Lucky Lady (1975)

Director:

Stanley Donen

Writers:

Willard Huyck (writer)
Gloria Katz (writer)

Release Date:

25 December 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

A trio of rum-runners during prohibition in the 1930s engage in a menage-a-trios after business hours. |

Plot Keywords:

Love | Quirky | Career | Violence | Smuggling

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Gene Hackman	...	Kibby Womack
Liza Minnelli	...	Claire
Burt Reynolds	...	Walker Ellis
Geoffrey Lewis	...	Capt. Mosely
John Hillerman	...	McTeague
Robby Benson	...	Billy
Michael Hordern	...	Capt. Rockwell
Anthony Holland	...	Mr. Tully
John McLiam	...	Rass Huggins
Val Avery	...	Dolph
Louis Guss	...	Bernie
William Bassett	...	Charley
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marjorie Battles	...	Redhead
Roger Cudney	...	Hotel clerk
Emilio Fernández	...	Ybarra
Basil Hoffman	...	Auctioneer's assistant
Milt Kogan	...	Supercargo
Ron Masak	...	(voice)
Duncan McLeod	...	Auctioneer
Steve Shaw	...	Gunner on CG 101
Paul Stader	...	McTeague henchman
Frank Tallman	...	Aviator
Susanne Zenor	...	Brunette

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Mono (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:16 (1976) | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | Iceland:12

Company:

Gruskoff/Venture Films

Trivia:

'Robby Benson (I)' had to wear a wig on this film because he had shaved his head for a previous film, Death Be Not Proud (1975) (TV) and his hair had not grown back yet.

Quotes:

Claire: Gee, it's so quiet in here you could hear a fish fart.

Soundtrack:

Lucky Lady Montage

Looks Like the Outtakes of a Much Better Movie

What could have been a pleasurable romp, LUCKY LADY is, instead, a dismal example of Hollywood think. How Stanley Donen (CHARADE, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS) could have let anyone talk him into the choice of using "flashed" film, is a real mystery. The result looks out of focus and "artsy, schmartsy," destroying what intimacy the cast could evoke, given the skelatal storyline. The editing is a disaster. A scene where Reynolds and Hackman make off with two whores after being abandoned by Minelli is immediately followed by all three in bed together. There's little or no narrative establishing Minelli's relationship with her "legit" boyfriend, nor is there any explanation as to why Reynolds and Hackman would except this complication in their already complex relationship with Minelli. There are a few good lines, ("ANYTHING would be better than singing with a Mariachi band) but the story is not just light, it's almost nonexistant.

It's too bad there is no motivation for Fox to open the vaults to show us what we REALLY missed. There MIGHT be a movie in a re-edited LUCKY LADY. Unfortunately, there simply isn't one on display in the final product. I give it a "5," simply because the story mostly makes sense.