Candy (1968)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Christian Marquand

Writers:

Buck Henry (screenplay)
Mason Hoffenberg (novel)

Release Date:

17 December 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Fantasy

Tagline:

Good Grief, It's Candy!

Plot:

Based on Terry Southern's satirical novel, a sendup of Voltaire's -Candide-. Young Candy is a high school girl who seeks truth and meaning in life, encountering a variety of kookie characters and humorous sexual situations in the process.

Plot Keywords:

Hermit | Gardener | California | High School | Sex

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Charles Aznavour	...	Hunchback juggler
Marlon Brando	...	Grindl
Richard Burton	...	MacPhisto
James Coburn	...	Dr. A.B. Krankheit
John Huston	...	Dr. Arnold Dunlap
Walter Matthau	...	Gen. R.A. Smight
Ringo Starr	...	Emmanuel
Ewa Aulin	...	Candy Christian
John Astin	...	T.M. Christian / Jack Christian
Elsa Martinelli	...	Livia
Sugar Ray Robinson	...	Zero
Anita Pallenberg	...	Nurse Bullock
Lea Padovani	...	Silvia Fontegliulo
Florinda Bolkan	...	Lolita
Marilù Tolo	...	Conchita

Also Known As:

Candy (France)
Candy e il suo pazzo mondo (Italy)
Good Grief It's Candy (International: English title)

Runtime:

UK:124 min | Portugal:113 min | USA:115 min

Country:

France | Italy | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Italy:VM14 | West Germany:18 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video rating) (2005) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

American Broadcasting Company (ABC)

Trivia:

Director Christian Marquand (with camera crew) appears briefly through reflection in mirror-walls, in the final scene, filmed outside, with all actors together.

Quotes:

Grindl: Lie Back! Lie Back! I must search your auora for your focal point.
[places hands on Candy's head]
Grindl: not there.
[places hands on Candy's Right breast]
Grindl: Not there either. hmm... maybe...
[places hands on Candy's left breast]
Grindl: No, not there either. hmm...
[Places hands on Candy's crotch]
Grindl: Ah ha! Here! And how alive it is!
Candy Christian: Oh no, it surely, could not be there. No, I'm certain it's not there!
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in Brando (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Rock Me

Saved by the music and John Astin

After seeing Candy again for the first time in 30-plus years, I know why it's best to leave some memories untouched. I don't remember it being as bad then as I feel it is now. Ewa Aulin suits the title role of Candy, young and innocent, yet sensual. However, I'd love to know what the wager was that left the losing stakes to be a role in this film. It is disjointed, dismembered and non-flowing, with no sense from one segment to the next. With a stellar cast of Richard Burton, Walter Matthau, Charles Coburn, Marlon Brando (and Ringo Starr), how could writer Buck Henry go so wrong??? There are two saving graces, though, one being the dual performance of John Astin as Candy's father/uncle and the other being the great soundtrack by various artists, namely the Byrds, Steppenwolf and Dave Grusin. If you have an opportunity to view it without investing a lot of cash, I'd say see it if only for the sake of seeing it. If you're a baby-boomer, beware...the years may be as unkind to your memory as they were to mine!