A fun take on the aftermath of the sexual revolution but could have been better. Natalie Wood and George Segal are a 40ish couple who are happily married but seem to be the only ones left in their circle of friends who still are. They are under constant peer pressure from their friends to seek out extramarital affairs. Eventually Segal is seduced by Wood's friend Barbara played by a blonde Valerie Harper (cast against type from her long TV role as Rhoda Morgenstern) The supporting cast are stellar, a who's who of comedic actors of that era; Richard Benjamin, Alan Arbus, Bob Dishy and Priscilla Barnes but its the effortless chemistry between Natalie Wood and George Segal that are the backbone of the movie. Natalie's performances in her later years were far better than she's been given credit for. Her entire career were various snapshots of the mores of the times. She ultimately always made America feel good about its moral center even in her tragic roles. The sitcom feel of the whole film does it a disservice because it could have held up better over time if the script was better. Seeing this in 2020 is more like an archeological excavation digging up bones of a long lost civilization instead of a witty character study like Annie Hall or Manhattan. All and all its a worthwhile watch even just to see Natalie's last completed theatrical release.
Review of The Last Married Couple in America
