Cactus Flower | Rotten Tomatoes

Cactus Flower

PG

Released Dec 16, 1969

1 hr. 43 min.

Comedy

List

85%

20 Reviews

Tomatometer

81%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

Distraught when her middle-aged lover breaks a date with her, 21-year-old Toni Simmons (Goldie Hawn) attempts suicide. Impressed by her action, her lover, dentist Julian Winston (Walter Matthau) reconsiders marrying Toni, but he worries about her insistence on honesty. Having fabricated a wife and three children, Julian readily accepts when his devoted nurse, Stephanie (Ingrid Bergman), who has secretly loved Julian for years, offers to act as his wife and demand a divorce.

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Alec B

Once the movie morphs into a parody and of mid 20th century American machismo some of the earlier bad sex farce material becomes easier to forgive.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/08/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Good one right here recommend it James Welch, Henderson, Arkansas April 28, 2023

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/29/23

Full Review

Mark A

Ingrid Bergman, Walter Matthau and Goldie Hawn. What more needs to be said?

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/03/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A great script (from a play) leads to a movie that just made me smile. I saw this years ago but didn't appreciate how good it is. Goldie is perfect and it is marvelous to remember that Ingrid Bergman was a terrific actress. Watching the late 60's depicted during these politically correct Co-vid times makes me want to board a time machine straight back to that era.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I barely have the memory of seeing this in 1969. I was 8 and my mother took me to see it. Had my second look 52 years later and was blown away by the acting and charisma of all the leads. Kind of a typical 60's romance-farce but actually feels quite organic as each character finds love. I wish this type of movie was still made.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

It takes a deft hand to begin a comedy with a suicide, and yet Cactus Flower figures out how to do that, and get me laughing minutes later. This film shines because of the charm of its stars, and the cast is stacked so it works surprisingly well. Goldie Hawn in one of her first roles is absolutely divine. She plays what would later become known as the manic-pixie-dream-girl, and does it to perfection. I find her entire persona in Cactus Flower to be playful and fun. It’s so hilarious watching how she gets invested in other people’s relationships even at the detriment of her own. Walter Matthau is always brilliant, and at least this movie actually addresses and deals with the age discrepancy between him and Hawn. I love some of the exasperated expressions he gives when things start spinning out of control. Ingrid Bergman is absolutely divine, as one would expect, and I love the slow development of her character as the film goes on. The rest of the cast also does an admirable job, although I would have cast a slightly different actor as Igor because Rick Lenz isn’t quite on the same level as those that surround him. Cactus Flower is one of those movies that I think would work to some degree even if it didn’t have great actors, because the script is hilarious all on its own. I’m not sure how directly they translated the script from the stage play, but what they delivered here was so smart. The concept is a shockingly simple one, because all you have to do is take the common relationship issues that men have, add in their propensity for lying in order to avoid commitment, then you have a magical formula that works so well. The misunderstandings and assumptions continue to compound until they reach a point that had me laughing heartily. The dance scene later in the film is so surreal, and all they have to do is include a couple of people who talk honestly about what is going on to make it hilarious. I also appreciated that the comedy felt timeless. While the movie definitely has a late 60s vibe to everything from costumes to set decoration, the struggles of single people bumbling through their search for love is not something that grows old. Cactus Flower is a delightful comedy and one that I want to watch again.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

10/08/20

Full Review

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Gene Saks

Director

Walter Matthau

Dr. Julian Winston

Ingrid Bergman

Stephanie Dickinson

Goldie Hawn

Toni Simmons

Jack Weston

Harvey Greenfield

Rick Lenz

Igor Sullivan

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Myles Standish

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

One of the funniest light comedies of the year.

Jun 15, 2022

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

The plot [from the play by Abe Burrows, based on a French play by Barillet & Gredy] is minimal and the lines are somewhat stilted and hollow, but if the direction was tighter and the mood kept light and airy it might have worked.

Mar 26, 2009

Full Review

Howard Thompson

New York Times

It comes as a pleasing jolt to find the youngster, Goldie Hawn, at the apex of the triangle, not only beautifully holding her own with the two veteran stars but also enhancing the content and flavor of the movie.

May 10, 2005

Full Review

Hazel Garland

New Pittsburgh Courier

Ingrid Bergman stars in her first Hollywood film in 20 years, and is as usual great. Walter Matthau is always wonderful, but TV's Goldie Hawn almost steals the picture. She should get an Oscar nomination for her role as "Toni."

Jun 15, 2022

Full Review

Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

this is a 1969 romantic comedy with style, wit, charm, sophistication, and several delightful moments of women's lib in action. It also happens to be a great time capsule of late '60s fashion, music, and culture in Manhattan.

Rated: A-

Feb 19, 2018

Full Review

TV Guide

A misfire despite the presence of many of filmdom's best talents.

Rated: 2/5

May 8, 2017

Full Review

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Synopsis

Distraught when her middle-aged lover breaks a date with her, 21-year-old Toni Simmons (Goldie Hawn) attempts suicide. Impressed by her action, her lover, dentist Julian Winston (Walter Matthau) reconsiders marrying Toni, but he worries about her insistence on honesty. Having fabricated a wife and three children, Julian readily accepts when his devoted nurse, Stephanie (Ingrid Bergman), who has secretly loved Julian for years, offers to act as his wife and demand a divorce.

Director: Gene Saks
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 16, 1969, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012

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