Main Cast: Warren Beatty, Leslie Caron, Keenan Wynn, Hermione Gingold
Release Year: 1964
Country: UK
Run Time: 98 minutes
Plot
A woman has to choose between the rich man she wants and the bohemian type who loves her in this comedy. Michele O'Brien (Leslie Caron) is a young widow raising a baby in Greenwich Village. She's decided that her child needs a father, and she determines that her best bet as a prospective mate is Dr. Phillip Brock (Robert Cummings), a well-heeled child psychologist. The only trouble is, Phillip doesn't like children very much, so Michele tries to keep her baby a secret from him. Michele's upstairs neighbor, Harley Rummell (Warren Beatty), is in love with her and is more than happy to baby-sit; however, Harley makes his living shooting nudie films in his flat, and when the baby begins making cameo appearances in the films, Michele starts wondering if Harley might be a bad influence on the tyke. William Peter Blatty, later to write the best-selling novel The Exorcist, penned the screenplay. Keep an eye peeled for a young Donald Sutherland in a bit part. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
While far from a classic, Promise Her Anything is a surprisingly appealing little sex comedy. Once one gets used to the fact that the all-important child in the plot (winningly played by the mostly silent Michael Bradley) is really nothing more than a device -- and therefore one needn't really worry about how often his mother misplaces him or whether Warren Beatty should be using him in his "titillating" mail-order movies -- there's actually a lot to enjoy in this mindless, but well-played, piece of fluff. Start with the cast, especially the trio of leads. Beatty is working in a delightfully "light" mode, and the result is one of his most effortlessly charming performances. Beatty manages the difficult trick of placing just enough weight on the silly plot turns to make them seem believably important, but not so much that they weigh the picture down. His partner in these escapades, Leslie Caron matches his tone beautifully and the two have a pleasant rapport that adds to the fun of the proceedings. Robert Cummings rounds out the triumvirate, mixing his innate niceness with just the right degree of priggishness. The supporting cast, especially the droll Hermione Gingold and the brassy Asa Maynor, is also first-rate. Director Arthur Hiller keeps things breezy and oh-so-1960s, and William Peter Blatty's screenplay is efficient, even if it is dated and unmemorable. Throw in Tom Jones singing a groovy little Bacharach-David ditty, and the result is an inconsequential, but agreeable, little movie. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Lionel Stander - Sam; Asa Maynor - Rusty; Cathleen Nesbitt - Mrs. Brock (Dr. Brock's Mother); Michael Bradley - John Thomas; Warren Mitchell - Panelist; Sydney Tafler - Panelist; Mavis Villiers - Middle-Aged Woman; Margaret Nolan - Stripper; Vivienne Ventura - Stripper; Mike Kane - Staff Doctor; George Moon - Dancer; Libby Morris - Clinic Mother; Bessie Love - Woman in Pet Shop; Jill Adams - Mrs. B.M. von Crispin; Anita Bolster - Baby Sitter; Michael Chaplin - Beatnik; Robert Cummings - Dr. Philip Brock; Hal Galili - Moving Man; Chuck Julian - Grocery Clerk; Ferdy [Ferdinand] Mayne - Vittorio Fettucini; Donald Sutherland - Man
Credit
Lionel Blair - Choreography, Beatrice Dawson - Costume Designer, Arthur Hiller - Director, John Shirley - Editor, Lyn Murray - Composer (Music Score), Tom Jones - Songwriter, Burt Bacharach - Songwriter, Hal David - Songwriter, Charles Parker - Makeup, Bob Lawrence - Makeup, Wilfred Shingleton - Production Designer, Douglas Slocombe - Cinematographer, Stanley Crea Rubin - Producer, David Ffolkes - Set Designer, Arne Sultan - Screen Story, Marvin Worth - Screen Story, William Peter Blatty - Screenwriter
Recently widowed Michelle O'Brien moves into a Greenwich Villagebrownstone with her infant son John Thomas. Her upstairs neighbor Harley Rummel, a bohemian who earns a living by making nudie films in his apartment, becomes interested in her, but Michele believes her boss, wealthy psychologist Peter Brock, is a better prospect as a new mate.
Although he is an authority on children, Peter actually despises them, so Michelle decides to keep John Thomas a secret for the time being. Unbeknownst to her, Harley is using the baby in his movies. When John Thomas is admitted to Peter's clinic for observation, Harley sneaks into his room to complete a film, but his surreptitious activities are captured by a hidden camera recording the baby's behavior. Michelle is furious but, when he saves John Thomas from a potentially dangerous situation, she forgives Harley and decides he may be the better choice for a father after all.
Variety called the film "light" and "refreshing" and added, "Well-paced direction of many fine performances, generally sharp scripting and other good production elements add up to a satisfying comedy." [1]
Time Out New York said, "This dull attempt at an offbeat and sophisticated romantic comedy falls flat on its face, thanks largely to the usual sluggish direction from Arthur Hiller [and] . . . a dismal script by William Peter Blatty." [2]
