The Marrying Man (released in theaters on April 5, 1991) is a lavish romantic comedy that became as famous for its behind-the-scenes drama as for its on-screen sparks. Written by the legendary playwright Neil Simon, the film attempts to recapture the fast-talking, sophisticated energy of 1940s screwball cinema. It serves as a glossy showcase for the undeniable chemistry between Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger, set against a backdrop of mid-century excess, smoky lounges, and the high-stakes world of Las Vegas and Hollywood.
Charley Pearl (Baldwin) is a wealthy, pampered heir to a toothpaste fortune who is engaged to Adele Horner (Elisabeth Shue), the daughter of a powerful movie mogul (Robert Loggia).
On the eve of his wedding, Charley and his group of wisecracking friends played by Paul Reiser, Fisher Stevens, and Peter Dobson, embark on a bachelor party trek to Las Vegas.
The trip takes a fateful turn when Charley wanders into a nightclub and sees Vicki Anderson (Basinger), a sultry torch singer and the girlfriend of the dangerous mobster Bugsy Siegel (Armand Assante).
Charley becomes instantly obsessed with Vicki, leading to a torrid affair that is quickly discovered by the jealous Siegel.
In a classic Simon twist of fate, rather than killing them, Siegel forces the duo to get married at gunpoint.
What follows is a chaotic, decade-spanning saga of a couple who can’t live with each other but can’t stay away from each other.
Over the years, Charley and Vicki marry and divorce four separate times, constantly disrupting their lives and social standings.
As they navigate various career highs and lows and run-ins with colorful characters like a massive henchman played by Big John Studd, the film explores whether their connection is true love or merely a shared addiction to the thrill of the chase.
Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin in The Marrying Man (Photo/Buena Vista Pictures)
Reception for The Marrying Man
The Marrying Man grossed $4 million on its opening weekend, finishing third at the box office.
The film would gross $12.5 million in its theatrical run.
Roger Ebert gave The Marrying Man three out of four stars in his review.
Legacy
The Marrying Man was linked to the real-life romance between Baldwin and Basinger, who fell in love during the production.
Their high-profile relationship and reports of a difficult set made the film a lightning rod for tabloid attention at the time.
However, removed from the gossip of the 90s, the film is now appreciated for its high production values and its earnest attempt to revive a vanished style of romantic storytelling.
The Marrying Man is viewed as a stylish, well-acted curiosity that captures a specific moment in Hollywood history when the personal lives of its leads were just as dramatic as the scripts they performed.
