Any Wednesday

In the days of dinner theater, many actors made a good living traveling the circuit with shows like "Any Wednesday," a Broadway play made into a film in 1966. These frothy sex comedies were all the rage on stage and in film -- Boeing Boeing, Mary, Mary, The Marriage-Go-Round, and of course, Any Wednesday.

Jane Fonda plays Ellen, a young woman who is wooed and ultimately falls for an older married executive, John Cleves (Jason Robards) who makes her apartment an executive one, which is tax-deductible and enables her to live there after her roommates move out. One day, Cleves' unknowing secretary sends over a good-looking young businessman, Cass Henderson (Dean Jones) needing a place to stay for the night. It goes down a predictable path from there.

The good cast makes this watchable, as it's a rather dated story. Rosemary Murphy is a delight as Cleves' wife, whom John is away from every Wednesday night on out of town business. Fonda is beautiful and sexy as the confused mistress, and Dean Jones is attractive as the frustrated Cass, who hated Cleves for business reasons but now finds that his reasons are personal as well.

It's cute, and the story involves a New York blackout, though not the biggie from the early '60s.

Jane Fonda (she's Ellen) is the mistress whom executive Jason Robards (he's John) squeezes regularly; they have an ecstatically happy relationship, meeting every Wednesday in the "executive suite" he keeps for her. Then, into the New York apartment walks Dean Jones (he's Cass), who claims to need the phone (and a place to stay). When Rosemary Murphy (John's WIFE!) arrives, major high-jinks ensue!

"Any Wednesday" is another dated 1960s situation sex comedy. The four are okay - with, perhaps Mr. Jones and Ms. Murphy surpassing their more well-known upper tier co-stars. The "split screen" telephoning is interesting; and, the script is lively with sexual innuendo. These movies seem like three-times-too-long TV half-hours comedies featuring stuff they couldn't tastefully show on TV. The "Gay Joke" comic relief is an "interior decorator" whom Murphy enlists to correct Fonda's apartment decor - it is startlingly over-the-top, like a '60s version of the "Negro Joke" character.

*** Any Wednesday (1966) Robert Ellis Miller ~ Jane Fonda, Jason Robards, Dean Jones

Familiar stuff, but fun stuff with a lot of memories. If ANY WEDNESDAY reminds you of THE APARTMENT, starring Jack Lemmon, you are close. Only difference is that it's more breezy entertainment in what was to become the definitive 60s sex-capades movie. It may have also inspired the 70s tv fav LOVE AMERICAN STYLE, if you're old enough to remember, but at the time was not quite suitable for prime time. It remains an audience pleaser though, and based on the Broadway play, finding apartment dweller Jane in one heck of a mess as her boss (also) wants to use her place for "tax" purposes. Jason Robards plays the boss, his usual gruff self, and he steps into it alright, only to be cut down to size by his wife (Tony nominee Rosemary Murphy) who kind of acts as the unofficial observer of the whole charade. The inside joke is that Murphy seems to be having the best time of them all, watching the walls come tumbling down. Young and handsome Dean Jones only complicates matters. The real deal of 60s "suggestive comedies", not to be missed ON ANY DAY OR NIGHT.

This is a very perky comedy that is highly enjoyable on many levels. The quartet of stars is excellent with great chemistry all around. Those looking for a tribute festival for the recently deceased Jason Robards Jr. should definitely include this dry, brittle, and insightful performance. Rosemary Murphy quietly steals every scene that she's in, and Jane Fonda was a great ingenue "bimbo" with all the trimmings in her halcyon days. Dean Jones should be outclassed by these three, but he definitely isn't, exhibiting talent hinted at in a few other roles when he wasn't lining his wallet with Disney pablum. This movie almost has it all: terrific dialogue -- especially for fans of double and triple entendres, marvelous acting & chemistry, swift pacing, social insight, and a true historical time capsule. My only mild criticism is that the cinematography is rather pedestrian even though the director makes the most of his attempts to open it up from being a filmed stage play, the camera work even in these scenes is unimaginitive. The positive side of this is that this is a perfect video movie since it does not need to be seen on the big screen. I give it 9 out of 10.

What used to be referred to as a sex comedy which in the more innocent time it was made meant that if included no actual sex only the suggestion of it. The film is dated in its attitudes that's true but because of the lightness with which the material is played by the four leads it remains a breezy comedy.

Jane is at her fluttery bubbly early career best and because of her hairstyle it's striking how much she resembles her present day self. All four principals are very winning, Rosemary Murphy in particular is a chic delight as well as wonderfully droll. The film also offers a reminder that there was a time when Dean Jones was quite an expert comic actor. The story is a bit incredible but being a romantic comedy that sort of goes with the territory.