A Little Night Music (1977)
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11% of critics liked it
(9 reviews) -
31% of users liked it
(97 ratings)
Beginning its several incarnations as an Ingmar Bergman film named Smiles of a Summer Night, the story was adapted by composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim into a successful Broadway musical directed by Harold Prince. This film, also directed by Prince, is adapted from the stage musical. In the movie,… More Beginning its several incarnations as an Ingmar Bergman film named Smiles of a Summer Night, the story was adapted by composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim into a successful Broadway musical directed by Harold Prince. This film, also directed by Prince, is adapted from the stage musical. In the movie, in the early 1900s, a group of friends bound together by complicated romantic entanglements, have come together for an elegant dinner at a country estate. The men present are the current, previous, or prospective lovers of the beautiful actress, Desiree (Elizabeth Taylor), and the other women are all united by their jealousy of her. Sadly, Desiree herself wants to simplify things and settle down -- she envies the wives. The adapted score later won an Oscar. The musical's well-known songs include Every Day a Little Death, A Weekend in the Country, and You Must Meet My Wife. The most famous song from the musical, Send in the Clowns, is sung here by Elizabeth Taylor. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Directed By
- Harold Prince, Mark Brokaw
- Genres
- Romance, Musical & Performing Arts, Comedy
PG,
- In Theaters
- Dec 1, 1977 Wide
Critic Reviews
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, TIME Magazine
The cast does little to help matters.
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Variety Staff, Variety
Uneven and sometimes slow, pic has good looks.
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, Time Out
Not offensive, just silly.
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Vincent Canby, New York Times
It's something more than a shock, then, that the film adaptation of the Broadway show not only fails to raise the spirits; it also tramples on them.
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, TV Guide's Movie Guide
n uninspired screen version of Steven Sondheim's stage play.
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Cast
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Elizabeth Taylor
as Desiree
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Diana Rigg
as Charlotte
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Len Cariou
as Frederick
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Hermione Gingold
as Armfeldt
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Lesley-Anne Down
as Anne
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Lawrence Guittard
as Carl-Magnus Mittelheim
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Christopher Guard
as Erich
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Lesley Dunlop
as Petra
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Chloe Franks
as Fredericka Armfeldt
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Heinz Maracek
as Kurt
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Jean Sincere
as Box Office Lady
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Jonathan Tunick
as Conductor
