Marriage on the Rocks
Encyclopedia
Marriage on the Rocks is a 1965
film comedy with Frank Sinatra
, Deborah Kerr
, and Dean Martin
about a businessman's wife who ends up divorced by mistake and then married to his best friend by an even bigger mistake. The film was written by Cy Howard and directed by Jack Donohue.
Marriage on the Rocks is not a musical, even though it pairs Sinatra and Martin. It would be their last feature film partnership for nearly 20 years, when they appeared together briefly in 1984's Cannonball Run II
.
as Dan Edwards
Deborah Kerr
as Valerie Edwards
Dean Martin
as Ernie Brewer
Cesar Romero
as Miguel Santos
John McGiver
as Shad Nathan
Hermione Baddeley
as Mrs. MacPherson
Nancy Sinatra
as Tracy Edwards
Trini Lopez
as Himself
Joi Lansing
as Lola
DeForest Kelly as Mr. Turner
Once an exciting man, Dan has become a bore to Valerie, as well as to their two children and to her feisty mother who lives with them. By contrast, they all look up to the exciting, swinging bachelor "Uncle Ernie," who is always there to give advice to Val and the kids.
Ernie enjoys telling Dan that he's envious of his friend's family life and often reminds Dan that he was the one who was keen on Valerie first. Valerie likes it that Ernie does things her husband won't – dances with her, compliments her, even picks out the gifts Dan gets for her. Val is so frustrated, she seeks a lawyer's advice about wanting a divorce.
Ernie can see what his best friend is blind to, so he urges Dan to take his wife on a second honeymoon to Mexico. Once there, in a land of quickie marriages and divorces, Dan and Val get into an argument in front of proprietor Miguel Santos, and, before they know it, they're divorced.
An apologetic Dan makes it up to her, then arranges for them to be remarried right away. But an urgent business matter requires his presence back in L.A., then on to Detroit, to save his company's biggest account.
Ernie travels to Mexico to explain everything to Val, unaware that she's expecting Dan and has already put the wedding ceremony in motion. By mistake, she ends up married to Ernie.
Once he gets over his shock, Ernie anticipates a quickie divorce, but Val thinks she might enjoy this new arrangement. Dan, fed up with both of them, decides he's not exactly broken-hearted, either.
Dan immediately discovers the joys of a swinging bachelor life, cavorting with Ernie's sexy playmates and even with a young friend of daughter Tracy's. As for poor Ernie, it's up to him to run the business, which turns him into the same dull, inattentive husband to Val that her first one had been.
After a preview, Warner Bros cut out 14 minutes before its release to underwhelming reviews in September 1965. Nancy Sinatra was a last minute replacement for Mia Farrow
. The new title proved apt as during the filming Nancy Sinatra broke up with her husband Tommy Sands
.
The Mexican Government was offended by the film's depiction of Mexico and banned the film and other Sinatra films for what they regarded as a derogatory depiction of the nation.
Shots of Dean Martin's actual house appeared in the film as did a Ford Mustang
and a Ford Thunderbird
customised by George Barris
.
1965 in film
The year 1965 in film involved some significant events, with The Sound of Music topping the U.S. box office.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:...
film comedy with Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, Deborah Kerr
Deborah Kerr
Deborah Kerr, CBE was a Scottish film and television actress from Glasgow. She won the Sarah Siddons Award for her Chicago performance as Laura Reynolds in Tea and Sympathy, a role which she originated on Broadway, a Golden Globe Award for the motion picture The King and I, and was a three-time...
, and Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
about a businessman's wife who ends up divorced by mistake and then married to his best friend by an even bigger mistake. The film was written by Cy Howard and directed by Jack Donohue.
Marriage on the Rocks is not a musical, even though it pairs Sinatra and Martin. It would be their last feature film partnership for nearly 20 years, when they appeared together briefly in 1984's Cannonball Run II
Cannonball Run II
See also Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy DashCannonball Run II comedy film featuring Burt Reynolds and an all-star cast, released by Warner Bros. and Golden Harvest...
.
Cast
Frank SinatraFrank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
as Dan Edwards
Deborah Kerr
Deborah Kerr
Deborah Kerr, CBE was a Scottish film and television actress from Glasgow. She won the Sarah Siddons Award for her Chicago performance as Laura Reynolds in Tea and Sympathy, a role which she originated on Broadway, a Golden Globe Award for the motion picture The King and I, and was a three-time...
as Valerie Edwards
Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
as Ernie Brewer
Cesar Romero
Cesar Romero
Cesar Julio Romero, Jr. was an American film and television actor who was active in film, radio, and television for almost sixty years...
as Miguel Santos
John McGiver
John McGiver
John Irwin McGiver was a character actor who made more than a hundred appearances in television and motion pictures over a two-decade span from 1955 to 1975....
as Shad Nathan
Hermione Baddeley
Hermione Baddeley
Hermione Baddeley was an English character actress of theatre, film and television. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Room at the Top and a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play for The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here...
as Mrs. MacPherson
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
as Tracy Edwards
Trini Lopez
Trini Lopez
Trini Lopez is an American singer, guitarist and actor.-Career:Lopez was born in Dallas, Texas, on Ashland Street in the Little Mexico neighborhood. He began his entertainment career in Dallas playing at the Vegas Club, a nightclub owned by Jack Ruby...
as Himself
Joi Lansing
Joi Lansing
Joi Lansing was an American model, film and television actress, as well as a nightclub singer. She was most noted for her pin-up photos, and for her minor roles in B-movies...
as Lola
DeForest Kelly as Mr. Turner
Plot
After nineteen years of marriage, Dan Edwards' wife Val is exasperated with his lack of attention to her and the amount of attention he pays to a Los Angeles advertising agency that he runs with his friend, Ernie Brewer, a laid-back second-in-command.Once an exciting man, Dan has become a bore to Valerie, as well as to their two children and to her feisty mother who lives with them. By contrast, they all look up to the exciting, swinging bachelor "Uncle Ernie," who is always there to give advice to Val and the kids.
Ernie enjoys telling Dan that he's envious of his friend's family life and often reminds Dan that he was the one who was keen on Valerie first. Valerie likes it that Ernie does things her husband won't – dances with her, compliments her, even picks out the gifts Dan gets for her. Val is so frustrated, she seeks a lawyer's advice about wanting a divorce.
Ernie can see what his best friend is blind to, so he urges Dan to take his wife on a second honeymoon to Mexico. Once there, in a land of quickie marriages and divorces, Dan and Val get into an argument in front of proprietor Miguel Santos, and, before they know it, they're divorced.
An apologetic Dan makes it up to her, then arranges for them to be remarried right away. But an urgent business matter requires his presence back in L.A., then on to Detroit, to save his company's biggest account.
Ernie travels to Mexico to explain everything to Val, unaware that she's expecting Dan and has already put the wedding ceremony in motion. By mistake, she ends up married to Ernie.
Once he gets over his shock, Ernie anticipates a quickie divorce, but Val thinks she might enjoy this new arrangement. Dan, fed up with both of them, decides he's not exactly broken-hearted, either.
Dan immediately discovers the joys of a swinging bachelor life, cavorting with Ernie's sexy playmates and even with a young friend of daughter Tracy's. As for poor Ernie, it's up to him to run the business, which turns him into the same dull, inattentive husband to Val that her first one had been.
Production
The film originally began under the title of Divorce American Style with Frank Sinatra personally selecting Deborah Kerr for the role of his wife. Cy Howard's original screenplay was deemed offensive and rewritten under the title Community Property over a period of four months, then given its final title.After a preview, Warner Bros cut out 14 minutes before its release to underwhelming reviews in September 1965. Nancy Sinatra was a last minute replacement for Mia Farrow
Mia Farrow
Mia Farrow is an American actress, singer, humanitarian, and fashion model.Farrow first gained wide acclaim for her role as Allison Mackenzie in the soap opera Peyton Place, and for her subsequent short-lived marriage to Frank Sinatra...
. The new title proved apt as during the filming Nancy Sinatra broke up with her husband Tommy Sands
Tommy Sands
Tommy Adrian Sands is an American pop music singer and actor.-Early life:Born into a musical family in Chicago, Illinois, Sands' father was a pianist and his mother a big-band singer. While still young, he moved with his family to Shreveport, Louisiana...
.
The Mexican Government was offended by the film's depiction of Mexico and banned the film and other Sinatra films for what they regarded as a derogatory depiction of the nation.
Shots of Dean Martin's actual house appeared in the film as did a Ford Mustang
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early on April 17, 1964, as a "1964½" model, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A...
and a Ford Thunderbird
Ford Thunderbird
The Thunderbird , is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States over eleven model generations from 1955 through 2005...
customised by George Barris
George Barris
George Barris may refer to:*George Barris , designer of custom made cars*George Barris , photographer in the U.S. Army and of Hollywood stars...
.