“40 Carats” 1973

 

Liv Ullman & Edward Albert in the 1973 romantic comedy "40 Carats."

The frothy comedy 40 Carats is one of those ‘70s movies that strives for smart and progressive, but is uneasily mixed with romantic soap suds.

New Yorker Ann Stanley is on vacation in Greece when her car breaks down in the countryside. Young and handsome Peter Latham comes to her rescue on his motorcycle. He’s immediately attracted, she’s more inhibited. But the lovely Greece beach scenery, plus some Ouzo, allows them both to drop their defenses, along with their clothes. What happens in Greece stays in Greece, right? Back in NYC at her upscale realtor job, Ann instantly meets Peter again through her daughter, Trina. Ann is mortified, but Peter wants to pick up where they left off.

Lovely couple Liv Ullman & Edward Albert in a romantic moment, "40 Carats."

Not exactly hard-hitting stuff, but 40 Carats is lightly entertaining and surprisingly positive toward the May-December romance. And it’s still moderately entertaining despite one huge problem.

Norwegian Liv Ullman was Hollywood's "It" actress from 1972-74,
seemingly cast--and miscast--in everything, including "40 Carats."

It’s impossible for me to watch a film about romance where age is the title factor and not judge the stars’ respective ages. Norwegian star Liv Ullman wowed Hollywood with her foreign film work in the early '70s. So, the studios sought to mold her into a Nordic star in North America, along the lines of Garbo and Ingrid Bergman. There were so few roles for actresses at the time, that Hollywood shoe-horned Liv into everything, including the Broadway comedy adaptation of 40 Carats. With so many 40-ish actresses at the time for whom this role could have been perfect, they cast 34-year-old Liv as a woman of 40, who finds love with a 22-year-old man. What undercuts the premise, along with Liv Ullman's fresh-faced looks, is her heavy accent and total lack of comedic timing for this feather-weight romantic comedy. Further emphasizing Liv’s youth is casting Gene Kelly as her ex-husband. Gene was still an attractive, energetic guy, but standing in scene with Ullman, her soft looks against his 60- year-old self, with Kelly’s obvious toupee, will have viewers scratching their heads. At nearly 70, Binnie Barnes is an energetic hoot as Liv's mother. In the scene where Binnie and Gene disco dance, they look like a senior couple having a blast. 40-ish Billy Green Bush is the 42-year-old twangy tycoon who wants to marry 17-year-old daughter of Liv, played by then-20 Deborah Raffin. And Edward Albert followed up his success in Butterflies Are Free with 40 Carats. At 22, Edward is gorgeous and quite good in his role—as a 22-year-old. Imagine that!

Emphasizing Liv's youth was casting 60-year-old Gene Kelly as her ex, who looks like
the easy-chair loving dad on TV's "Frasier!"

Aside from Ullman’s Ann Stanley always hedging on her age, there are the throwaway lines to explain the various accents and ages. Unlike the play’s original Ann, the movie heroine left Norway at young age, where her father hailed from. Who then moved to America with his British bride, played by Brit Binnie Barnes. Got that? And Billy Green Bush’s Alabama drawl was utilized for his character. And there are some lines that hint that Gene Kelly’s Billy may be a bit older than Ullman’s Ann Stanley. Yes, like 26 years older!

Julie Harris got to go glam on Broadway & won a Tony for the smash "40 Carats!"

40 Carats was based on a smash Broadway play that ran for two years and won a Tony for leading lady Julie Harris, who got to be glamorous for a change. How could Hollywood mess up a no-brainer like this? A number of 40-ish Hollywood divas were considered, but apparently thought to be past their box-office prime: Audrey Hepburn was a pro at classy comedy; Joanne Woodward had the everywoman touch; Shirley MacLaine would have handled the comedic scenes with sass; Elizabeth Taylor played a much older woman who has plastic surgery in Ash Wednesday during this time and looked sensational. Best of all might have been Lee Remick at 38, who looked like a Hollywood version of Ullman with those big blue eyes. But Columbia thought they were playing it safe with Liv Ullman, miscast the movie, and the Broadway hit became a Hollywood flop.

Though their romance is at times on thin ice, the "40 Carats" romantic duo prevail.

Sadly for Ms. Ullman, Liv’s Hollywood bombs quickly torpedoed her US career. Casting Liv in a Broadway hit that tanked was bad enough, but Saint Joan, The Abdication, and Zandy’s Bride quickly sunk, too. All this paled in comparison to Ross Hunter’s hilariously tacky musical remake of Lost Horizon. This camp classic quickly joined other such career-enders as Mame, At Long Last Love and Can’t Stop the Music. Actually, Ross Hunter should have produced 40 Carats, this glossy and glam light comedy would have been right up his alley!

Edward Albert & Liv Ullman meet cute in Greece, in "40 Carats."

Not that Liv Ullman is horrible as Ann Stanley in 40 Carats—she's a naturally empathetic actress—but the foreign star of heavy dramas is just terribly uncomfortable and miscast. Gene Kelly as Billy Boylan, Liv’s “slightly” older ex is a bit much, but he knows this type of material like the back of his hand, as does Binnie Barnes as mother Maud, and Nancy Walker as Liv’s secretary, and Natalie Schaefer as the annoying client.

Deborah Raffin knew her way around a pool table and light comedy in "40 Carats."

Note how good Deborah Raffin was playing pool, and she brings some game to breezy comedy, too. Raffin and Barnes have a good comic rapport as Trina, the modern young New York daughter and her with-it grandmother. Binnie Barnes neither looks nor acts her age and practically steals the movie.

Binnie Barnes is one hip grannie in "40 Carats," w/Edward Albert & Deborah Raffin.

Edward Albert's character Peter comes on a bit strong, but that’s from the script’s clumsy attempt to make his character look like a “no hang-ups” young man. Albert’s natural sensitivity makes up for the occasionally overbearing script points. But all’s forgiven in the closing scene, where Albert pulls up on his motorcycle, and finds Ullman waiting for him. Peter scrutinizes Ann, scowling slightly and then breaks out in a smile that would melt an iceberg.

Edward Albert, adoring and adorable, at the finale of "40 Carats."

Don Porter and Rosemary Murphy play Albert’s wealthy parents. Both are skilled actors, but Porter in particular comes off absurd, as the heavy who keeps referring to Ullman’s Ann as of “their generation.” Porter was frankly 60 and and Murphy pushing 50, so this is one of many instances where Ullman’s actual age undermines her character and performance.

No, Liv Ullman isn't laughing because Don Porter as her young beau's father,
keeps referring to her character as of "their generation!" With Rosemary Murphy.

I know some of my friends and family think I know too much movie trivia, but this blew my mind: M.J. Frankovich, a big producer in ‘60s and ‘70s Hollywood, was the adopted son of Joe E. Lewis! AND he was also married to Binnie Barnes. I had no idea! I found Frankovich quite interesting as he produced many sexy comedies in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s: Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice; Cactus Flower, Butterflies are Free, There’s a Girl in My Soup; and 40 Carats.  The producer also made a couple unintentional comedies: The Love Machine and Doctors’ Wives.

"40 Carats" in a nutshell!

Jay Presson Allen wrote the American adaptation from the French play for the Broadway version of 40 Carats. Leonard Gershe, a long time sitcom comedy writer, who also wrote Butterflies are Free, wrote the screenplay for 40 Carats.

Milton Katselas, a Broadway, film, and TV director, started off as an acting coach. His first directing gig was Edward Albee’s off-Broadway sensation The Zoo Story. Milton also directed the Broadway and movie version of Butterflies are Free. He directed Bette Davis in her Emmy-winning comeback, Strangers: The Story of a Mother and Daughter. He later directed Burton and Taylor in their infamous Private Lives production.

Binnie Barnes & Gene Kelly boogie down and steal a scene in "40 Carats."

40 Carats is very 70s, but in a good way. The worst comes at the beginning, with a sappy ballad over the opening credits, by Michel Legrand and Marilyn Bergman. Luckily, they wrote a truly lovely ballad that year, The Way We Were, which won them an Oscar.

Jean Louis wardrobe designs/selections are chic and character appropriate. Except Liv’s engulfing fur hat—that comes off as very Lucy Ricardo-esque. The opening and closing Greece scenes are lovely and the early ‘70s N.Y.C. scenes are evocative of the era, too.

Liv's Ann doesn't fit in at her young boyfriend's party, and neither does her hat!

For a ‘70s film, where there’s some characters that are shocked by Ann and Peter’s 18 year age difference, an equal number of characters are okay with their romance. And Gene Kelly’s ex-hubby gives a nifty little monologue about why numbers don’t matter when it comes to love. And Ann gets her happy ending with Peter after all. That was pretty progressive, for early ‘70s mainstream Hollywood!

Sadly, the two young stars of 40 Carats, Edward Albert and Deborah Raffin, beautiful to look at and charmingly well-cast, died young. Edward died of lung cancer at age 55 on Sept. 22, 2006 and Deborah of leukemia at 59 in 2012. 

This photo is a giveaway that "40 Carats" came from a stage comedy.

Edward Albert died at 55 in 2006, just a year and a half after his 99-year-old father, Eddie Albert.

Here’s a tribute to Edward Albert, in his first starring role, Butterflies are Free: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2021/02/edward-albert-forever-young-in.html

FYI: I put all the movie overflow on my public FB  movie page. 

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Edward Albert, Forever Young in “Butterflies Are Free” 1972

Edward Albert & Goldie Hawn get romantic in 1972's "Butterflies Are Free."

Edward Albert was just 20 when he starred in his first major film, Butterflies Are Free. Sadly, Albert only lived to be 55. Edward would be 70 as of 2/20/21. This post is written as a tribute to the appealing actor with a fascinating life.

Leonard Gershe’s stage smash Butterflies Are Free, which ran three years on Broadway, was snapped up as a movie for Goldie Hawn. Producer Mike Frankovich, Jr. had showcased Hawn in her Oscar-winning role from another stage hit, Cactus Flower.

That '70s movie poster! "Butterflies Are Free" was a Broadway smash and movie hit.

With Butterflies Are Free, there are essentially three characters: Jill Tanner (Goldie Hawn), Don (Edward Albert), and Mrs. Baker (Eileen Heckart.) Paul Michael Glaser appears in the last act, Starsky and Hutch just around the corner, as a douche director.

Butterflies Are Free is the story of Don, a young blind man who falls for the free spirit next door, and fights with his overprotective mother for his own space. Don was played onstage by Keir Dullea. The actor was 35 when Butterflies was filmed, too mature onscreen for a young guy who has just flown from the nest. Edward Albert was 20 when he was cast. Aside from some acting work as a child, this was Albert’s first screen role.

Keir Dullea & Blythe Danner originated Don & Jill in "Butterflies Are Free."

Hawn’s Jill is just 19 and an aspiring actress (Goldie was 26), who has already been married once, and is anti-commitment. Yet, Jill literally barges in on the life of neighbor Don Baker, a blind musician on his own. In less than two days, the two fall madly in love, nearly break up, and reconcile! Aside from that, their rapport and romance is charming, until overprotective Mom (Heckart) “drops by” from a suburb near the San Francisco-set film. Mrs. Baker finds the shabby chic apartment appalling and is on high alert when she finds Jill cavorting with her baby boy. Don has already experienced a bad romance with a similar type, who encouraged him to move to the city, only to dump him.

Free spirit Jill (Goldie Hawn) and blind Don (Edward Albert) get to know each other.

As Jill, Goldie Hawn is the hippie chick successor to Marilyn Monroe. Seemingly a dumb blonde, Hawn’s Jill is actually pretty smart, aside from some ditzy moments. Goldie’s role has similarities to Marilyn’s sexy neighbor next door in The Seven Year Itch. She’s realistic about men and relationships, and her own limitations. She’s child-like yet wise, with a distinctive star persona. Like MM, Hawn is effortless in navigating between comedy and drama, and Goldie’s most appealing here.

Goldie Hawn's appeal is effortless as aspiring actress Jill, in "Butterflies Are Free."

Eileen Heckart won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar as Mrs. Baker. She lost the Tony for the same role to Blythe Danner, who created the role of Jill Tanner onstage. Heckart is an old pro at playing vinegary but essentially likeable characters. Eileen and Goldie ping pong the smart lines as the two adversaries. But Heckart gets to show more, once Mrs. Baker sees that Don might get hurt again by another fluttery girlfriend. It’s in these moments that Heckart is most understated and affecting, as she starts to see the light, to set her son free.

A heart-tugging moment in "Butterflies Are Free," when Eileen Heckart's mother
lets go of her blind son, despite his distress at the moment. 

As for Edward Albert, he holds his own against these two comedic pros as the blind aspiring musician. Albert is appealing, intelligent, empathetic, and just happens to look a bit like young Montgomery Clift. Also, he sings quite pleasantly. Edward researched his role well, studying at the Braille Institute. After this film, Albert teamed with many of the Butterfly crew to film another Broadway hit, 40 Carats. Unfortunately, it flopped, and Albert went from promising young lead to journey man actor. If Albert was starting out in today’s show business, his diverse talents would have afforded Edward more of a shot at stardom.

At 20, Edward Albert played the independent blind man in "Butterflies Are Free."

Part of the problem was Albert started out as a likeable, handsome young actor at the height of the realistic filmmaking era, with stars like Hoffman, Pacino, and Hackman setting a very high standard, without relying on movie star looks. Younger actors who were more lightweight and handsome, like Edward Albert or say, Jan-Michael Vincent, William Katt, Christopher Reeve, or a younger Kurt Russell, didn’t get the top film roles. Jeff Bridges, whose background was similar to Albert’s, was able to leave the boyishness behind and move on to meaty roles.

Edward Albert as a boy, with parents Eddie Albert & Margo. Adopted daughter
 Maria is the only survivor of the immediate Albert family.

Edward Albert was the son of beloved character actor Eddie Albert and Mexican actress Margo. Eddie was most famous for Green Acres and Margo for Lost Horizon. Like the Bridges family, the Alberts were very politically and socially active. And like Lloyd Bridges, the Alberts were blacklisted for awhile during the ‘50s. Eddie later became an environmentalist. I mention this because Edward also became strongly involved in environmental and Native American causes, and spoke with pride about his parents standing up to the blacklist. Like his father, Edward had a prolific career as a character actor rather than leading man. Later came unfortunate times for the Alberts. First, Margo died at just 68 of a brain tumor, in 1985. Later, when Eddie was in his 80s, Albert was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Edward put his career on the backburner to care for his otherwise healthy father, who lived to be 99! Sadly, Edward found out that he had lung cancer a mere month before father Eddie died. Edward Albert died Sept. 22, 2006, 18 months after his father. A sister, Maria, was the only survivor of the small Albert family.

Edward Albert's first film role, "The Fool Killer." His co-star was Anthony Perkins,
who plays a possible ax murderer. Need I say more?

Edward Albert’s career was prolific, he was educated at Oxford, and was multi-lingual. He also came from a great lineage (Xavier Cugat was his great uncle, and his godfather was Laurence Olivier), he enjoyed one long, happy marriage, and became a father to a daughter.

Edward Albert & Eddie Albert, later in life.

Edward Albert lived a short life, but one that was well-lived. How lucky that movie watchers can watch him in his leading man debut, Butterflies Are Free.

Here’s Army Archerd’s obit for Edward in Variety: https://variety.com/2006/voices/columns/edward_albert_d-1200571358/

And here’s Edward’s actual film debut, in 1965’s “The Fool Killer.” Edward plays a runaway boy during the Civil War era, who encounters a number of odd characters, including Anthony Perkins!

https://ok.ru/video/2631968754356

FYI: I put all the movie overflow on my public FB  movie page. 

Check it out & join!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/178488909366865/ 

Edward Albert & Goldie Hawn, forever young on film, in "Butterflies Are Free."