Sweet November (1968 film)

Sweet November

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Robert Ellis Miller
Produced by Jerry Gershwin
Elliott Kastner
Written by Herman Raucher
Starring Sandy Dennis
Anthony Newley
Theodore Bikel
Music by Michel Legrand
Cinematography Daniel L. Fapp
Edited by James T. Heckert
Distributed by Warner Bros.-Seven Arts
Release dates
  • February 8, 1968 (1968-02-08)
Running time
 114 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Box office $1,100,000 (US/ Canada)[1]

Sweet November is a 1968 romantic comedy-drama Technicolor film written by Herman Raucher and starring Sandy Dennis, Anthony Newley and Theodore Bikel. The film had originally been written as a stage play by Raucher, but before it was even performed, Universal Pictures got wind of the project and paid Raucher $100,000 USD (or the modern equivalent of $583,000) to stop work on the play and adapt it as a screenplay.[2]

A remake was released in 2001 under the same name, with Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron playing the roles played by Newley and Dennis respectively.

Plot

Successful British box manufacturer Charlie Blake (Anthony Newley) meets Sara Deever (Sandy Dennis) when they both take a driver's exam in New York City. She tries to get a few answers from him, but he is the one who gets expelled for cheating. They run into each other later and go out on a date.

When they return to her apartment, Charlie meets Alonzo (Theodore Bikel), Sara's older, vegetarian friend. Then Richard (Sandy Baron) bursts in; he begs her to let him stay with her, but she has already packed his bag. After he leaves, Charlie asks her why Richard referred to him as his successor. She explains that she has a "special therapy program": She takes in a man for no longer than a month to diagnose and fix whatever problem he has. Richard was October, and she wants him to be November. She believes his trouble is his devotion to his work. Charlie accepts, though he is only interested in a short fling. He tells his employee, Digby (King Moody), to send him a telegram after a week so he will have an excuse to leave.

As November progresses, however, Charlie begins to fall in love (for the first time in his life) with the unorthodox Sara. When he gets the prearranged telegram, he telephones Digby to tell him to handle an important business meeting by himself. Clem Batchman (Burr DeBenning), another of Sara's projects, shows up, inciting Charlie's jealousy, until Sara informs him that he just wants to introduce her to his fiancée, Carol (Marj Dusay).

Charlie becomes troubled by certain signs that Sara may be ill. When he asks Alonzo, his worst fears are confirmed: Sara has only a little time left. She lives as she does so that she will be remembered after she is gone. Charlie tries hard to get her to break her self-imposed rule, and believes he has succeeded. She later admits to Alonzo that, unlike all the others, she has fallen for Charlie, but wants him to remember her as she is now. Thus, when December (and a clumsy Gordon) arrives, she has secretly packed November's bag. Charlie reluctantly leaves, promising he will never forget her.

Cast

Production

Audrey Hepburn was originally announced for the lead.[3]

Home media

On March 22, 2009, the film was released on DVD by Warner Bros.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Big Rental Films of 1968", Variety, p. 15, 8 January 1969. Please note this figure is a rental accruing to distributors.
  2. ↑ "Universal Pays $100,000 For Unproduced Play", The New York Τimes.
  3. ↑ ' Mr. K.' Heads For 'The Castle': More on Movies By A.H. WEILER. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 24 Oct 1965: X13.
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