Cactus Flower (1969)

100% of critics liked it
(11 reviews)
74% of users liked it
(4,398 ratings)

Goldie Hawn won an Oscar for her performance as a Greenwich Village free spirit in Cactus Flower. Middle-aged dentist Winston (Walter Matthau) is enjoying an affair with Toni (Goldie Hawn) but doesn't want to be hemmed in by marriage. He prevails upon his non-glamorous assistant Stephanie (Ingrid… More Goldie Hawn won an Oscar for her performance as a Greenwich Village free spirit in Cactus Flower. Middle-aged dentist Winston (Walter Matthau) is enjoying an affair with Toni (Goldie Hawn) but doesn't want to be hemmed in by marriage. He prevails upon his non-glamorous assistant Stephanie (Ingrid Bergman) to pose as his wife so as to keep from campaigning for a ring. Then, to justify his "infidelity," Winston talks his pal (Jack Weston) into pretending to be Stephanie's illicit lover. Flattered by all the attention, Stephanie begins to "doll up." Confronted by a newly gorgeous Stephanie, Winston realizes that his Dream Girl has been right there in his office all along. As for Toni, she ends up in the arms of a writer (Rick Lenz), who has loved her since Reel One. Cactus Flower was adapted by Billy Wilder's frequent collaborator I.A.L. Diamond from the play by Abe Burrows -- which in turn was adapted from a French farce. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 43 min.
Directed By: Gene Saks
Written By: I. A. L. Diamond
Genres: Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Dec 16, 1969 Wide
On DVD: Apr 23, 2002

Critic Reviews

Wesley Lovell, Oscar Guy
A sometimes forgettable romantic comedy.
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com
OK comedy pairs Matthau and Hawn.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Based on a French farce, first done as a Broadway play, this mildly amusing, highly theatrical comedy benefits from its star power: Walter Matthau, Ingrid Bergman (taking over Lauren Bacall's stage role) and best of all Glodie Hawn.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Ken S

A film that has so many weird things about it, Ingrid Bergman is in an America sex comedy. Goldie Hawn won an Oscar for her roll. A 49 year old Walter Matthau is cast as a cad who's banging Goldie Hawn. and it was remade as the Adam Sandler film "Just Go With It"
moon r

This sex farce from the late 60's involves both the war between the sexes and the generation gap. Matthau is a swinging dentist suddenly set on marriage to Hawn (still in her bubbly Laugh-In ditz days) until the frump nurse who works for him begins to blossom. It's… More
This sex farce from the late 60's involves both the war between the sexes and the generation gap. Matthau is a swinging dentist suddenly set on marriage to Hawn (still in her bubbly Laugh-In ditz days) until the frump nurse who works for him begins to blossom. It's Ingrid's movie from there. Dated, sure, like when all go to a club and "I'm A Believer" is the slow jam, but that kinda adds to the charm of this star vehicle comedy of errors.
AJ V

On the surface this is just another romantic comedy, but if you see it, the characters are interesting and played by great actors, and the movie is very funny too. I liked it. Overall, it's predictable, but charming.
Spencer S

Walter Matthau is...Walter Matthau, and Goldie Hawn is his ditzy, suicidal fling who is slowly falling back into her demographic. Along for the ride is the still sparkling Ingrid Bergman, now older, wiser, and complacent to play along with Matthau's strange fixation. It was solid… More
Walter Matthau is...Walter Matthau, and Goldie Hawn is his ditzy, suicidal fling who is slowly falling back into her demographic. Along for the ride is the still sparkling Ingrid Bergman, now older, wiser, and complacent to play along with Matthau's strange fixation. It was solid performance wise, but it reeked of cultural impact and changing to be "hip."
xGary X

By the numbers sex comedy that's not brilliantly written, so Matthau has to carry the whole thing on his own. It's amusingly dated now, but it's not awful; although the main fascination for me was just how attractive Goldie Hawn USED to be...
Matthew R

The film begins with 21-year-old Toni Simmons (Goldie Hawn) trudging across the road at night to post a letter. Subsequently, she returns to her apartment and attempts to gas herself using a "second-hand" stove. Fortunately, her neighbor, Igor Sullivan (Rick Lenz), smells… More
The film begins with 21-year-old Toni Simmons (Goldie Hawn) trudging across the road at night to post a letter. Subsequently, she returns to her apartment and attempts to gas herself using a "second-hand" stove. Fortunately, her neighbor, Igor Sullivan (Rick Lenz), smells the gas and rescues her from imminent death using rescue breathing, which evolves into a French kiss after Toni regains consciousness. The movie then moves to the cause of the suicide attempt. Toni's lover Julian (Walter Matthau), a dentist and philanderer, had previously told Toni that he has a wife and three kids, in order to avoid commitment issues. However, upon learning of the suicide attempt, he decides to rethink his bachelor status and to marry Toni, resulting in him needing a wife to divorce. In order to resolve his dilemma, Julian decides to ask Miss Stephanie Dickinson (Ingrid Bergman), his spinsterish Swedish nurse of ten years, to pose as his wife. At first unwilling, she ultimately accepts the role, since she has secretly developed a crush on Julian. Cactus Flower directed by Gene Saks is a very amusing film featuring three stars, Ingrid Berman, Walter Matthau, and a very young Goldie Hawn (Who won an Oscar for best supporting actress). The three central performances are very engaging making the audience hooked immediately. Hawn though is really what makes lifts this film into a golden comedic sucess. Cactus Flower is a entertaining, funny, and smart film, anchored by it's stars. Story: B+ Acting: A Direction: A Visuals: A- Overall: A- ***1/2 out of 4 stars
Quinto W

Hilarious movie. Every cast member is in top shape and bring a sense to reality to their characters, all of which are incredibly rounded and well-written. Even when you know how the movie is going to end, it is a romantic comedy after all, there's something about the way movies… More
Hilarious movie. Every cast member is in top shape and bring a sense to reality to their characters, all of which are incredibly rounded and well-written. Even when you know how the movie is going to end, it is a romantic comedy after all, there's something about the way movies were made back then, there was actual care when making them, that none of it ever feels like a cliche.
Sunil J

This movie was GLORIOUS. I'd always meant to see it but never got around to it. The cast is great, I don't care what some of the critics have said. It's the ultimate in deception and quite clever and charming.