I Love You, Alice B. Toklas! (1968)

Director:

Hy Averback

Writers:

Paul Mazursky (written by) &
Larry Tucker (written by)

Release Date:

18 October 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

A thirty-something square falls in love with a hippie and decides to "drop out" himself.

Plot Keywords:

Hippie | Love | Lawyer | Wedding | Satire

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Peter Sellers	...	Harold
Jo Van Fleet	...	Mother
Leigh Taylor-Young	...	Nancy
Joyce Van Patten	...	Joyce
David Arkin	...	Herbie
Herb Edelman	...	Murray
Salem Ludwig	...	Father
Louis Gottlieb	...	Guru
Grady Sutton	...	Funeral Director
Janet E. Clark	...	Mrs. Foley (as Janet Clark)
Jorge Moreno	...	Mr. Rodriguez
Ed Peck	...	Man in Dress Shop
Jack Margolis	...	Big Bear
Eddra Gale	...	Love Lady
Carol O'Leary	...	Anita
Gary Brown	...	El Greco
Sidney Clute	...	Mechanic (as Sid Clute)
Roy Glenn	...	Gas Station Attendant
Joe Dominguez	...	Grandfather Rodriguez
William Bramley	...	1st Patrolman
Vince Howard	...	2nd Patrolman (as Vincent Howard)
Robert Miller Driscoll	...	Crying Hippie
Karen Mickievic	...	Crying Hippie's Wife
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hy Averback	...	Rabbi conducting wedding ceremony (uncredited)
Ron Burke	...	Surfer (uncredited)
Paul Mazursky	...	Hippie on sidewalk (uncredited)
Larry Tucker	...	Hitch-hiker (uncredited)

Directed by
Hy Averback

Writing credits
Paul Mazursky		(written by) &
Larry Tucker		(written by)

Produced by
Charles H. Maguire	....	producer (as Charles Maguire)
Paul Mazursky	....	executive producer
Larry Tucker	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Elmer Bernstein

Cinematography by
Philip H. Lathrop		(as Philip Lathrop)

Film Editing by
Robert C. Jones

Production Design by
Pato Guzman

Set Decoration by
Audrey A. Blasdel		(as Audrey Blasdel)

Costume Design by
Theadora Van Runkle

Makeup Department
Gordon Bau	....	makeup supervisor
Jean Burt Reilly	....	supervising hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack Cunningham	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Everett A. Hughes	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Bruce McBroom	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Music Department
Harpers Bizarre	....	vocals
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator
Leo Shuken	....	orchestrator
Bob Thompson	....	vocal arranger
Dan Wallin	....	scoring mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
Bert Steinberger	....	dialogue supervisor

Production Companies

• Warner Brothers/Seven Arts

Distributors

• Warner Brothers/Seven Arts (1968) (USA) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print Technicolor)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• California Department of Parks and Recreation  special scenes filmed at Leo Carrillo State Beach courtesy of (as State of California, Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Beaches and Parks)

Also Known As:

Kiss My Butterfly

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | UK:15 (2006) | UK:X (1968) | Canada:14A (video rating) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Leo Carrillo State Beach - 35000 W. Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, California, USA

Company:

Warner Brothers/Seven Arts

Trivia:

The film's title is a tribute to Gertrude Stein's lifelong partner, Alice B. Toklas, who published a cookbook in 1954 that contained the first printed recipe for hash fudge. In one of the movie's most famous scene Harold Fine unknowingly serves some marijuana-laced brownies baked by Nancy to his parents and fiancée

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The closeup of Harold's hand moving over Nancy's butterfly tattoo shows the top corner to be plainly reflective, with a clear irregular line visible outside the wing.

Quotes:

Harold Fine: Mondo Teeth. What a concept. Teeth, teeth, and yet, more teeth!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Deadly Mantis (#9.4)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

I Love You, Alice B. Toklas!

Sellers drops out in charming time capsule

Harold Fine (Peter Sellers) is an uptight lawyer, a member of the Establishment. His longtime girlfriend Joyce finally has pinned Harold down on a wedding date, and his life seems to be settling down. But wait! Harold meets Nancy, a friend of his hippie brother, at a family funeral. Turned on by her free thinking, free loving, and free living, Harold leaves Joyce at the altar to be with Nancy. He drops out of society and into hippiedom! Sellers isn't the most likely person to play this role, but he's very good in it. Leigh Taylor-Young, as Nancy, is positively ravishing. The movie takes you back to the late sixties, even if you've never been there. All the sights and sounds are lovingly created by director Hy Averback. And the script! Nearly every aspect of counterculture society in the late sixties is covered, and there's hardly a stagnant scene. In particular, the wild parties at Harold's apartment and the scene where the policeman come upon Harold and Nancy in the backseat of his car are real gems.