Unfaithfully Yours (1984 film)
| Unfaithfully Yours | |
|---|---|
 theatrical poster | |
| Directed by | Howard Zieff |
| Written by | Valerie Curtin Barry Levinson Robert Klane |
| Produced by | Joe Wizan Marvin Worth |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | David M. Walsh |
| Edited by | Sheldon Kahn |
| Music by | Bill Conti (score) Stephen Bishop (song) |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date | February 10, 1984 |
Running time | 96 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $19,928,200 |
Unfaithfully Yours is a 1984 American romantic comedy film directed by Howard Zieff, starring Dudley Moore and Nastassja Kinski and featuring Armand Assante and Albert Brooks. The screenplay was written by Valerie Curtin, Barry Levinson, and Robert Klane based on Preston Sturges' screenplay for the 1948 film of the same name. The original music score is by Bill Conti and the song "Unfaithfully Yours (One Love)" was written for the film and performed by Stephen Bishop.
Plot
Claude Eastman (Dudley Moore) is a composer and the conductor of a prestigious symphony who has recently married beautiful Daniella (Nastassja Kinski), a much younger woman. While travelling, he sends a message to his friend Norman Robbins (Albert Brooks) to keep an eye on his wife, but the message is garbled by Claude's Italian valet Giuseppe (Richard Libertini), and instead of looking after Daniella, Norman hires a private detective named Keller (Richard B. Shull) to investigate her.
The private eye's report, which comes with a fuzzy video, is that Daniella had an assignation with a man who, by wearing Argyle socks, appears to be Maxmillian Stein (Armand Assante), a handsome violinist with the orchestra – and Claude's protégé – who is well known as a ladies man.
Claude at first doesn't directly confront Max. When Max eventually meets Daniella, it is at a restaurant where Claude, overwhelmed with jealousy, duels Max with violins by playing a Csárdás, the famous composition of Vittorio Monti.
Claude confronts Daniella, who feels guilty because she is keeping a secret from her husband, only not the one he thinks it is. When she tells him that it's no big deal, Claude is enraged. As he conducts Tchaikovsky's "Violin Concerto", an elaborate plan to kill Daniella and frame Max for the murder runs through his mind, but afterwards, when he tries to carry out his plan, unforeseen circumstances intervene.[1][2][3]
Cast
- Dudley Moore as Claude Eastman
- Nastassja Kinski as Daniella Eastman
- Armand Assante as Maxmillian Stein
- Albert Brooks as Norman Robbins
- Cassie Yates as Carla Robbins
- Richard Libertini as Giuseppe
- Richard B. Shull as Jess Keller
- Jan Triska as Jerzy Czyrek
- Jane Hallaren as Janet
- Bernard Behrens as Bill Lawrence
- Leonard Mann as Screen lover
Cast notes:
- Betty Shabazz, the widow of Malcolm X has a small part in the film.[4]
Production
The project to remake Preston Sturges' 1948 film, which was an artistic success but not a financial one, was originally intended for Peter Sellers, before his death in 1980.[5]
Reception
Unfaithfully Yours received generally mixed to negative reviews from critics, and currently holds a 20% "Rotten" approval rating at review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.[6] In spite of the lukewarm critical reception, the film was a minor commercial success.[7]
References
- ^ rcs0411 Plot summary (IMDB)
- ^ Betzold, Michael Plot synopsis (Allmovie)
- ^ Canby, Vincent "Film: Unfaithfully Yours" New York Times (10 February 1984)
- ^ Betty Shabazz at IMDb
- ^ Sikov, Ed (2003). Mr. Strangelove: A Biography of Peter Sellers. Hachette Books. ISBN 9781401398941.
- ^ "Unfaithfully Yours (1984)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2016-03-24.
- ^ "Unfaithfully Yours (1984) (1984)". Box Office Mojo. 1984-04-10. Retrieved 2016-03-24.
