The One and Only (1978)

Director:

Carl Reiner

Writer:

Steve Gordon (writer)

Release Date:

3 February 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

She had to marry him. She was too embarrassed to have him as a date.

Plot:

1951: Andy Schmidt is in his last year of college. Taking life easy and always a saucy joke on his lips...

Plot Keywords:

Wrestling | Independent Film | Number In Title

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Henry Winkler	...	Andy Schmidt
Kim Darby	...	Mary Crawford
Gene Saks	...	Sidney Seltzer
William Daniels	...	Mr. Crawford
Harold Gould	...	Hector Moses
Polly Holliday	...	Mrs. Crawford
Hervé Villechaize	...	Milton Miller
Bill Baldwin	...	Announcer in Des Moines
Anthony Battaglia	...	Little Andy
Ed Begley Jr.	...	Arnold - The King
Peter Brocco	...	Autograph Hound
Brandon Cruz	...	Sherman
Lucy Lee Flippin	...	Agatha Franklen
Charles Frank	...	Paul Harris
Chavo Guerrero Sr.	...	Indian Joe (as Chavo Guerrero)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Netherlands:AL | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | USA:PG

Company:

Balmoral Associates

Trivia:

At one point the entire family is watching "Your Show of Shows" (1950) starring Sid Caesar, the TV program on which director Carl Reiner first made his mark.

Quotes:

Hector Moses: If your legs were as long as your schlong, you'd be a basketball player.

Movie Connections:

Features "Your Show of Shows" (1950)

Soundtrack:

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

Caustic comedy with leering, mean-spirited asides...

Two years before he wrote and directed "Arthur", Steve Gordon had a minor hit with his screenplay for this crackpot comedic vehicle for Henry Winkler, then TV's "The Fonz". A 1950s college thespian (and all-around jerk) woos a co-ed and gets married without any employment prospects on the horizon; to make ends meet, he turns to the flamboyant world of wrestling, eventually becoming a "Gorgeous George"-like celebrity. Turning likable Winkler into an obnoxious goof-off probably sounded like an interesting idea at the time (and a sure way to separate him from his television alter-ego), but the jokes and situations are often wrong-headed and mean, staged rather sloppily by director Carl Reiner. Particularly crude is a wincing bit involving Hervé Villechaize (of "Fantasy Island") putting the moves on Polly Holliday (Flo from "Alice"). As Henry's beloved, Kim Darby looks a little out of her element--particularly when surrounded by all these TV hams--rendering the romance aspect of the script inconsequential. *1/2 from ****