Main Cast: Elliott Gould, Diane Keaton, Paul Sorvino, Victoria Principal, Robert Alda
Release Year: 1976
Country: US
Run Time: 107 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Norman Panama directed and wrote (along with Albert E. Lewin) this mediocre piece of fluff about unhappily divorced marriage partners. Elliot Gould stars as Les Bingham, who takes umbrage that his ex-wife Katie (Diane Keaton) has a new love in life. What Les doesn't realize is that her new paramour is lawyer Lou Springer (Paul Sorvino). When Katie's sister Sally (Candy Clark) arrives and tells the two about her new, hip '70s marriage contract, Les and Katie decide to try to get together again under a more liberal marriage contract, like Katie's sister. But, unfortunately for the couple, the contract is planted with the seeds of self-destruction, having been drafted by Lou. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
Review
Considering the talent of its stars, it's amazing that I Will, I Will. . .For Now is as deadly as it is. The problem, as is so often the case, is the screenplay. Specifically, the problem is that I Will is the spirit of a 1950's sex comedy trapped in the would-be hip body of a 1970's comedy. Not that this is the only problem with the script; it also has some of the flattest dialogue one can imagine. There's nothing that comes close to sparkling, nothing that even begins to know what a quip is. It doesn't help either that the plot is labored and nonsensical, either. But it's that "time warp" aspect that really ends up sinking the affair. It's totally dishonest, and it makes the entire affair plastic and unrealistic. A really first rate director might have been able to salvage I Will -- not save it, but salvage it. But Norman Panama's direction is almost as leaden as his writing. As a result, Diane Keaton is given no chance to exercise her unique comic personality or delicate charm, and Elliott Gould's worst qualities keep coming to the fore. Add in the fact that the stars have zero chemistry in this flick, and the result is a total waste of everyone's time. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Daniel McCauley - First Assistant Director, Norman Panama - Director, Robert Lawrence - Editor, John Cameron - Composer (Music Score), George Barrie - Composer (Music Score), Fernando Carrere - Production Designer, John A. Alonzo - Cinematographer, George Barrie - Producer, Robert Signorelli - Set Designer, Richard Alexander - Sound/Sound Designer, Verne Poore - Sound/Sound Designer, Lawrence O. Jost - Sound/Sound Designer, Tex Rudloff - Sound/Sound Designer, Norman Panama - Screenwriter, Albert E. Lewin - Screenwriter, Sammy Cahn - Featured Music
