marianne Stewart) bedridden with illness. Forced together, Kitty and Larry fall in love. Once the vacation is over, however, they have difficulties in either abandoning or continuing their romance.
Cast
- Bob Hope as Larry Gilbert
- Lucille Ball as Kitty Weaver
- Ruth Hussey as Mary Gilbert
- Don DeFore as Jack Weaver
- Louis Nye as Charles Busbee
- Philip Ober as Doc Mason
- Marianne Stewart as Connie Mason
- Hollis Irving as Myrtle Busbee
Awards and nominations
Academy Awards
Won: [1]
- Best Costume Design (Edith Head and Edward Stevenson)
Nominated:
- Best Art Direction, Black and White (Joseph McMillan Johnson, Kenneth A. Reid, and Ross Dowd)
- Best Cinematography, Black and White (Charles Lang)
- Best Original Song (Johnny Mercer for "The Facts of Life")
- Best Original Screenplay (Melvin Frank and Norman Panama)
Golden Globe Awards
Nominated:
- Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (Lucille Ball)
References
- ^ "NY Times: The Facts of Life". NY Times. Retrieved 2008-12-23.
External links
- The Facts of Life at IMDb
- The Facts of Life at Rotten Tomatoes
- The Facts of Life at the TCM Movie Database
- The Facts of Life at AllMovie
- The Facts of Life at the American Film Institute Catalog
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