For Better or for Worse

"Honeymoon Academy" was one of my first storyboarding jobs. I remember being in the office when the producer received a call from Spain announcing that Paul Reiser (the original lead) had wrecked his leg. I believe he fell on the steps of the church during the wedding sequence. Instant chaos...the movie had a slim budget and a very short shooting schedule. They couldn't wait for Reiser to heal...they had to dig up a new leading man, fly him to Spain, and shoot everything from the beginning. Somehow they made it.

I no longer remember the original title of the movie, but it wasn't "Honeymoon Academy." After its release we all wondered where the title came from. It had nothing to do with the story.

Sean (Robert Hays) falls for Chris (Kim Cattrall) and they immediately get married. He thinks that she's a travel agent. In reality, she's a secret American agent doing dirty jobs for the State Department. They are off to a honeymoon in Spain. Her boss has a different idea.

This is an one-joke concept for the first half of the movie. He keeps missing her doing espionage things over and over again. This is also known as 'For Better or for Worse'. Honeymoon Academy is trying to sound like Police Academy. Only, this troubled production is nowhere near as successful. Original lead Paul Reiser had to be replaced after an injury and most of the movie had to be reshot in a rush. At least, we get to see a bit of Spain and taste a bit of the flavor. The second half has the couple doing some screwball capers. It's a reversed Romancing the Stone. It all feels like the lesser version of better movies.

This is an enjoyable family film with the 'retired spy' plot line. Much like true lies in reverse the husband finds out he has married a 'retired' spy. Shockingly, to her and her husband, she is on another case when she intended to be honeymooning. Fun for the whole family, a timeless piece.

Chris Nelson (Kim Cattrall) meets Sean (Robert Hays) at the library and a relationship flourishes quickly. Telling Sean she is a travel agent, they marry and set off on their honeymoon. However, Chris has recently resigned her job as a jet-hopping government agent and she is cornered into one last assignment on her wedding trip. Naturally, Sean is in the dark and becomes bewildered by the strange happenings swirling around him. Will the truth come out?

Yes, this movie is somewhat silly in plot and dialogue. Even the foreign setting of the film yields only nondescript scenery. The costumes and supporting cast are similarly bland, except for the lovely Leigh Taylor-Young. Yet, the two attractive and expressive stars keep it all rolling. Fans of light, humorous romance will find this movie quite palatable. Others, however, may tire of the storyline before its conclusion.

Wholesome Disneyesque comedy about a female spy (who had thought she had retired) and her new husband (who had thought she was a travel agent). Sort of like TV's "Scarecrow and Mrs. King," and "Moonlighting." Kim Cattral (people either love her or can't stand her but) and Robert Hays ("Airplane") make a great couple and I had wished this had warranted sequels. If you are a fan of "Mannequin" try this film as well.