Director Michael Ritchie died April 16th at the age of 62. A Wisconsin native, Ritchie studied at Harvard before succumbing to the attractions of the theatre. He started working in television during the 1960s where he directed episodes of The Big Valley and The Man from UNCLE among others. He moved into feature films with Downhill Racer (1969) at star Robert Redford's invitation and later directed Redford again in The Candidate (1972). The latter is a classic look at American political life that hasn't lost any of its power or insights over the years. This was the start of Ritchie's most productive period when he made several films that were both popular and critically acclaimed. You can find his sly wit and sense of critical drama in Smile (1975), The Bad News Bears (1976) and Semi-Tough (1978). By the 1980s, though, Ritchie's films focused less on social criticism and more on stars. The Survivors (1983) with Robin Williams remains under-rated but Ritchie-directed vehicles for Eddie Murphy (1986's The Golden Child), Bette Midler (1980's Divine Madness) and Chevy Chase (two Fletch films) didn't quite achieve their potential. Some of the old Ritchie spark and intelligence appeared in the made-for-cable The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom (1993) which earned him a Directors Guild Award. One of his final films was the long-awaited screen adaptation of The Fantasticks (1995) which partly brought Ritchie back to his theatrical roots.
ANN SOTHERN: 1909 - 2001
Actress Ann Sothern passed away on March 15th at the age of 89. Her film career spanned sixty years and included a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for The Whales of August (1987) and several Emmy nominations for her roles in the TV shows Private Secretary (1953) and The Ann Sothern Show (1958). Sothern was born as Harriette Lake in North Dakota. She made her first film appearance in 1927 in small roles (so small, in fact, that some sources omit any films before 1929) before deciding to work on Broadway instead. Shortly afterwards she signed with Columbia Pictures where studio head Harry Cohn insisted she change her name because there were already too many actors with the last name of Lake. So "Ann" came from her mother's name Annette and "Sothern" from Shakespearean actor E.H. Sothern. For most of the 1930s she appeared in light comedies working with Eddie Cantor, Maurice Chevalier, Mickey Rooney and Fredric March. However, it wasn't until she switched to MGM (after a brief period with RKO) and made the film Maisie (1939) that Sothern hit pay dirt. It proved enormously popular and led to a series of nine more films through 1947 when she moved into dramas and musicals. During the 50s, Sothern made a mark with her TV series but returned to mostly second tier movies in the 1960s and 1970s. Finally she earned an Oscar nomination for her work in 1987's The Whales of August (in which, incidentally, her daughter Tisha Sterling played her at an earlier age). Turner Classic Movies plans to host a retrospective film tribute to her in July. Check back for details in June.
An Almost Perfect Affair
Brief Synopsis
When aspiring filmmaker Hal Raymond goes to the Cannes Film Festival, he meets the beautiful Maria Barone. Hal learns that she is married to the powerful Italian producer Federico Barone and begins an affair with her.
Cast & Crew
Read More
Michael Ritchie
Director
Raf Vallone
Francois Viaur
Anna Maria Horsford
Monica Vitti
Paul Mazursky
Film Details
Also Known As
Almost Perfect Affair
MPAA Rating
Genre
Drama
Romance
Release Date
1979
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 33m
Sound
Mono
Color
Color (DeLuxe)
Synopsis
When aspiring filmmaker Hal Raymond goes to the Cannes Film Festival, he meets the beautiful Maria Barone. Hal learns that she is married to the powerful Italian producer Federico Barone and begins an affair with her.
Cast
Raf Vallone
Francois Viaur
Anna Maria Horsford
Monica Vitti
Paul Mazursky
Gerard Buhr
Christian Desica
Luong Ham Chau
Keith Carradine
Andy Ho
Jean-pierre Zola
Katia Berger
Saddy Rebbot
Dick Anthony Williams
Henri Garcin
Crew
Carolyn Abe
Assistant Editor
Tanine Autre
Costumes
Bernard Bats
Sound Mixer
John Benson
Assistant Editor
Walter Bernstein
Screenplay
Louis Boussaroque
Set Decorator
Daniel Braunschweig
Props
Tom Bullock
Sound Editor
Richard Burrow
Sound Editor
Terry Carr
Producer
Robert Chevereau
Auditor
Jean-marie Chevron
Assistant Camera Operator
Andre Davalan
Props
Henri Decae
Director Of Photography
Giancarlo Del Brocco
Makeup
Georges Delerue
Music
Jean-louis Dhuit
Assistant Art Director
Georges Ferriere
Gaffer
Eugene Finley
Sound Editor
Pierre Gralhon
Location Manager
Richard A Harris
Editor
Eugene Herrly
Grip
Willy Holt
Art Director
Maurice Laumain
Music Editor
Carole Lazio
Assistant
Maria Grazia Marescalchi
Dialogue Coach
Pat Mock
Casting
Ann Monette
Assistant
Marc Monnet
Assistant Director
Don Peterson
Screenplay
Don Peterson
From Story
Catherine Prevert
Script Supervisor
Michael Ritchie
From Story
Bernard Rochut
Boom Operator
Yves Rodallec
Camera Operator
Alvaro Rossi
Makeup
Francoise Roumanet
Assistant Editor
Roberto Russo
Photography
Burton J Sears
Assistant Editor
Jacqueline Staup
Casting
Bill Varney
Sound
Blanche Wiesenfeld
Assistant
Suzanne Wiesenfeld
Production Manager
Film Details
Also Known As
Almost Perfect Affair
MPAA Rating
Genre
Drama
Romance
Release Date
1979
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 33m
Sound
Mono
Color
Color (DeLuxe)
Articles
TCM Remembers - Michael Ritchie
TCM Remembers - Michael Ritchie
Director Michael Ritchie died April 16th at the age of 62. A Wisconsin native, Ritchie studied at Harvard before succumbing to the attractions of the theatre. He started working in television during the 1960s where he directed episodes of The Big Valley and The Man from UNCLE among others. He moved into feature films with Downhill Racer (1969) at star Robert Redford's invitation and later directed Redford again in The Candidate (1972). The latter is a classic look at American political life that hasn't lost any of its power or insights over the years. This was the start of Ritchie's most productive period when he made several films that were both popular and critically acclaimed. You can find his sly wit and sense of critical drama in Smile (1975), The Bad News Bears (1976) and Semi-Tough (1978). By the 1980s, though, Ritchie's films focused less on social criticism and more on stars. The Survivors (1983) with Robin Williams remains under-rated but Ritchie-directed vehicles for Eddie Murphy (1986's The Golden Child), Bette Midler (1980's Divine Madness) and Chevy Chase (two Fletch films) didn't quite achieve their potential. Some of the old Ritchie spark and intelligence appeared in the made-for-cable The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom (1993) which earned him a Directors Guild Award. One of his final films was the long-awaited screen adaptation of The Fantasticks (1995) which partly brought Ritchie back to his theatrical roots.
ANN SOTHERN: 1909 - 2001
Actress Ann Sothern passed away on March 15th at the age of 89. Her film career spanned sixty years and included a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for The Whales of August (1987) and several Emmy nominations for her roles in the TV shows Private Secretary (1953) and The Ann Sothern Show (1958). Sothern was born as Harriette Lake in North Dakota. She made her first film appearance in 1927 in small roles (so small, in fact, that some sources omit any films before 1929) before deciding to work on Broadway instead. Shortly afterwards she signed with Columbia Pictures where studio head Harry Cohn insisted she change her name because there were already too many actors with the last name of Lake. So "Ann" came from her mother's name Annette and "Sothern" from Shakespearean actor E.H. Sothern. For most of the 1930s she appeared in light comedies working with Eddie Cantor, Maurice Chevalier, Mickey Rooney and Fredric March. However, it wasn't until she switched to MGM (after a brief period with RKO) and made the film Maisie (1939) that Sothern hit pay dirt. It proved enormously popular and led to a series of nine more films through 1947 when she moved into dramas and musicals. During the 50s, Sothern made a mark with her TV series but returned to mostly second tier movies in the 1960s and 1970s. Finally she earned an Oscar nomination for her work in 1987's The Whales of August (in which, incidentally, her daughter Tisha Sterling played her at an earlier age). Turner Classic Movies plans to host a retrospective film tribute to her in July. Check back for details in June.
Quotes
When the producer and director fight each other, the loser is always the picture.- Federico 'Freddie' Barone
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States 1979
Paul Mazursky makes an appearance in the film.
Released in United States 1979
