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| The Marrying Man | |
|---|---|
| Name | The Marrying Man |
| Director | Jerry Rees |
| Producer | David Saperstein |
| Screenplay | Neil Simon |
| Starring | Alec Baldwin, Kim Basinger, Martin Short, Elisabeth Shue |
| Music | Michael Gore |
| Cinematography | Ric Waite |
| Editing | David Finfer |
| Studio | Touchstone Pictures |
| Distributor | Buena Vista Distribution |
| Released | 1991 |
| Runtime | 101 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $20 million |
| Gross | $12.1 million |
The Marrying Man is a 1991 American romantic comedy film directed by Jerry Rees from a screenplay by Neil Simon. The film stars Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger with Martin Short and Elisabeth Shue in supporting roles, and features a musical score by Michael Gore and cinematography by Ric Waite. Produced by Touchstone Pictures and distributed by Buena Vista, the film received mixed-to-negative reviews and underperformed at the box office.
The plot follows Charley Pearl, a charismatic nightclub singer whose serial marriages and romantic entanglements drive the narrative through a series of comic and melodramatic set pieces. Charley becomes romantically involved with women connected to the entertainment industry, including an on-again, off-again relationship with a glamorous model and actress, leading to clashes with managers, ex-spouses, and showbiz rivals. The storyline intersects with high-society events, hotel suites, nightclubs, and wedding venues, tracing Charley’s attempts to reconcile love and career amid celebrity culture and personal recklessness.
The principal cast includes Alec Baldwin as Charley Pearl and Kim Basinger as the model and romantic interest whose lives entwine with Charley’s. Supporting performances feature Martin Short as a comic foil and confidant, Elisabeth Shue as a friend and secondary love interest, and Elias Koteas in a small but pivotal role. The ensemble also comprises character actors and cameo appearances drawn from film and television circles, contributing to a portrayal of show-business social networks and the pressures of fame.
Development began when Neil Simon, noted for plays and screenplays linked to Broadway and Hollywood, wrote the script intended to balance screwball comedy and romantic melodrama. Producer David Saperstein and Touchstone Pictures mounted the project during a period when studio-backed comedies sought bankable stars such as Baldwin and Basinger, both prominent in late 1980s and early 1990s cinema. Principal photography took place on location in Los Angeles hotels and nightclubs, with studio soundstage work for interior sequences; Ric Waite handled cinematography while Michael Gore composed the score. The production also navigated tabloid attention surrounding its leads and the intersection of off-screen relationships with on-screen chemistry, affecting publicity strategies and shooting schedules.
Distributed by Buena Vista, the film opened in North American theaters in 1991. Despite headline casting and a screenplay by Neil Simon, it struggled to attract a wide audience, grossing approximately $12.1 million against a production budget reported near $20 million. Competition from other studio releases and changing audience tastes in romantic comedy contributed to its commercial underperformance. The release cycle included standard theatrical windows followed by home video and pay television distribution consistent with early 1990s studio practices.
Critical response was mixed to negative, with reviewers critiquing tonal inconsistencies between screwball elements and romantic drama as well as perceived miscasting and direction. Prominent film critics and outlets referenced comparisons to classic romantic comedies and questioned whether the screenplay’s stage-to-screen sensibilities translated effectively. Some reviewers praised individual performances and moments of humor, while others cited problems in pacing, characterization, and dialogue delivery. Aggregate assessments from contemporary critics placed the film below average among Neil Simon adaptations and late-career studio comedies.
The soundtrack, composed and arranged by Michael Gore, underscores nightclub numbers and romantic cues, combining orchestral scoring with popular song stylings appropriate to the film’s showbiz milieu. Music production included recording sessions with studio vocalists and session musicians, and selective licensing of period-appropriate popular songs for diegetic nightclub performances. The soundtrack release accompanied the film’s theatrical run and home video release, marketed to fans of film scores and adult contemporary listeners.
The film’s legacy is marked by its status as an example of early 1990s studio romantic comedy that struggled commercially and critically despite high-profile talent. It is often discussed in film circles in relation to the careers of Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger, and in surveys of Neil Simon’s screen adaptations and late-20th-century American comedy. The production is cited in trade histories examining Touchstone Pictures’ 1990s slate, studio marketing practices, and the interplay between celebrity publicity and film promotion. Though not widely celebrated, the film remains a reference point in retrospectives on Baldwin’s filmography, Basinger’s career, and the era’s romantic-comedy conventions.
Category:1991 films Category:American romantic comedy films Category:Films with screenplays by Neil Simon