How to Murder Your Wife (1965)

Not a chickflick, a hysterical adventure and farewell to bachelorhood

The truth is beauty, and Virna Lisi is a goddess. Of all the women Jack Lemmon's character should hook up to, she would have to be miss galaxy. It's the farewell to bachelorhood and evil-wife shenanigans of acquaintences influencing his new wife that make his new marriage so rough. Loads of laughs, lots of fun. Worth checking out. I would give a big neigh to anyone accusing this movie of mysoginistic tendencies...or maybe I'd just laugh at them and call them an idiot. In either event, hope you enjoy it as much as I did. July 9, 2008

Best Wilder Film Billy Never Made

Pay little heed to the title. This film is as macabre as "So I Married an Axe Murderer". Though some may dismiss the film as a tad misogynistic ultimately the film comes down firmly on the side of monogamy and commitment in relationships. Having been married a little less than two years after 43 years of unwedded bliss I can relate to the trials that Jack Lemmon's everyman cartoonist experiences during the initial stages of matrimony. The shocks are still a little raw. I can still remember my wife's insistence that I take my shoes off in the house or her horror over the shaving cream residue in the sink. I used to go to the movies at least once a week now I watch videos like "How To Murder Your Wife" at home. Regardless, it's a funny movie that singles can enjoy but married people will have a distinct recognition factor. The voluptuous Virna Lisi is a winsome object for Lemmon's anxieties. The irrepressible Terry-Thomas is great as Lemmon's man servant. I particularly liked Claire Trevor, one of filmdoms unsung legends despite her Oscar for "Key Largo", as Lemmon's lawyer's straight talking wife. Timeless comedy. June 6, 2008

Smart, funny, yet makes you think again

A perfect Sunday morning movie, and one that is on my "best movies" list. The characters have been perfectly selected. When one looks around, one sees similar faces, with similar desires, problems and lives. Jack Lemmon portrays a character that many men relate to, admire, and perhaps long to be. His lifestyle is the perfect bachelor's lifestyle. Virna Lisi fits her role perfectly, her being pretty, sexy, innocent and on the road to the "promised land". Lemmon's manservant, Terry-Thomas, is right on the spot, and delightfully displays the bond between the knight and his right-hand man. But my favorite character is Edna. She is real, and she does what the Edna's in this world do. A bold new way to look at "the marital relationship". The "happy ending" appears to be politically correct, decades before that term has been forced down our throats. However, it cleverly "appears to be so", and the director succeeds in giving the message that the movie is meant to actually end at the conclusion of Jack Lemmon's trial. Viewers should pay particular attention to the "gym" and the "gentlemen's club". Many will draw parallel lines to their own environments. Some will re-consider their own lifestyle, and acknowledge what went wrong and where. April 13, 2008

Bash Branigan Rules!

When I was a kid, I wanted to grow up to be this character. What a life he had! April 4, 2008

How to Murder Your Wife

A chuckle all the way through. Jack Lemmon at his comedic best during his younger years. Virna Lisi was gorgeous and is still beautiful as she has gone on to more dramatic parts in her native Italy and won acting awards.

The plot becomes ridiculous during the court sequence, but if you can ignore that, the movie is enjoyable. January 19, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...