Unfaithfully Yours (1984 film)
Encyclopedia
Unfaithfully Yours is a 1984
romantic comedy film
directed by Howard Zieff
, starring Dudley Moore
and Nastassja Kinski
and featuring Armand Assante
and Albert Brooks
. The screenplay was written by Valerie Curtin
, Barry Levinson
, and Robert Klane based on Preston Sturges
' screenplay for the 1948 film of the same name. The original music score is by Bill Conti
and the song "Unfaithfully Yours (One Love)" was written for the film and performed by Stephen Bishop
.
) is a composer and the conductor of a prestigious symphony who has recently married beautiful Daniella (Nastassja Kinski
), a much younger woman. While travelling, he sends a message to his friend Norman Robbins (Albert Brooks
) to keep an eye on his wife, but the message is garbled by Claude's Italian valet Giuseppe (Richard Libertini
), and instead of looking after Daniella, Norman hires a private detective named Keller (Richard B. Shull
) to investigate her.
The private eye's report, which comes with a fuzzy video, is that Daniella had an assignation with a man who, by the clothing he wears, appears to be Maxmillian Stein (Armand Assante
), a handsome violinist with the orchestra – and Claude's protégé – who is well known as a ladies man.
Claude at first doesn't directly confront Maxmilliam. When Maxmillian eventaully meets Daniella, it is at a restaurant where Claude and Maxmilliam end up dueling with violins playing Csárdás (Monti)
, the famous composition of Vittorio Monti
.
Claude confronts Daniella, who feels guilty because she is keeping a secret from her husband, only not the one he thinks it is. When she tells him that it's no big deal, Claude is enraged. As he conducts Tchaikovsky's "Violin Concerto
", an elaborate plan to kill Daniella and frame Max for the murder runs through his mind, but afterwards, when he tries to carry out his plan, unforeseen circumstances intervene.
Cast notes:
' 1948 film, which was an artistic success but not a financial one, was originally intended for Peter Sellers
, before his death in 1980.
1984 in film
-Events:* The Walt Disney Company founds Touchstone Pictures to release movies with subject matter deemed inappropriate for the Disney name.* Tri-Star Pictures, a joint venture of Columbia Pictures, HBO, and CBS, releases its first film....
romantic comedy film
Romantic comedy film
Romantic comedy films are films with light-hearted, humorous plotlines, centered on romantic ideals such as that true love is able to surmount most obstacles. One dictionary definition is "a funny movie, play, or television program about a love story that ends happily"...
directed by Howard Zieff
Howard Zieff
Howard Zieff , was an American director, television commercial director, and advertising photographer.-Biography:...
, starring Dudley Moore
Dudley Moore
Dudley Stuart John Moore, CBE was an English actor, comedian, composer and musician.Moore first came to prominence as one of the four writer-performers in the ground-breaking comedy revue Beyond the Fringe in the early 1960s, and then became famous as half of the highly popular television...
and Nastassja Kinski
Nastassja Kinski
Nastassja Kinski is a German-born American-based actress who has appeared in more than 60 films. Her starring roles include her Golden Globe Award-winning portrayal of the title character in Tess and her roles in two erotic films , as well as parts in Wim Wenders' films The Wrong Move; Paris,...
and featuring Armand Assante
Armand Assante
-Personal life:Assante was born in New York City and raised in Cornwall, New York, the son of Katherine , a music teacher and poet, and Armand Anthony Assante, Sr., a painter and artist. His father was Italian and his mother was Irish, and was raised in a devoutly Roman Catholic family...
and Albert Brooks
Albert Brooks
Albert Lawrence Brooks is an American actor, voice actor, writer, comedian and director. He received an Academy Award nomination in 1987 for his role in Broadcast News...
. The screenplay was written by Valerie Curtin
Valerie Curtin
-Biography:Curtin was born in New York City, the daughter of radio actor Joseph Curtin. She is a cousin of TV comedian/actress Jane Curtin...
, Barry Levinson
Barry Levinson
Barry Levinson is an American screenwriter, film director, actor, and producer of film and television. His films include Good Morning, Vietnam, Sleepers and Rain Man.-Early life:...
, and Robert Klane based on Preston Sturges
Preston Sturges
Preston Sturges , originally Edmund Preston Biden, was a celebrated playwright, screenwriter and film director born in Chicago, Illinois...
' screenplay for the 1948 film of the same name. The original music score is by Bill Conti
Bill Conti
William "Bill" Conti is an American film music composer who is frequently the conductor at the Academy Awards ceremony.-Early life and career:...
and the song "Unfaithfully Yours (One Love)" was written for the film and performed by Stephen Bishop
Stephen Bishop
Stephen Bishop may refer to:* Stephen Bishop * Stephen Bishop , African American cave explorer* Stephen Bishop , U.S. musician...
.
Plot
Claude Eastman (Dudley MooreDudley Moore
Dudley Stuart John Moore, CBE was an English actor, comedian, composer and musician.Moore first came to prominence as one of the four writer-performers in the ground-breaking comedy revue Beyond the Fringe in the early 1960s, and then became famous as half of the highly popular television...
) is a composer and the conductor of a prestigious symphony who has recently married beautiful Daniella (Nastassja Kinski
Nastassja Kinski
Nastassja Kinski is a German-born American-based actress who has appeared in more than 60 films. Her starring roles include her Golden Globe Award-winning portrayal of the title character in Tess and her roles in two erotic films , as well as parts in Wim Wenders' films The Wrong Move; Paris,...
), a much younger woman. While travelling, he sends a message to his friend Norman Robbins (Albert Brooks
Albert Brooks
Albert Lawrence Brooks is an American actor, voice actor, writer, comedian and director. He received an Academy Award nomination in 1987 for his role in Broadcast News...
) to keep an eye on his wife, but the message is garbled by Claude's Italian valet Giuseppe (Richard Libertini
Richard Libertini
Richard Libertini is an American stage, film and television actor known for playing numerous character roles and his ability to speak in numerous accents....
), and instead of looking after Daniella, Norman hires a private detective named Keller (Richard B. Shull
Richard B. Shull
Richard Bruce Shull was an American character actor.-Career:Shull was born in Evanston, Illinois, the son of Zana Marie , a court stenographer, and Ulysses Homer Shull, a manufacturing executive. Shull attended the University of Iowa and served in the U.S. Army before starting his Broadway career...
) to investigate her.
The private eye's report, which comes with a fuzzy video, is that Daniella had an assignation with a man who, by the clothing he wears, appears to be Maxmillian Stein (Armand Assante
Armand Assante
-Personal life:Assante was born in New York City and raised in Cornwall, New York, the son of Katherine , a music teacher and poet, and Armand Anthony Assante, Sr., a painter and artist. His father was Italian and his mother was Irish, and was raised in a devoutly Roman Catholic family...
), a handsome violinist with the orchestra – and Claude's protégé – who is well known as a ladies man.
Claude at first doesn't directly confront Maxmilliam. When Maxmillian eventaully meets Daniella, it is at a restaurant where Claude and Maxmilliam end up dueling with violins playing Csárdás (Monti)
Csárdás (Monti)
Csárdás is perhaps the most famous composition of Vittorio Monti. A rhapsodical concert piece written in 1904, it is a well-known folk piece based on a Hungarian csárdás. It was originally composed for violin, mandolin or piano...
, the famous composition of Vittorio Monti
Vittorio Monti
Vittorio Monti was an Italian composer, violinist, and conductor.Monti was born in Naples, where he studied violin and composition at the Conservatorio di San Pietro a Majella...
.
Claude confronts Daniella, who feels guilty because she is keeping a secret from her husband, only not the one he thinks it is. When she tells him that it's no big deal, Claude is enraged. As he conducts Tchaikovsky's "Violin Concerto
Violin Concerto (Tchaikovsky)
The Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35, written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1878, is one of the best known of all violin concertos. It is also considered to be among the most technically difficult works for violin.-Instrumentation:...
", an elaborate plan to kill Daniella and frame Max for the murder runs through his mind, but afterwards, when he tries to carry out his plan, unforeseen circumstances intervene.
Cast
- Dudley MooreDudley MooreDudley Stuart John Moore, CBE was an English actor, comedian, composer and musician.Moore first came to prominence as one of the four writer-performers in the ground-breaking comedy revue Beyond the Fringe in the early 1960s, and then became famous as half of the highly popular television...
as Claude Eastman - Nastassja KinskiNastassja KinskiNastassja Kinski is a German-born American-based actress who has appeared in more than 60 films. Her starring roles include her Golden Globe Award-winning portrayal of the title character in Tess and her roles in two erotic films , as well as parts in Wim Wenders' films The Wrong Move; Paris,...
as Daniella Eastman - Armand AssanteArmand Assante-Personal life:Assante was born in New York City and raised in Cornwall, New York, the son of Katherine , a music teacher and poet, and Armand Anthony Assante, Sr., a painter and artist. His father was Italian and his mother was Irish, and was raised in a devoutly Roman Catholic family...
as Maxmillian Stein - Albert BrooksAlbert BrooksAlbert Lawrence Brooks is an American actor, voice actor, writer, comedian and director. He received an Academy Award nomination in 1987 for his role in Broadcast News...
as Norman Robbins - Cassie YatesCassie YatesCassie Yates , born in Macon, Georgia, United States, is an American actress best known for her performances on television.Her most high-profile role was probably in Dynasty as Sarah Curtis...
as Carla Robbins - Richard LibertiniRichard LibertiniRichard Libertini is an American stage, film and television actor known for playing numerous character roles and his ability to speak in numerous accents....
as Giuseppe - Richard B. ShullRichard B. ShullRichard Bruce Shull was an American character actor.-Career:Shull was born in Evanston, Illinois, the son of Zana Marie , a court stenographer, and Ulysses Homer Shull, a manufacturing executive. Shull attended the University of Iowa and served in the U.S. Army before starting his Broadway career...
as Jess Keller - Jan TriskaJan TrískaJan Triska or Jan Tříska is a Czech-American actor.-Early life and career:He was born in Prague. Before his emigration he performed in the theater and had many roles in movies, the movie version of Radúz a Mahulena and in the communist propaganda piece 30 Cases of Major Zeman...
as Jerzy Czyrek - Jane Hallaren as Janet
- Bernard Behrens as Bill Lawrence
- Leonard Mann as Screen lover
Cast notes:
- Betty ShabazzBetty ShabazzBetty Shabazz , born Betty Dean Sanders and also known as Betty X, was an American educator and civil rights advocate. She was the wife of Malcolm X....
, the widow of Malcolm XMalcolm XMalcolm X , born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz , was an African American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its...
has a small part in the film.
Production
The project to remake Preston SturgesPreston Sturges
Preston Sturges , originally Edmund Preston Biden, was a celebrated playwright, screenwriter and film director born in Chicago, Illinois...
' 1948 film, which was an artistic success but not a financial one, was originally intended for Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Richard Henry Sellers, CBE , known as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian and actor. Perhaps best known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, he is also notable for playing three different characters in Dr...
, before his death in 1980.
External links
- Review in the New York Times