BROADWAY’S BAREST, RAREST, UNSQUAREST LOVE PLAY.
Newlyweds Paul and Corie Bratter (Robert Redford, Jane Fonda) move into their new Manhattan apartment… which turns out to be tiny, and a source of friction between the couple. A successful adaptation of the Neil Simon play, which was reportedly based on his first marriage. Redford and Fonda reunited after The Chase (1966) and are very charming as the young couple where every emotion is life and death and planning is never a priority. Redford did his role on stage, and so did Mildred Natwick who’s terrific as his conservative but kind mother-in-law. Not much of a story here, but cute and funny, competently handled by theater veteran Gene Saks.
1967-U.S. 105 min. Color. Directed by Gene Saks. Screenplay, Play: Neil Simon. Cast: Robert Redford (Paul Bratter), Jane Fonda (Corie Bratter), Charles Boyer (Victor Velasco), Mildred Natwick (Ethel Banks), Herb Edelman, Mabel Albertson… Doris Roberts.
Trivia: Natalie Wood was allegedly considered for Fonda’s part. Followed by a TV series (1970-1971) and remade as a TV movie, Barefoot in the Park (1982).
