Screwball Comedy
Added 3/23/2009
The 1930s were the golden age of screwball comedies dominated by such quirky films as Sullivan's Travels, It Happened One Night, Palm Beach Story and more. Most reviewers dread a press release that starts, "In the tradition of great screwball comedies..." yet "Just Tell Me What You Want" comes as close as any film has since Billy Wilder's "Some Like It Hot." Sidney Lumet's sensibility, Alan King's impeccable acting (his greatest performance), Jay Presson Allen's adaptation of her own novel and Myrna Loy-who performed in some of the great comedies of the 1930s-all conspire to create a marvelous look at the foibles of the rich and foolish. I keep lusting for a DVD of this forgotten sleeper, but it seems to be a hopeless wish...
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Just Tell Me What You Want
Added 11/23/2008
I first saw this movie in the early 80's became an instant Alan King fan and purchased it immediately. The movie was hilarious. It is about a tycoon (Max) with a alcoholic wife (Connie), mistress (Bones) and a protective secretary (Stella) and how Max's agressive, manipulative and vindictive personality affects all. Anyone who watches this movie will never forget the hilarious scene where Bones (McGraw) attacks Max (King) at Bergdorf's.
You could classify this movie as the comedic version of Wall Street. Gordon Gecko - "Greed is good"
Max Hershel - "You don't get poor by taking."
It was wonderful to see Myrna Loy as Stella the protective and sensible secretary. Also who could forget Ali McGraw as Bones the intelligent and ambitious mistress caught up in Max's (Alan King's) selfish, crazy and hectic world. Dina Merrill as Connie was classy as usual. I have been a fan of Keenan Wynn since Finian's Rainbow and he was wonderful as Max's old rival Seymour Berger. Also, a very young Peter Weller as Bones's love interest Steven Routledge in his second big screen appearance.
I cherish my video of this movie and hope that Warner Bros. releases this movie on DVD before my VHS copy deteriorates.
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Just Watch It.....
Added 4/14/2006
And you'll find yourself falling in love with it. Alan King -- "Max" --- is hilarious and Ali McGraw perfect in this hilarious upscale comedy. Fun actors included: Keenan Wynn (as a ailing Jewish tycoon); Dina Merrill (as Alan King's blueblood but drunken wife); Judy Kaye (great Broadway actress as Alan King's daughter "Baby" -- her daughter is named "Newbaby"); Myrna Loy (yes the old film star) as Max's sec'y; and Tony Roberts as Keenan Wynn's effete and homosexual movie company president.
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Just Give Me What I Want
Added 8/15/2001
An admitted fan of obscure titles, this film is one that sits proudly on my shelf and just about everyone asks "What's this about?" It's about life. The plot revolves around a selfish and wealthy man with a wife, and a secretary and a mistress who alternately wants and then rebuffs just about everyone. Alan King is drop dead great in the most solid performance of his career as Max the high rolling lover of long suffering mistress Bones Burton (Ali McGraw). He wants her, he doesn't want her, he doesn't know what he wants. But he definitely doesn't want anyone else to have her, especially playwright Peter Weller. Let the battle of the sexes begin once again and Max is a man who never loses anything. The very rich are not at all that different than you and I, but their problems unfold a bit differently when set against the backdrop of designer clothes and jewels, are juggled by assistants and buffers, and are played out in fabulous penthouses and mansions. Somehow it seems a bit more hilarious. A good solid screenplay and an even, funny film under the direction of Sidney Lumet. It is worth buying and seeing more than once. Look for Myrna Loy who is wonderful as Max's secretary.
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