Cactus Flower (1969)
- kbroer
- Aug 2, 2024
- 3 min read
Ingrid Bergman, Walter Matthau, Goldie Hawn
Directed by Gene Saks
Available to stream on Prime Video
"When They Were Older" is the theme for August -- we'll be watching five newer classic films featuring some of our favorite stars from the 30's and 40's in the later stages of their careers but not past their prime!
Our first is Cactus Flower where playboy dentist Walter Matthau is a bachelor, but pretends to be a married father of three. When his much younger girlfriend Goldie Hawn insists on meeting his wife, he must persuade his prim nurse Ingrid Bergman to act the part. Hilarious complications ensue.
Why we love it: The creative casting of 1940's legend Ingrid Bergman, age 54, with 1960's TV comedian 24-year-old Goldie Hawn comes off fantastically, as does the unlikely pairing of Walter Matthau and Bergman. Harvey Greenfield and Senor Sanchez add to the fun. The script is hilarious. The film is a wonderful depiction of the generation gap of the 1960's: Goldie's short skirts and beads versus Walter Matthau's white shirt, suit, and tie; the mink stole versus the black leather slacks; Goldie teaching Ingrid new dances in the nightclub. This is very true to the time it was made, but, like all the best screwball comedies, continues to be entertaining years later.
Watch the original trailer below:
Fun Facts:
Ingrid Bergman is one of only three actresses ever to have received three Academy Awards (Meryl Streep and Frances McDormand are the other two and Katharine Hepburn stands out with four Academy Awards.) Bergman's career spanned five decades. She acted in both Hollywood and Europe, speaking (and acting!) in five languages (Swedish, English, German, Italian, French). Both Walter Mathau and Goldie Hawn were intimidated to be working with her on this film. According to the TCM website, "Even a seasoned pro like Walter Matthau was in awe of Bergman. According to Frankovich (the producer), Matthau was worried about whether she'd like him, and how they'd get along. But both Matthau and Goldie Hawn were quickly won over by Bergman's warmth and graciousness. Hawn said in an interview at the time, 'I thought I'd be awfully intimidated by her, so intimidated I wouldn't be able to function. It wasn't that way at all. I didn't feel I had to compete. I just felt privileged to be in the same picture with her. She has a regal quality. It's too bad she isn't the queen of some country or something.'"
Irene Hervey (1909-1998), another Old Hollywood actress appears in the film as Mrs. Durant. She had supporting roles in many early films, most famously The Count of Monte Cristo (1934), Charlie Chan in Shanghai (1935), and Destry Rides Again (1939).
Lauren Bacall had played the part of Stephanie Dickinson (Ingrid Bergman's role) on Broadway in 1965.
This was Goldie Hawn's film debut. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Featured Cocktail:
Improved Whiskey Cocktail
The Old Fashioned was originally called the Whiskey Cocktail. Over time, bartenders began to add ingredients to their drinks or "improve" them, resulting in the original whiskey cocktail gaining the name "Old Fashioned." This "improved" version is a newer, more complex drink.
2 oz (60 ml) bourbon, rye, or a half-and-half mix
½ Tbsp (7.5 ml) sugar syrup
½ Tbsp (7.5 ml) maraschino liqueur
1 tsp (5 ml) absinthe
2 dashes Peychaud bitters
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Stir all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Strain into a rocks glass over a single large ice cube. Garnish with a lemon twist.
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