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{{Short description|1973 film by Melvin Frank}}
{{Infobox_Film
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
|name = A Touch of Class
{{Use British English|date=June 2016}}
{{Infobox film
|name = A Touch of Class
|image = A Touch of Class film poster.jpg
|image = A Touch of Class film poster.jpg
|caption= original movie poster
|caption= Original movie poster
|director = [[Melvin Frank]]
|director = [[Melvin Frank]]
|writer = Melvin Frank<br>[[Jack Rose (screenwriter)|Jack Rose]]
|screenplay = Melvin Frank<br>[[Jack Rose (screenwriter)|Jack Rose]]
|based_on = ''She Loves Me, She Told Me So Last Night''<br>by Melvin Frank
|starring = [[George Segal]]<br>[[Glenda Jackson]]<br>[[Paul Sorvino]]<br>[[Hildegarde Neil]]<br>[[Mary Barclay]]
|starring = [[George Segal]]<br>[[Glenda Jackson]]<br>[[Paul Sorvino]]<br>[[Hildegard Neil]]
|producer = Melvin Frank
|producer = Melvin Frank
|music = [[John Cameron]]
|music = [[John Cameron (musician)|John Cameron]]
|cinematography = [[Austin Dempster]]
|cinematography = Austin Dempster
|distributor = [[AVCO]]
|editing = [[Bill Butler (film editor)|Bill Butler]]
|released = June 20, 1973
|studio = [[Brut Productions]]
|runtime = 106 min.}}
|distributor = [[AVCO Embassy Pictures]]
|released = {{film date|df=y|1973|6|20}}
|country= United Kingdom
|runtime = 106 minutes
|budget = $1 million
|gross = $16.8 million<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1973/0TOCL.php |website=The Numbers |title=A Touch of Class, Box Office Information |access-date=January 17, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230624122707/https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Touch-of-Class-A#tab=summary |archive-date=June 24, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>
}}


'''''A Touch of Class''''' is a 1973 [[romantic comedy]] [[film]] which tells the story of a couple having an affair, who find themselves falling in love. It stars [[George Segal]], [[Glenda Jackson]], [[Hildegarde Neil]], [[Paul Sorvino]] and [[K Callan]].
'''''A Touch of Class''''' is a 1973 British [[romantic comedy]] film produced and directed by [[Melvin Frank]] and starring [[George Segal]], [[Glenda Jackson]], [[Hildegard Neil]], [[Paul Sorvino]] and [[K Callan]]. The film tells the story of a couple (Segal and Jackson) having an affair, who find themselves falling in love. It was nominated for five [[Academy Awards]], including [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]], with Jackson winning [[Academy Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]].


It was adapted by [[Melvin Frank]] and [[Jack Rose (screenwriter)|Jack Rose]] from the story "She Loves Me, She Told Me So Last Night" by Frank, who also directed.
The film was adapted by Melvin Frank and [[Jack Rose (screenwriter)|Jack Rose]] from Frank's story "She Loves Me, She Told Me So Last Night" (which also became the name of an original song briefly sung in the film by Segal and Jackson). However, it bears more than a passing resemblance to an earlier Frank film, ''[[The Facts of Life (film)|The Facts of Life]]'' (1960), which likewise dealt with a middle-aged couple trying to have an affair, centering on a disaster-laden trip to a place where they would not be recognized.


The lead role of Steve was originally offered to [[Cary Grant]], with a promise by Frank to rewrite the script to play up the age difference between Steve and Vicky. However, Grant opted to remain in retirement from filmmaking, and he turned the role down. He did remain connected to the film, however, as it was produced by [[Fabergé]]'s Brut Productions, and Grant was on the board of directors for Fabergé.
The lead role of Steve was originally offered to [[Cary Grant]], with a promise by Frank to rewrite the script to play up the age difference between Steve and Vickie. However, Grant opted to remain in retirement from filmmaking, and he turned the role down. Despite this, he did remain connected to the film, as it was produced by [[Fabergé]]'s Brut Productions, and Grant was on the board of directors for Fabergé. [[Roger Moore]] was also offered the lead role before dropping out to star in ''[[Live and Let Die (film)|Live and Let Die]]'', his first appearance as [[James Bond (literary character)|James Bond]]. Moore did, however, have a hand in the production of this film.

Glenda Jackson revealed that she was approached by the director Melvin Frank after appearing on the comedy sketch and variety program ''[[The Morecambe & Wise Show (1968 TV series)|The Morecambe & Wise Show]]'' on the BBC in the United Kingdom in 1971, in the "Antony and Cleopatra" sketch. After her role in this film won her an [[Academy Awards|Oscar]], [[Eric Morecambe]] sent her a telegram reading, "Stick with us and we will get you another one".<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211206/TE0DIzwx7wM Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20131227001756/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE0DIzwx7wM&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE0DIzwx7wM |title=Glenda Jackson plays Hamlet as written by Ernie Wise |website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>


==Plot==
==Plot==
[[Glenda Jackson]] plays Vicky Allesio, a divorced mother of two. [[George Segal]] plays Steve Blackburn, a married father who 'has cheated on his wife once... in the same town.' After sharing a taxi together Steve invites Vicky to tea, and then lunch, where he takes Vicky up to a hotel room, hoping to have sex. Vicky admits that she would like to have uncomplicated sex, but isn't impressed by the setting, wanting somewhere sunny. Steve arranges a trip to [[Málaga]].
Vickie Allessio, a divorced British mother of two, meets Steve Blackburn, an American married man, while sharing a taxi in [[London]]. Steve is attracted to Vickie and invites her to tea, then lunch, and eventually suggests they have sex. Vickie agrees but expresses her desire to have uncomplicated sex in a sunny location. Steve arranges a trip to [[Málaga]], Spain.


Steve's wife Gloria turns up just as they are about to go, with Vicky travelling as his 'mother', and in turn he arranges and cancels tickets on the plane for his wife, children and in-laws. Once at the airport however Steve bumps into Walter Menkes, ([[Paul Sorvino]]) an American movie producer. Unable to admit that he's with Vicky, Steve spends the flight next to Walter, and Vicky sits elsewhere.
Their plans are disrupted when Steve's wife, Gloria, unexpectedly shows up. To hide their affair, Steve pretends that Vickie is his mother. He cancels the plane tickets he had arranged for his family and encounters his friend Walter Menkes, a movie producer, at the airport. Steve, unable to admit that he is with Vickie, spends the flight next to Walter while Vickie sits elsewhere.


On arrival in Málaga, Steve ends up giving the last decent car to Walter to get rid of him, and takes instead an Italian car with an awkward clutch, which he has trouble driving to Vicky's discomfort and annoyance. Once at the hotel, they end up struggling up several flights of stairs in order to find a decent double room.
Upon arriving in Málaga, Steve gives the last decent rental car to Walter to get rid of him. He ends up driving an Italian car with an awkward clutch, causing discomfort and annoyance to Vickie. They struggle up several flights of stairs to reach their hotel room.


Once settled the atmosphere becomes awkward, as both argue over their respective sides during sex. Eventually Steve is persuaded to just get on top of her, but turns suddenly and causes a spasm in his back. A doctor is called and Steve is put to sleep, while Vicky sleeps on top of the bedding.
Their first night together becomes awkward as they argue about their preferences during sex. Steve injures his back, requiring medical attention and sleep. In the morning, Vickie encounters an American woman named Patty but declines her invitation to dinner. Steve wakes up to find Vickie sunbathing on the balcony and they finally have sex.


Steve becomes disappointed when Vickie does not show enthusiasm afterward, leading to anger and tension between them. During a [[golf]] game, Vickie takes offense at Steve's competitive nature against a local boy. The tension continues to mount, and Vickie decides to have dinner with Patty while Steve arranges dinner with Walter. To their surprise, Vickie discovers that Patty is Walter's wife, leading to an uncomfortable dinner for the four of them.
In the morning, Vicky bumps into Walter's wife Patty ([[K Callan]]) while shopping for her son. She invites Vicky to dinner, but Vicky sharply declines. When Steve finally wakes up Vicky is sunning herself in a bikini on the balcony. The two finally have sex.


After an argument in their hotel room, Steve and Vickie decide to return to London. At the airport, they realize that the last two plane tickets have been sold. Frustrated, they return to the hotel room and start attacking each other playfully. The situation turns humorous, and their relationship begins to blossom.
Getting dressed after, Steve is disappointed in Vicky's lack of enthusiasm about their sex, and becomes angered. During a game of golf after Vicky becomes offended by Steve's need to beat a local boy, who has bet with him while playing.


Walter and Patty notice the developing relationship between Steve and Vickie. Walter shares his own experience of a holiday romance and warns Steve that it won't work out. Despite this, Steve expresses his desire to continue seeing Vickie when they return to London. They rent a secret flat together, concealing their affair.
As the tension mounts between them, Vicky decides to go to dinner with Patty and Walter, only to find Steve there also. Steve becomes offended when Vicky is amused that Steve's daughter is fat and has crooked teeth. After an argument in the bedroom, Steve and Vicky decide to head back to London. Steve decides not to bother reserving any plane tickets, and as they get to the airport the last two tickets have gone.


As their relationship progresses, it becomes more complicated. Vickie puts in a lot of effort to be with Steve, but he often disappoints her. Steve rushes off after sex without realizing that Vickie has prepared a lavish meal for him. Vickie tries to seek companionship with her gay coworker, but he is unavailable. Steve feels guilty and brings flowers to Vickie, only to leave without saying a word.
Returning to the hotel, they begin to fight and attack each other in the hotel room. Steve grabs Vicky on the bed, almost ripping her dress off. Pulled onto the bed, Steve tries to have sex with her, but can't undo his trouser zip. Vicky responds 'my god, my one chance to be raped, and you can't get your bloody trousers off.' The two collapse laughing and their relationship blossoms over the remainder of the holiday.


The tension between them grows, and Steve's coworkers become aware of something going on. Steve tries to meet Vickie in the evening but forgets that he has plans with his wife. When his wife calls, Steve is unable to reach Vickie, and Vickie sees Steve and Gloria together at the theater. She feels betrayed and confronts Steve when he finally arrives at their flat.
Walter and Patty notice their blossoming relationship, and Walter confides to Steve that he had a similar holiday romance. Walter warns that it won't work out, because he won't be able to leave his wife and kids.


The next morning, Steve sends a [[Telegraphy|telegram]] to end their relationship but changes his mind and rushes to the flat; but Vickie has already received the telegram and begins packing to leave. As Steve arrives, he sees Vickie standing at a bus stop. Despite his efforts to get her attention, Vickie leaves in a taxi that another man had hailed. She asks the man if he is married, and upon his affirmative response, she walks away, leaving the taxi for him.
Steve decides that he still wants to see Vicky when they get back to London and they get a secret flat together, in a building occupied by 'French' prostitutes. Doing it up together, Steve ends up finding secret opportunities to meet her. Steve takes the dog for a walk to go join her, and on going home, forgets the dog. On another occasion he sneaks out during an opera, and comes back wearing golf socks, claiming his kids must have mixed his stuff up.


The story concludes with Vickie moving on from the failed affair and finding a new direction in her life.
Gradually, the relationship becomes more complicated, as it seems that Vicky is going to a lot of effort to be with him. Steve comes around for sex after a baseball game in the park, and has to leave in a hurry, without staying for coffee. Leaving, he gets flowers and takes them back to her, finding her in the kitchen eating a large meal she'd cooked for the two of them. He leaves without saying anything.


==Cast==
Vicky later cancels lunch with him, which Steve's co-workers have noticed, as his secretary asks if he is having a 'short lunch or a long lunch.' He arranges to meet with her in the evening, but his wife then calls demanding he come to a [[Harold Pinter]] play with her. Steve tells Vicky that he is working, but later on sees him leaving the theatre with his wife. When he eventually turns up at their flat, she confronts him about it. Eventually she breaks down and sits quietly at the table, concerned that she is 'beginning to sound like a wife.'
{{Cast listing|
* [[George Segal]] as Steve Blackburn
* [[Glenda Jackson]] as Vickie Allessio
* [[Paul Sorvino]] as Walter Menkes
* [[K Callan]] as Patty Menkes
* [[Cec Linder]] as Wendell Thompson
* [[Nadim Sawalha]] as the night hotel manager
* [[David de Keyser]] as Doctor Alvarez
* [[Michael Elwyn]] as Cecil
* [[Mary Barclay]] as Martha Thompson
* [[Eve Karpf]] as Miss Ramos
* [[Hildegarde Neil]] as Gloria Blackburn
* [[Lisa Vanderpump]] as Julia Allessio (uncredited)<ref>{{cite news |last=Hoyle |first=Ben |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-british-housewife-of-beverly-hills-inside-the-world-of-lisa-vanderpump-lsrw9r8nv |title=The British housewife of Beverly Hills: inside the world of Lisa Vanderpump |newspaper=[[The Times]] |date=March 18, 2019 |access-date=June 24, 2023 |url-access=subscription |quote=Her acting career possibly peaked at 13, when she played Glenda Jackson's daughter in ''A Touch of Class'', ...}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6b8bbf5d |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007193040/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6b8bbf5d |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 7, 2018 |title=A Touch of Class (1973) |website=[[British Film Institute]] |access-date=24 June 2023}}</ref>
}}


==Release==
The next morning Steve sends a telegram to the flat for Vicky, telling her that it is over between them. However, on returning home later he changes his mind, and runs out the door. Vicky, however has been given the telegram, which he thought had been cancelled, and begins packing her belongings to leave. When Steve gets to the flat, having bought food to cook for them, he finds a record playing and Vicky gone. Looking out the window he sees her standing at the bus stop. He bangs on the window to get her attention but she doesn't seem to notice and gives up waiting for a bus. She walks along and hails a taxi, which another man hails down in an echo of Vicky and Steve in the beginning of the film. Vicky asks the man, who is handsome and smiles, if he is married. When he says yes, Vicky walks off and leaves him the taxi.
The film had its world premiere in London in May 1973, and opened in Los Angeles on June 27, 1973.<ref name="afi">{{cite web |url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/55067-A-TOUCHOFCLASS |website=[[AFI Catalog of Feature Films]] |title=A Touch of Class (1980) |publisher=[[American Film Institute]] |access-date=March 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240312130847/https://catalog.afi.com/Film/55067-A-TOUCHOFCLASS |archive-date=March 12, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> The film earned $4,125,600 in North American rentals in 1973.<ref>"Big Rental Films of 1973", ''Variety'', 9 January 1974 p. 19</ref> Other accounts put rentals at $8.4 million.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/americanfilmdist0000dona/page/292/mode/1up |title=American Film Distribution: The Changing Marketplace|last=Donahue |first=Suzanne Mary |year=1987 |publisher=UMI Research Press |page=292 |isbn=978-0835717762}} Please note figures are for rentals in US and Canada</ref>


==Cast==
==Reception==
===Critical response===
*[[George Segal]] — Steven 'Steve' Blackburn
[[Roger Ebert]] gave the film three stars out of four, calling it "a sharp-edged, often very funny dissection of a love affair between two possibly incompatible people. But then it gets serious with itself and ends on a note that doesn't satisfy us."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/a-touch-of-class-1973 |title=A Touch of Class |last=Ebert |first=Roger |author-link=Roger Ebert |date=July 9, 1973 |website=[[RogerEbert.com]] |access-date=November 26, 2018}}</ref> [[Gene Siskel]] had a similar opinion, awarding two-and-a-half stars out of four and writing that in the film's best moments it "reminds one of those wonderful screen battles between [[Spencer Tracy]] and [[Katharine Hepburn]]," but then it "tries to get serious" which "leads to an unsatisfying conclusion totally removed from the dominant tone of the movie, which is raucous at best, contrived silliness at worst."<ref>[[Gene Siskel|Siskel, Gene]] (12 July 1973). "A Touch of Class". ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''. Section 2, p. 5.</ref> [[Vincent Canby]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' called it "a very patchy movie—enormously funny in bits and pieces and sometimes downright dumb."<ref>{{cite journal |last=Canby |first=Vincent |author-link=Vincent Canby |date=June 21, 1973 |title=Segal and Glenda Jackson Star in 'A Touch of Class' |journal=[[The New York Times]] |page=52}}</ref> ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' wrote: "George Segal herein justifies superbly a reputation for comedy ability while Glenda Jackson's full-spectrum talent is again confirmed."<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://variety.com/1972/film/reviews/a-touch-of-class-2-1200423087/ |title=A Touch of Class |date=January 1973 |website=Variety}}</ref> [[Penelope Gilliatt]] of ''[[The New Yorker]]'' wrote that the film had "moments of reckless funniness" but observed that the "muddle of period convention is odd," as it blended the "Hepburn-Tracy tradition" and an "old-style slapstick" scene with "modern and naturalistic eroticism."<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Gilliatt |first=Penelope |author-link=Penelope Gilliatt |date=July 9, 1973 |title=The Current Cinema |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |page=59}}</ref> Sylvia Millar of ''[[The Monthly Film Bulletin]]'' called the film "a waste of two considerable talents," stating that "Frank has written a script which is not devoid of wit; but it's never effortless, and a battering of coarse sexual polemic is always thrusting in to spoil the fun."<ref>{{cite journal |last=Millar |first=Sylvia |date=July 1973 |title=A Touch of Class |journal=[[The Monthly Film Bulletin]] |volume=40 |issue=474 |page=156}}</ref>
*[[Glenda Jackson]] — Vicki Allessio
*[[Hildegarde Neil]] - Gloria Blackburn
*[[Paul Sorvino]] — Walter Menkes
*[[K Callan]] — Patty Menkes
*[[Cec Linder]] — Wendell Thompson
*[[Michael Elwyn]] — Cecil
*[[Mary Barclay]] — Martha Thompson
*[[Nadim Sawalha]] — Night Hotel Manager


The film has a score of 86% on [[Rotten Tomatoes]] based on 14 reviews, with an average grade of 6.8 out of 10.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/touch_of_class/ |title=A Touch Of Class |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=5 March 2024 }}</ref>
The majority of the cast (Segal, Jackson, Sorvino, Linder) were reunited in the 1979 movie ''[[Lost and Found (1979 film)|Lost and Found]]'' also directed by Melvin Frank. In many respects this was a quasi-sequel to ''A Touch Of Class'', even though none of the characters were recreated, but the storyline followed many similarities and opposites.


==Awards and nominations==
===Awards and honours===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
The film won the [[Academy Award for Best Actress]] (Glenda Jackson) and was nominated for [[Academy Award for Original Music Score|Best Music, Original Dramatic Score]], [[Academy Award for Best Song|Best Music, Song]] (for [[George Barrie]] and [[Sammy Cahn]] for "All That Love Went to Waste"), [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]] and [[Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay|Best Writing, Story and Screenplay Based on Factual Material or Material Not Previously Published or Produced]]. Both Segal and Jackson won Golden Globes for Best Actor and Best Actress in a Musical Or Comedy.
|-
! Award
! Category
! Nominee(s)
! Result
! Ref.
|-
| rowspan="5"| [[46th Academy Awards|Academy Awards]]
| [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]]
| [[Melvin Frank]]
| {{nom}}
| align="center" rowspan="5"| <ref name="Oscars1974">{{Cite web|url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1974 |title=The 46th Academy Awards (1974) Nominees and Winners |access-date=31 December 2011 |work=oscars.org |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150315090403/http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1974 |archive-date=15 March 2015}}</ref>
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
| [[Glenda Jackson]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Original Screenplay]]
| Melvin Frank and [[Jack Rose (screenwriter)|Jack Rose]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Original Score|Best Original Dramatic Score]]
| [[John Cameron (musician)|John Cameron]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Original Song|Best Song]]
| "All That Love Went to Waste" <br> Music by [[George Barrie]]; <br> Lyrics by [[Sammy Cahn]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[27th British Academy Film Awards|British Academy Film Awards]]
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role|Best Actress in a Leading Role]]
| Glenda Jackson
| {{nom}}
| align="center" rowspan="2"| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/1974/film |title=BAFTA Awards: Film in 1974 |website=[[BAFTA]] |year=1974 |access-date=3 June 2021 |ref={{harvid|BAFTA|1974}}}}</ref>
|-
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]]
| Melvin Frank and Jack Rose
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Evening Standard British Film Awards#1974 Winners|Evening Standard British Film Awards]]
| Best Actress
| Glenda Jackson
| {{won}}
| align="center"|
|-
| rowspan="5"| [[31st Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe Awards]]
| colspan="2"| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy|Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy]]
| {{nom}}
| align="center" rowspan="5"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/touch-class |title=A Touch of Class – Golden Globes |website=[[HFPA]] |access-date=3 June 2021 |ref={{harvid|HFPA|1974}}}}</ref>
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy|Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy]]
| [[George Segal]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical|Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy]]
| Glenda Jackson
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay – Motion Picture]]
| Melvin Frank and Jack Rose
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song|Best Original Song – Motion Picture]]
| "All That Love Went to Waste" <br> Music by George Barrie; <br> Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
| {{nom}}
|-
| Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
| Best Actor
| George Segal
| {{won}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://kcfcc.org/kcfcc-award-winners-1970-79/ |title=KCFCC Award Winners – 1970-79 |website=kcfcc.org |date=14 December 2013 |access-date=15 May 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[1973 New York Film Critics Circle Awards|New York Film Critics Circle Awards]]
| [[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
| Glenda Jackson
| {{Runner-up}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nyfcc.com/awards/?awardyear=1973 |title=1973 New York Film Critics Circle Awards |website=[[New York Film Critics Circle]] |access-date=3 June 2021}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[San Sebastián International Film Festival]]
| Silver Seashell
| Melvin Frank
| {{won}}
| align="center" rowspan="2"|
|-
| [[Silver Shell for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
| Glenda Jackson
| {{won}}{{efn|Tied with [[Françoise Fabian]] for ''[[La bonne année]]''.}}
|-
| [[26th Writers Guild of America Awards|Writers Guild of America Awards]]
| [[Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Comedy – Written Directly for the Screen]]
| rowspan="4"| Melvin Frank and Jack Rose
| {{won}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551 |title=Awards Winners |work=wga.org |publisher=[[Writers Guild of America]] |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121205095022/http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551 |archive-date=5 December 2012 |access-date=6 June 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="3"| [[Writers' Guild of Great Britain|Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards]]
| Best British Screenplay
| {{won}}
| align="center" rowspan="3"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://writersguild.org.uk/writers-guild-awards-1973/ |title=Writers' Guild Awards 1973 |website=[[Writers' Guild of Great Britain]] |access-date=June 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231205142501/https://writersguild.org.uk/writers-guild-awards-1973/ |archive-date=December 5, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| Best British Original Screenplay
| {{won}}
|-
| Best British Comedy Screenplay
| {{won}}
|}

==Home media==
''A Touch of Class'' was released on [[DVD]] in North America by [[Warner Bros.]] on February 2, 2002,<ref>{{cite web |title=A Touch of Class DVD |url=https://www.blu-ray.com/dvd/A-Touch-of-Class-DVD/13210/ |website=Blu-ray.com |access-date=March 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603070341/http://www.blu-ray.com/dvd/A-Touch-of-Class-DVD/13210/ |archive-date=June 3, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> and on [[Blu-ray]] by the [[Warner Archive Collection]] on September 10, 2019.<ref>{{cite web |title=A Touch of Class Blu-ray |url=https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/A-Touch-of-Class-Blu-ray/134698/ |website=Blu-ray.com |access-date=March 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220908192647/https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/A-Touch-of-Class-Blu-ray/134698/ |archive-date=September 8, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Notelist}}


==External links==
==External links==
*{{imdb title|0070819}}
* {{IMDb title}}
*{{Amg movie|50537}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes}}
* {{AFI film}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20181007193040/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6b8bbf5d ''A Touch of Class''] at the [[British Film Institute]]{{better source needed|reason=Help request: a live link can be searched for at https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/search/expert - if available, replace the archive URL with the live link. Or if none found, remove this 'better source needed' template. | date=October 2023}}


{{Melvin Frank}}
{{Melvin Frank}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Touch Of Class, A}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Touch Of Class, A}}
[[Category:1973 films]]
[[Category:1973 films]]
[[Category:1970s romantic comedy films]]
[[Category:1973 romantic comedy films]]
[[Category:British films]]
[[Category:1970s British films]]
[[Category:1970s English-language films]]
[[Category:Films featuring a Best Actress Academy Award winning performance]]
[[Category:Films set in England]]
[[Category:British romantic comedy films]]
[[Category:Embassy Pictures films]]

[[Category:Films about adultery in the United Kingdom]]
[[es:Un toque de distinción]]
[[Category:Films about vacationing]]
[[fr:Une maîtresse dans les bras, une femme sur le dos]]
[[Category:Films directed by Melvin Frank]]
[[it:Un tocco di classe]]
[[Category:Films featuring a Best Actress Academy Award–winning performance]]
[[pl:Miłość w godzinach nadliczbowych]]
[[Category:Films featuring a Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe winning performance]]
[[ru:С шиком (фильм)]]
[[Category:Films featuring a Best Musical or Comedy Actress Golden Globe winning performance]]
[[Category:Films scored by John Cameron (musician)]]
[[Category:Films set in hotels]]
[[Category:Films set in London]]
[[Category:Films set in Málaga]]
[[Category:Films shot in London]]
[[Category:Films shot in the province of Málaga]]
[[Category:English-language romantic comedy films]]

Latest revision as of 17:11, 21 December 2024

A Touch of Class
Original movie poster
Directed byMelvin Frank
Screenplay byMelvin Frank
Jack Rose
Based onShe Loves Me, She Told Me So Last Night
by Melvin Frank
Produced byMelvin Frank
StarringGeorge Segal
Glenda Jackson
Paul Sorvino
Hildegard Neil
CinematographyAustin Dempster
Edited byBill Butler
Music byJohn Cameron
Production
company
Distributed byAVCO Embassy Pictures
Release date
  • 20 June 1973 (1973-06-20)
Running time
106 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
Budget$1 million
Box office$16.8 million[1]

A Touch of Class is a 1973 British romantic comedy film produced and directed by Melvin Frank and starring George Segal, Glenda Jackson, Hildegard Neil, Paul Sorvino and K Callan. The film tells the story of a couple (Segal and Jackson) having an affair, who find themselves falling in love. It was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, with Jackson winning Best Actress.

The film was adapted by Melvin Frank and Jack Rose from Frank's story "She Loves Me, She Told Me So Last Night" (which also became the name of an original song briefly sung in the film by Segal and Jackson). However, it bears more than a passing resemblance to an earlier Frank film, The Facts of Life (1960), which likewise dealt with a middle-aged couple trying to have an affair, centering on a disaster-laden trip to a place where they would not be recognized.

The lead role of Steve was originally offered to Cary Grant, with a promise by Frank to rewrite the script to play up the age difference between Steve and Vickie. However, Grant opted to remain in retirement from filmmaking, and he turned the role down. Despite this, he did remain connected to the film, as it was produced by Fabergé's Brut Productions, and Grant was on the board of directors for Fabergé. Roger Moore was also offered the lead role before dropping out to star in Live and Let Die, his first appearance as James Bond. Moore did, however, have a hand in the production of this film.

Glenda Jackson revealed that she was approached by the director Melvin Frank after appearing on the comedy sketch and variety program The Morecambe & Wise Show on the BBC in the United Kingdom in 1971, in the "Antony and Cleopatra" sketch. After her role in this film won her an Oscar, Eric Morecambe sent her a telegram reading, "Stick with us and we will get you another one".[2]

Plot

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Vickie Allessio, a divorced British mother of two, meets Steve Blackburn, an American married man, while sharing a taxi in London. Steve is attracted to Vickie and invites her to tea, then lunch, and eventually suggests they have sex. Vickie agrees but expresses her desire to have uncomplicated sex in a sunny location. Steve arranges a trip to Málaga, Spain.

Their plans are disrupted when Steve's wife, Gloria, unexpectedly shows up. To hide their affair, Steve pretends that Vickie is his mother. He cancels the plane tickets he had arranged for his family and encounters his friend Walter Menkes, a movie producer, at the airport. Steve, unable to admit that he is with Vickie, spends the flight next to Walter while Vickie sits elsewhere.

Upon arriving in Málaga, Steve gives the last decent rental car to Walter to get rid of him. He ends up driving an Italian car with an awkward clutch, causing discomfort and annoyance to Vickie. They struggle up several flights of stairs to reach their hotel room.

Their first night together becomes awkward as they argue about their preferences during sex. Steve injures his back, requiring medical attention and sleep. In the morning, Vickie encounters an American woman named Patty but declines her invitation to dinner. Steve wakes up to find Vickie sunbathing on the balcony and they finally have sex.

Steve becomes disappointed when Vickie does not show enthusiasm afterward, leading to anger and tension between them. During a golf game, Vickie takes offense at Steve's competitive nature against a local boy. The tension continues to mount, and Vickie decides to have dinner with Patty while Steve arranges dinner with Walter. To their surprise, Vickie discovers that Patty is Walter's wife, leading to an uncomfortable dinner for the four of them.

After an argument in their hotel room, Steve and Vickie decide to return to London. At the airport, they realize that the last two plane tickets have been sold. Frustrated, they return to the hotel room and start attacking each other playfully. The situation turns humorous, and their relationship begins to blossom.

Walter and Patty notice the developing relationship between Steve and Vickie. Walter shares his own experience of a holiday romance and warns Steve that it won't work out. Despite this, Steve expresses his desire to continue seeing Vickie when they return to London. They rent a secret flat together, concealing their affair.

As their relationship progresses, it becomes more complicated. Vickie puts in a lot of effort to be with Steve, but he often disappoints her. Steve rushes off after sex without realizing that Vickie has prepared a lavish meal for him. Vickie tries to seek companionship with her gay coworker, but he is unavailable. Steve feels guilty and brings flowers to Vickie, only to leave without saying a word.

The tension between them grows, and Steve's coworkers become aware of something going on. Steve tries to meet Vickie in the evening but forgets that he has plans with his wife. When his wife calls, Steve is unable to reach Vickie, and Vickie sees Steve and Gloria together at the theater. She feels betrayed and confronts Steve when he finally arrives at their flat.

The next morning, Steve sends a telegram to end their relationship but changes his mind and rushes to the flat; but Vickie has already received the telegram and begins packing to leave. As Steve arrives, he sees Vickie standing at a bus stop. Despite his efforts to get her attention, Vickie leaves in a taxi that another man had hailed. She asks the man if he is married, and upon his affirmative response, she walks away, leaving the taxi for him.

The story concludes with Vickie moving on from the failed affair and finding a new direction in her life.

Cast

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Release

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The film had its world premiere in London in May 1973, and opened in Los Angeles on June 27, 1973.[5] The film earned $4,125,600 in North American rentals in 1973.[6] Other accounts put rentals at $8.4 million.[7]

Reception

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Critical response

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Roger Ebert gave the film three stars out of four, calling it "a sharp-edged, often very funny dissection of a love affair between two possibly incompatible people. But then it gets serious with itself and ends on a note that doesn't satisfy us."[8] Gene Siskel had a similar opinion, awarding two-and-a-half stars out of four and writing that in the film's best moments it "reminds one of those wonderful screen battles between Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn," but then it "tries to get serious" which "leads to an unsatisfying conclusion totally removed from the dominant tone of the movie, which is raucous at best, contrived silliness at worst."[9] Vincent Canby of The New York Times called it "a very patchy movie—enormously funny in bits and pieces and sometimes downright dumb."[10] Variety wrote: "George Segal herein justifies superbly a reputation for comedy ability while Glenda Jackson's full-spectrum talent is again confirmed."[11] Penelope Gilliatt of The New Yorker wrote that the film had "moments of reckless funniness" but observed that the "muddle of period convention is odd," as it blended the "Hepburn-Tracy tradition" and an "old-style slapstick" scene with "modern and naturalistic eroticism."[12] Sylvia Millar of The Monthly Film Bulletin called the film "a waste of two considerable talents," stating that "Frank has written a script which is not devoid of wit; but it's never effortless, and a battering of coarse sexual polemic is always thrusting in to spoil the fun."[13]

The film has a score of 86% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 14 reviews, with an average grade of 6.8 out of 10.[14]

Awards and honours

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Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
Academy Awards Best Picture Melvin Frank Nominated [15]
Best Actress Glenda Jackson Won
Best Original Screenplay Melvin Frank and Jack Rose Nominated
Best Original Dramatic Score John Cameron Nominated
Best Song "All That Love Went to Waste"
Music by George Barrie;
Lyrics by Sammy Cahn 		Nominated
British Academy Film Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role Glenda Jackson Nominated [16]
Best Screenplay Melvin Frank and Jack Rose Nominated
Evening Standard British Film Awards Best Actress Glenda Jackson Won
Golden Globe Awards Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Nominated [17]
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy George Segal Won
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Glenda Jackson Won
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture Melvin Frank and Jack Rose Nominated
Best Original Song – Motion Picture "All That Love Went to Waste"
Music by George Barrie;
Lyrics by Sammy Cahn 		Nominated
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards Best Actor George Segal Won [18]
New York Film Critics Circle Awards Best Actress Glenda Jackson Runner-up [19]
San Sebastián International Film Festival Silver Seashell Melvin Frank Won
Best Actress Glenda Jackson Won[a]
Writers Guild of America Awards Best Comedy – Written Directly for the Screen Melvin Frank and Jack Rose Won [20]
Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards Best British Screenplay Won [21]
Best British Original Screenplay Won
Best British Comedy Screenplay Won

Home media

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A Touch of Class was released on DVD in North America by Warner Bros. on February 2, 2002,[22] and on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive Collection on September 10, 2019.[23]

Notes

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  1. ^ Tied with Françoise Fabian for La bonne année.

References

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  1. ^ "A Touch of Class, Box Office Information". The Numbers. Archived from the original on 24 June 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  2. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Glenda Jackson plays Hamlet as written by Ernie Wise". YouTube.
  3. ^ Hoyle, Ben (18 March 2019). "The British housewife of Beverly Hills: inside the world of Lisa Vanderpump". The Times. Retrieved 24 June 2023. Her acting career possibly peaked at 13, when she played Glenda Jackson's daughter in A Touch of Class, ...
  4. ^ "A Touch of Class (1973)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 7 October 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  5. ^ "A Touch of Class (1980)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Archived from the original on 12 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  6. ^ "Big Rental Films of 1973", Variety, 9 January 1974 p. 19
  7. ^ Donahue, Suzanne Mary (1987). American Film Distribution: The Changing Marketplace. UMI Research Press. p. 292. ISBN 978-0835717762. Please note figures are for rentals in US and Canada
  8. ^ Ebert, Roger (9 July 1973). "A Touch of Class". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  9. ^ Siskel, Gene (12 July 1973). "A Touch of Class". Chicago Tribune. Section 2, p. 5.
  10. ^ Canby, Vincent (21 June 1973). "Segal and Glenda Jackson Star in 'A Touch of Class'". The New York Times: 52.
  11. ^ "A Touch of Class". Variety. January 1973.
  12. ^ Gilliatt, Penelope (9 July 1973). "The Current Cinema". The New Yorker. p. 59.
  13. ^ Millar, Sylvia (July 1973). "A Touch of Class". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 40 (474): 156.
  14. ^ "A Touch Of Class". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  15. ^ "The 46th Academy Awards (1974) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Archived from the original on 15 March 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  16. ^ "BAFTA Awards: Film in 1974". BAFTA. 1974. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  17. ^ "A Touch of Class – Golden Globes". HFPA. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  18. ^ "KCFCC Award Winners – 1970-79". kcfcc.org. 14 December 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  19. ^ "1973 New York Film Critics Circle Awards". New York Film Critics Circle. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  20. ^ "Awards Winners". wga.org. Writers Guild of America. Archived from the original on 5 December 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
  21. ^ "Writers' Guild Awards 1973". Writers' Guild of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 5 December 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  22. ^ "A Touch of Class DVD". Blu-ray.com. Archived from the original on 3 June 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  23. ^ "A Touch of Class Blu-ray". Blu-ray.com. Archived from the original on 8 September 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
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