Last of the Red Hot Lovers

Last of the Red Hot Lovers. 1972 Paramount Pictures.
Starring: Alan Arkin, Sally Kellerman, Paula Prentiss, Renee Taylor
Screenplay by Neil Simon
Director: Gene Saks
Available from Amazon.

A film adaptation of Neil Simon's stage play that first opened in 1969.

Barney Cashman (Arkin) is 45 years old, married, and he owns a restaurant in downtown Manhattan. One morning, he wakes up with the urge to stray, and have at least one great extramarital affair before he dies. After discovering that his mother's apartment will be empty one day a week, Barney decides to take advantage of it. Unfortunately, Barney simply isn't the kind of person who could engage in an affair, and he fails miserably in each of the three women he attempts to seduce: Elaine (Kellerman), who seems to be more interested in scoring a cigarette than actually scoring and who quickly grows annoyed at Barney's inexperience; Bobbi (Prentiss), an aspiring actress who might be more than a little bit crazy and who gets Barney to smoke a joint with her, and Jeanette (Taylor), the best friend of Barney's wife. By the time Jeanette comes over, Barney has acquired a new confidence after Jeanette made a pass at him at a social outing, but she reveals that she suffers from depression due to her husband's serial adultery, and spends most of the afternoon either crying or taking anti-depressants.

In the end, Barney has struck out three times, and realizes that he's not one to have an affair. So, he contacts his wife to come over to the apartment for a nice rendezvous.

Funny movie, with a decent performance from Alan Arkin, but Paula Prentiss definitely stole the show during her segment. Recommended.