Cactus Flower (1969) starring Walter Matthau, Ingrid Bergman, Goldie Hawn, Rick Lenz
Synopsis of Cactus Flower
Cactus Flower is delightful comedy sparked with crazy, mixed-up situations and a kooky, Academy Award(r)-winning debut performance by Goldie Hawn. A “white lie” that snowballs and involves more and more people …
Review of Cactus Flower
See what happens when you tell a lie? Cactus Flower is a very funny comedy that deals with a dentist (Walter Matthau) that doesn’t want to get too serious with his girlfriend (Goldie Hawn). So the bachelor dentist tells her the lie that he’s married. She thinks that she’s deeply in love with him, and when he missed their one-year anniversary dinner, she thinks it’s all over. She attempts suicide, only to be rescued by a handsome neighbor. Matthau is distraught at the thought of losing her, and proposes. But she wants to meet his wife first …
This snowballs into a very funny movie, with some very interesting people. As one lie leads into another, Matthau asks his straight-laced nurse (Ingrid Bergman) to impersonate his wife. And this only makes things worse …
Cast of characters in Cactus Flower
- Dr. Julian Winston (Walter Matthau, The Sunshine Boys). A bachelor, who’s determined to stay a bachelor, which is why he lies about being married. But, he truly cares for Toni. And he values his nurse – who is better than a wife to him.
- Toni Simmons (Goldie Hawn, Private Benjamin). A young lady, working at a record store. She’s very kind, big-hearted, and feels bad for Julian’s “wife”. Which leads to her insisting to meet her, which leads to:
- Stephanie Dickinson (Ingrid Bergman, Casablanca). A very efficient nurse, who the audience realizes has feelings for Julian long before he does. An old maid, who was married and divorced very young, living with her sister and brother in law. And she has a cactus plant on her desk …
- Igor Sullivan (Rick Lenz, Hec Ramsey). The handsome neighbor who smells gas, and breaks into Toni’s apartment to save her life. And then has a protective attitude toward her. Which turns into something more …
- Harvey Greenfield (Jack Weston, The Four Seasons). Julian’s friend, who isn’t quick to pay his debts. Whom Stephanie vehemently dislikes. And who has to pretend to be “Mrs. Winston’s” boyfriend, when Julian needs a reason for his “wife” to divorce him. So, of course, he goes on a public “date” with Stephanie …
- Señor Arturo Sanchez (Vito Scotti, The Godfather). A minor role as the ambassador, who is chasing Stephanie. A very funny minor role, though.