What a Way to Go! (1964)

0% of critics liked it
(5 reviews)
68% of users liked it
(388 ratings)

This lavishly produced, big-budget comedy (it cost $20 million in 1964 dollars) stars Shirley MacLaine as Louisa, a widow who is worth $200 million dollars. However, she's convinced that her fortune is cursed, and she wants to give all her money to the IRS. As she explains her sad tale to her… More This lavishly produced, big-budget comedy (it cost $20 million in 1964 dollars) stars Shirley MacLaine as Louisa, a widow who is worth $200 million dollars. However, she's convinced that her fortune is cursed, and she wants to give all her money to the IRS. As she explains her sad tale to her psychiatrist, Dr. Stephanson (Robert Cummings), it seems that when Louisa was young she had the choice of marrying rich playboy Leonard Crawley (Dean Martin) or poor but decent Edgar Hopper (Dick Van Dyke). She chose Edgar, but soon he became obsessed with providing a fine home and fortune for her; he got rich but worked himself to death in the process. Despondent, Louisa flies to Paris, where she strikes up a romance with expatriate artist Larry Flint (Paul Newman). When Larry invents a machine that creates paintings based on sounds, he becomes wealthy and famous -- and dies. Louisa returns to America, where she figures to break her streak by marrying Rod (Robert Mitchum), a business tycoon who already has lots of money. He resolves to take life easier and becomes a farmer, only to die in a strange accident with a bull. Louisa is drowning her sorrows one night at a sleazy night spot when she falls for second rate entertainer Jerry (Gene Kelly). They marry, and a now-wealthy Jerry develops a relaxed, carefree quality to his act that makes him a huge star, which leads to his being crushed by a mob of his biggest fans. What a Way to Go! boasted a screenplay by Betty Comdon and Adolph Green that featured many amusing film parodies and a score by Nelson Riddle; it also marked the final screen appearance of comic actress Margaret Dumont, best remembered as Groucho Marx's straight woman in several films. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 51 min.
Directed By: J. Lee Thompson
Genres: Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: May 12, 1964 Wide
On DVD: Jan 11, 2005

Critic Reviews

Bosley Crowther, New York Times
J. Lee Thompson's direction has failed to coalesce a good, firm farce. It lets the whole thing flap wildly -- and that's no way to make a film.
Variety Staff, Variety
A big, gaudy, gimmicky comedy which continually promises more than it delivers by way of wit and/or bellylaffs.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
A star vehicle for Shirley MacLaine, Thompson's film is a tediously episodic black comedy about a wealthy widow and her five husbands; Newman, Mitchum, and Martin are all wasted.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
The fact was that it simply wasn't very funny.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
An unappealing episodic black comedy that gets stuck in its own silliness.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Jennifer X

A delightful confection of a movie made primarily to showcase Edith Head's sumptuous outfits. It's really an experience to see all these big stars having a grand old time f-cking each other in a big glass of champagne. A satire of sorts, but the main purpose of seeing this… More
A delightful confection of a movie made primarily to showcase Edith Head's sumptuous outfits. It's really an experience to see all these big stars having a grand old time f-cking each other in a big glass of champagne. A satire of sorts, but the main purpose of seeing this movie is to have FUN, because you're never gonna see anything like this again.

Cast

            Shirley MacLaine as Louisa

            Paul Newman as Larry Flint

            Robert Mitchum as Rod Anderson

            Dean Martin as Leonard Crawley

            Gene Kelly as Jerry Benson

            Dick Van Dyke as Edgar Hopper

            Reginald Gardiner as Painter

            Margaret Dumont as Mrs. Foster

            Lou Nova as Tentino

            Fifi D'Orsay as Baroness

            Maurice Marsac as Rene

            Wally Vernon as Agent

            Jane Wald as Polly

            Larry Kent as Hollywood Lawyer

            Army Archerd as TV Announcer

            Phil Arnold as Publicity/Press Agent

            Marjorie Bennett as Mrs. Freeman

            Eugene Borden as Neighbor

            Lynn Borden
            
            Barbara Bouchet as Girl on Plane

            Christopher Connelly as Ned

            Tom Conway as Lord Kensington

            Robert Cummings as Dr. Stephanson

            Anthony Eustrel as Willard

            Pamelyn Ferdin as Geraldine Crawley at Age 4

            Milton Frome as Lawyer

            Teri Garr
            
            Roy Gordon as Minister

            Marcel Hillaire as French Lawyer

            Lenny Kent as Hollywood Lawyer

            Queenie Leonard as Lady Kensington

            Burt Mustin as Crawleyville Lawyer

            Pat O'Moore
            
            Justin Smith
            
            Dick Wilson as Driscoll

            Helene Winston as Doris

            Billy Corcoran as Leonard Crawley at Age 7

            Sid Gould as Movie Executive

            Tracy Butler as Movie Star

            Jack Greening as Chester
See full cast