The Heartbreak Kid (1972 film)

The Heartbreak Kid is a 1972 dark romantic comedy film directed by Elaine May, written by Neil Simon, and starring Charles Grodin, Jeannie Berlin, Eddie Albert, Audra Lindley, Doris Roberts and Cybill Shepherd. It is based on the short story A Change of Plan, written by Bruce Jay Friedman.

A black comedy examination of love and hypocrisy loosely based on Theodore Dreisers classic novel, An American Tragedy and thereby recalling an earlier, wellregarded film of Dreisers novel, A Place in the Sun, the satire begins with the New York City traditional Jewish marriage of emotionally shallow, selfabsorbed, nebbishmanboy, Lenny Cantrow, who is a sporting goods salesman Charles Grodin. While on honeymoon at the Doral Hotel on Miami Beach, he meets and pursues a tall, blonde, Midwestern, seductively bitchy, but sarcastically witty and gorgeous, student named Kelly Corcoran Cybill Shepherd. His unsophisticated and emotionally needy bride, Lila Jeannie Berlin, daughter of director, Elaine May, refuses to use sunscreen and consequently develops a severe sunburn, which quarantines her in their hotel room. Lenny begins a rendezvous with Kelly, lying to his wife as to his whereabouts. Lenny recklessly and impulsively decides to dump Lila, ending his ephemeral marriage, in order to pursue unloving Kelly, his false ideal, and ultimate fantasy shiksagoddess. The girl he was waiting for all of his life. He just timed it wrong. She is attending college in Minnesota, where her somewhat bigoted, suspicious and overprotective, hostile father Eddie Albert is a relentless obstacle. Despite Mr. Corcorans opposition, which includes trying to buy him off with 25,000 following a dinner during which Lenny inanely praises Midwestern produce, calling cauliflower honest, Lenny manages to seduce and marry Kelly. The movie ends with their wedding.The film has received almost universal praise from critics, with a 90 rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Notably, The New York Times declared it to be a firstclass American comedy, as startling in its way as was The Graduate. ........

Source: Wikipedia