The Woman in Red
Encyclopedia
The Woman in Red is a 1984 romantic comedy
film starring and directed by Gene Wilder
. It co-stars Charles Grodin
, Gilda Radner
, Joseph Bologna
, Judith Ivey
and Kelly LeBrock
.
. It was written by Jean-Loup Dabadie
, Yves Robert
and Gene Wilder
about a happily married man who fantasizes about having an affair with a very beautiful woman named Charlotte (Kelly LeBrock
).
). Teddy is happily married to Didi, but he can't get this woman out of his mind. Encouraged by his friends Buddy, Joe and Michael, he tries to ask her for a date but mistakenly phones Ms. Milner, a plain ad-agency employee, instead. Teddy ultimately does become acquainted with the woman, a model named Charlotte. He begins using elaborate ruses to see her socially without his wife finding out. Meanwhile, he incurs the wrath of Ms. Milner, whom he stands up. Events come to a head in Charlotte's high-rise apartment, where she invites Teddy into her bed. He is thrilled until her airline pilot husband suddenly comes home. Teddy ends up on a ledge, where passersby below believe he is a potential suicide about to jump.
The sub plot of this movie is Teddy's friendship with his three friends (Buddy, Joey and Michael), their intimate relationships with others, and how their personal decisions both intrigues and affects Teddy.
and features performances by Wonder and also Dionne Warwick
. Wonder received an Academy Award for Best Original Song
for the song "I Just Called to Say I Love You
".
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
film starring and directed by Gene Wilder
Gene Wilder
Gene Wilder is an American stage and screen actor, director, screenwriter, and author.Wilder began his career on stage, making his screen debut in the film Bonnie and Clyde in 1967. His first major role was as Leopold Bloom in the 1968 film The Producers...
. It co-stars Charles Grodin
Charles Grodin
Charles Grodin is an American actor, comedian, author and former cable talk show host. Grodin began his acting career in the 1960s appearing in TV serials including The Virginian. He had a small part as an obstetrician in Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby in 1968...
, Gilda Radner
Gilda Radner
Gilda Susan Radner was an American comedian and actress, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, for which she won an Emmy Award in 1978.-Early life:...
, Joseph Bologna
Joseph Bologna
Joseph Bologna is an American actor.-Life and career:Bologna was born in Brooklyn, New York. He attended Brown University, where he majored in art history. After a hitch with the marines, Bologna was hired to produce and direct Manhattan-based TV commercials.The actor has a long history in film...
, Judith Ivey
Judith Ivey
Judith Lee Ivey is an American actress and director.-Personal life:Ivey was born in El Paso, Texas, the daughter of Dorothy Lee , a teacher, and Nathan Aldean Ivey, a college instructor and dean. She spent 1965-1968 in Dowagiac, Michigan, where she attended Union High School through tenth grade...
and Kelly LeBrock
Kelly LeBrock
Kelly LeBrock is an American actress and model. Her acting debut was in The Woman in Red co-starring with comedian Gene Wilder. She also starred in the film Weird Science, directed by John Hughes.-Early life:...
.
Background
The film is a remake of Un éléphant ça trompe énormément (An Elephant Can Be Extremely Deceptive) also known as Pardon mon affaire, directed by Yves RobertYves Robert
Yves Robert was a French actor, screenwriter, director, and producer.Born in Saumur, Maine-et-Loire, in his teens Robert went to Paris to pursue a career in acting, starting with unpaid parts on stage in the city's various theatre workshops. To support himself, he worked at a variety of jobs...
. It was written by Jean-Loup Dabadie
Jean-Loup Dabadie
Jean-Loup Dabadie is a French journalist, writer, lyricist, award-winning screenwriter and member of the Académie Française.-Selected filmography:* Anna * Such a Gorgeous Kid Like Me -Awards:...
, Yves Robert
Yves Robert
Yves Robert was a French actor, screenwriter, director, and producer.Born in Saumur, Maine-et-Loire, in his teens Robert went to Paris to pursue a career in acting, starting with unpaid parts on stage in the city's various theatre workshops. To support himself, he worked at a variety of jobs...
and Gene Wilder
Gene Wilder
Gene Wilder is an American stage and screen actor, director, screenwriter, and author.Wilder began his career on stage, making his screen debut in the film Bonnie and Clyde in 1967. His first major role was as Leopold Bloom in the 1968 film The Producers...
about a happily married man who fantasizes about having an affair with a very beautiful woman named Charlotte (Kelly LeBrock
Kelly LeBrock
Kelly LeBrock is an American actress and model. Her acting debut was in The Woman in Red co-starring with comedian Gene Wilder. She also starred in the film Weird Science, directed by John Hughes.-Early life:...
).
Plot
San Francisco ad man Teddy Pierce is amused by, then obsessed with a beautiful woman whose red dress goes whooshing over her head from a gust of wind as she crosses a grate (a la Marilyn Monroe in The Seven Year ItchThe Seven Year Itch
The Seven Year Itch is a 1955 American film based on a three-act play with the same name by George Axelrod. The film was co-written and directed by Billy Wilder, and starred Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell, reprising his Broadway role...
). Teddy is happily married to Didi, but he can't get this woman out of his mind. Encouraged by his friends Buddy, Joe and Michael, he tries to ask her for a date but mistakenly phones Ms. Milner, a plain ad-agency employee, instead. Teddy ultimately does become acquainted with the woman, a model named Charlotte. He begins using elaborate ruses to see her socially without his wife finding out. Meanwhile, he incurs the wrath of Ms. Milner, whom he stands up. Events come to a head in Charlotte's high-rise apartment, where she invites Teddy into her bed. He is thrilled until her airline pilot husband suddenly comes home. Teddy ends up on a ledge, where passersby below believe he is a potential suicide about to jump.
The sub plot of this movie is Teddy's friendship with his three friends (Buddy, Joey and Michael), their intimate relationships with others, and how their personal decisions both intrigues and affects Teddy.
Cast
- Gene WilderGene WilderGene Wilder is an American stage and screen actor, director, screenwriter, and author.Wilder began his career on stage, making his screen debut in the film Bonnie and Clyde in 1967. His first major role was as Leopold Bloom in the 1968 film The Producers...
as Theodore Pierce - Kelly LeBrockKelly LeBrockKelly LeBrock is an American actress and model. Her acting debut was in The Woman in Red co-starring with comedian Gene Wilder. She also starred in the film Weird Science, directed by John Hughes.-Early life:...
as Charlotte - Gilda RadnerGilda RadnerGilda Susan Radner was an American comedian and actress, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, for which she won an Emmy Award in 1978.-Early life:...
as Ms. Milner - Charles GrodinCharles GrodinCharles Grodin is an American actor, comedian, author and former cable talk show host. Grodin began his acting career in the 1960s appearing in TV serials including The Virginian. He had a small part as an obstetrician in Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby in 1968...
as Buddy - Joseph BolognaJoseph BolognaJoseph Bologna is an American actor.-Life and career:Bologna was born in Brooklyn, New York. He attended Brown University, where he majored in art history. After a hitch with the marines, Bologna was hired to produce and direct Manhattan-based TV commercials.The actor has a long history in film...
as Joe - Judith IveyJudith IveyJudith Lee Ivey is an American actress and director.-Personal life:Ivey was born in El Paso, Texas, the daughter of Dorothy Lee , a teacher, and Nathan Aldean Ivey, a college instructor and dean. She spent 1965-1968 in Dowagiac, Michigan, where she attended Union High School through tenth grade...
as Didi Pierce - Michael Huddleston as Michael
- Arthur Bailey as Jocko
- Kyra Stempel as Missy Pierce
- Robin Ignico Robin IgnicoRobin Ignico is an American former child actress, who was one of the final three girls up for the title role in the 1982 film of Annie. She missed out to Aileen Quinn and played the role of Duffy instead.-Early life:...
as Becky Pierce - Viola Kates Stimpson as Mama Dell
Soundtrack
The soundtrack was composed by Stevie WonderStevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
and features performances by Wonder and also Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick is an American singer, actress and TV show host, who became a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, and a United States Ambassador of Health....
. Wonder received an Academy Award for Best Original Song
Academy Award for Best Original Song
The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . It is presented to the songwriters who have composed the best original song written specifically for a film...
for the song "I Just Called to Say I Love You
I Just Called to Say I Love You
"I Just Called to Say I Love You" is a song, produced, written and performed by Stevie Wonder. It was one of Wonder's most commercially successful singles....
".