The Happy Ending (1969)

61% of users liked it
(199 ratings)

Suburban housewives console themselves with pills and alcohol to tolerate their spouses' infidelities in The Happy Ending. Mary Wilson (Jean Simmons) is married to Fred (John Forsythe) and she prepares for their 16th wedding-anniversary party with tranquilizers and booze. The guests are clients of… More Suburban housewives console themselves with pills and alcohol to tolerate their spouses' infidelities in The Happy Ending. Mary Wilson (Jean Simmons) is married to Fred (John Forsythe) and she prepares for their 16th wedding-anniversary party with tranquilizers and booze. The guests are clients of Fred's, a successful tax attorney. Harry (Dick Shawn) and wife Helen (Tina Louise) are two of the guests. Helen offers herself to Fred, as Mary entertains thoughts of bedding down with the playboy Sam (Lloyd Bridges) or a young gigolo (Bobby Darin). Agnes (Nanette Fabray) is the level-headed housekeeper who wryly observes the proceedings, and Shirley Jones is on hand as one of the guests. Mary ends up in the hospital in need of a stomach pump after a half-hearted suicide attempt. After the incident, her incredulous husband shallowly suggests that she needs a hobby. All is not well in the suburban Shangri-La in this feature, that tends to sympathize with the female characters. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 52 min.
Directed By: Richard Brooks I
Written By: Richard Brooks
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Dec 21, 1969 Wide
On DVD: May 28, 1996

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
A well-developed and acted and potentially significant 'woman's movie' unfortunately drowns in Brooks' over indulgences and over-writing.
Vincent Canby, New York Times
The Happy Ending is a kind of false Faces -- a movie that set out to expose the kitsch of Hollywood fantasy.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Depressing melodrama about the trials and tribulations of a modern marriage.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Jean Simmons struggles valiantly but no avail; she's defeated by writer-director Brooks's dreary, overwritten screenplay.

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Featured Audience Ratings

jay n

Jean Simmons makes this compelling viewing. The backstory of the film is that director Richard Brooks, Simmons husband at the time, was concerned and aware of Jean's alcoholism and designed the picture not only as a showcase for her prestigious talent, rewared with an Oscar… More
Jean Simmons makes this compelling viewing. The backstory of the film is that director Richard Brooks, Simmons husband at the time, was concerned and aware of Jean's alcoholism and designed the picture not only as a showcase for her prestigious talent, rewared with an Oscar nomination, but hopefully a wakeup call for her. It didn't work immediately and eventually helped destroy their marriage but she was able to eventually conquer her demons and live sober until the end of her life. The film itself is a scattershot affair what with it's frequent flashbacks and fragmented nature but does have a beautiful score and excepting Bobby Darin very good supporting work. Shirley Jones is notable in particular in the smallish role of an old college chum of Jean's. The ending is beautifully done, simple and true.