The Secret Life of an American Wife

The Secret Life of an American Wife
Theatrical release poster
Directed byGeorge Axelrod
Written byGeorge Axelrod
Produced byGeorge Axelrod
StarringWalter Matthau
Anne Jackson
Patrick O'Neal
Edy Williams
CinematographyLeon Shamroy
Edited byHarry W. Gerstad
Music byBilly May
Distributed by20th Century Fox
Release date
  • June 25, 1968 (1968-06-25)
Running time
92 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$3,000,000 (rentals)[1]

The Secret Life of an American Wife is a 1968 comedy film written, produced and directed by George Axelrod. The film was released by 20th Century Fox in 1968, and was considered a box-office failure. It features a music score by Billy May. Edy Williams has a supporting role in the film as the Laytons' blonde bombshell neighbor.

Plot

Victoria Layton is a suburban housewife who is dissatisfied with her marriage, and fears that her sex appeal is fading. Her husband works as a press agent, and his biggest client is a movie star who is known as an international sex symbol.

On hearing that The Movie Star indulges in the services of prostitutes, Victoria decides to surreptitiously pose as one to prove to herself that she is still sexually attractive.

Cast

Reception

According to Fox records, the film required $4,300,000 in rentals to break even, and by December 11, 1970, it had made $3,725,000, for a net loss to the studio.[2]

References

  1. ^ "Big Rental Films of 1968", Variety, 8 January 1969, pg 15. Please note this figure is a rental accruing to distributors.
  2. ^ Silverman, Stephen M (1988). The Fox that got away : the last days of the Zanuck dynasty at Twentieth Century-Fox. L. Stuart. p. 327. ISBN 9780818404856.