Wild Oats (film)
Wild Oats | |
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![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Andy Tennant |
Written by |
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Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | José Luis Alcaine |
Edited by | Tracey Wadmore-Smith |
Music by | George Fenton |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | |
Release dates |
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Running time | 86 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $247,949[1] |
Wild Oats is a 2016 American comedy film directed by Andy Tennant and written by Gary Kanew and Claudia Myers. The film stars Demi Moore, Jessica Lange, Shirley MacLaine, and Billy Connolly. The film premiered on Lifetime on August 22, 2016, prior to being released in a limited release on September 16, 2016, by The Weinstein Company and RADiUS-TWC.
Plot
When a retired high school teacher Eva (Shirley McLaine) loses her husband, she mistakenly receives a $5,000,000 check on her deceased husband's $50,000 life insurance policy. Her friend Maddie (Jessica Lange), whose husband has just left her for a younger woman, convinces her to keep the money and they both depart to live it up at a resort on Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands.
Once there, Eva is courted by an older gentleman who accompanies her in town. In the local casino she wins almost half a million euros despite knowing nothing about card games. Eva ends up in bed with him, enjoying lovemaking after a 7-year dry period with her husband.
Her friend Maddie loses money, but finds a young, virile man who has just lost his girlfriend, and happens to like older women. Their sex rejuvenates her, but in the process he has strained his back.
In the meantime, the American insurance investigator is on Eva's trail, together with her mostly estranged daughter, to get back the $5,000,000 for the Beneficial Life Insurance Company, but they are trumped by the Company's European representative who accepts a bribe to let her escape rather than sending her to the worst woman's prison in the Spanish-speaking world.
Maddie realizes that the older gentleman is a scam artist, and with the hotel detective finds out that he's working for Don Carlos, the richest man on the island. Eva and Maddie escape from the insurance investigator and her daughter to go to Don Carlos, who is feared by everyone who knows him except his firecracker of a Brazilian second wife, who tears into him when his bodyguard, who is her lover and the father of her child, is disturbed by the guard's gratuitous gun fire. Besides cheating old women, Don Carlos also swindles wine snobs by selling them inferior wine with impressive labels from classy estates, though the bottles are occasionally dropped by the older gentleman, who is known under various names including Bix.
The story ends on a happy note because Don Carlos gives Eva back her winnings: it turns out that Don Carlos was an exchange student in Liberty, IL, where Eva was everyone's favorite teacher, as has been said by various people who help her along during the movie. Maddie stays behind with her virile lover, while Eva goes back to the US where she ends up marrying the insurance investigator in a ceremony where all of the characters happily meet again.
Cast
- Shirley MacLaine as Eva[2]
- Jessica Lange as Maddie[3]
- Demi Moore as Crystal[4]
- Billy Connolly as Chandler[5]
- Santiago Segura as Carlos[5]
- Eileen Grubba as Mrs. Krims[5]
- Matt Walsh as Forbes[6]
- Stephanie Beacham as Tammy
- Howard Hesseman as Vespucci
- Jay Hayden as Chip
- Rebecca Da Costa as Flavia
- Morgan Deare as Greg
- Mario de la Rosa as Antonio
- Antonio Ibáñez as Paco
Production
On April 9, 2012, Dimension Films acquired the film, Howard Deutch was set to direct the film with Shirley MacLaine, Jacki Weaver and Alan Arkin joining the cast.[7] On May 17, 2012, Jack Black joined the cast, but later dropped out.[8] On October 17, 2013, Andy Tennant was announced to direct the film.[2] On May 9, 2014, Jessica Lange and Sarah Jessica Parker joined the cast.[3] On June 11, 2014, Demi Moore replaced Sarah Jessica Parker after she dropped out.[4] On June 21, 2014, Matt Walsh joined the cast of the film.[6]
Filming
Principal photography began on June 10, 2014, in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands (Spain), and ended on July 15, 2014.[9][10]
Release
The film premiered on Lifetime on August 22, 2016,[11] and entered a limited release on September 16, that year.[12] The film currently holds a 0% approval on the critics site Rotten Tomatoes, entering the list of films with a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Lawsuit
In February 2017, Impex Entertainment filed a lawsuit against Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions for $1 million alleging failure to pay a $855,000 licensing fee no later than 10 days following the film's theatrical release, and an additional $95,000 payment, which Sony refused to pay.[13] In March 2017, Sony followed a countersuit stating they failed to pay the fees after the film had premiered on Lifetime instead of in theaters, breaking the first public exhibition of the film contractual obligation.[14]
References
- ^ {{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=wildoats.htm%7Ctitle=Wild Oats|website=Box Office Mojo|accessdate=January 10, 2020}
- ^ a b Fleming, Mike. "Andy Tennant Signs With Paradigm, Has Shirley MacLaine, Jacki Weaver, Alan Arkin Circling 'Wild Oats'". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2014-06-19.
- ^ a b "CANNES: Jessica Lange, Sarah Jessica Parker Joining Shirley Maclaine in 'Wild Oats'". Variety. 2014-05-09. Retrieved 2014-06-19.
- ^ a b "Demi Moore Replacing Sarah Jessica Parker in 'Wild Oats'". Variety. 2014-06-11. Retrieved 2014-06-19.
- ^ a b c Fleming, Mike. "Shirley MacLaine Joins 'Wild Oats'". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2014-06-19.
- ^ a b "'Veep's Matt Walsh Joins Shirley MacLaine, Jessica Lange In 'Wild Oats'". Deadline.com. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2014-06-22.
- ^ Fleming, Mike. "Dimension Films Acquires 'Wild Oats'". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2014-06-19.
- ^ "Jack Black to Star in WILD OATS Alongside Shirley MacLaine, Jacki Weaver, and Alan Arkin". Collider.com. 2013-11-20. Retrieved 2014-06-19.
- ^ "On The Set For 6/16/14: Boxing Drama 'Southpaw' Starts, 'American Ultra' Wraps". Studiosystemnews.com. Retrieved 2014-06-19.
- ^ "On The Set For 7/21/14: Meg Ryan Directs & Stars In 'Ithaca' Adaptation Starting For Playtone, TWC's 'Tulip Fever' Wraps". Studiosystemnews.com. Retrieved 2014-07-24.
- ^ "Wild Oats". Lifetime. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
- ^ "Wild Oats". Coming Soon. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
- ^ Cullins, Ashley (February 9, 2017). "Sony Pictures Sued by 'Wild Oats' Financier". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
- ^ Garnder, Eriq (March 20, 2017). "Sony Claims 'Wild Oats' Lifetime TV Premiere Breached Deal for Theatrical Release". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 10, 2020.