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The Facts of Life

Play trailer Poster for The Facts of Life Released Nov 14, 1960 1h 43m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 2 Reviews 60% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
The Gilberts, Larry (Bob Hope) and Mary (Ruth Hussey), and the Weavers, Jack (Don DeFore) and Kitty (Lucille Ball), are neighbors and close friends -- even though Larry and Kitty always grate on each other's nerves. When the friends' annual vacation arrives, Larry and Kitty are the only ones at the hotel, as their spouses can't make it. Stuck together for the trip, Larry and Kitty, surprisingly, fall in love. The two must now contemplate whether starting over is worth it at middle age.
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The Facts of Life

Critics Reviews

View All (2) Critics Reviews
Dwight MacDonald Esquire Magazine Mr. Hope and Miss Ball have become hardened in the mold of situation-comedy, skilled at gags and double-takes, but no longer able to simulate real people. Jul 23, 2019 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews A mild satire on an adulterous affair between bored suburbanites. Rated: B- Nov 18, 2009 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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steve d Cute but completely forgettable. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Although I grew up with Bob Hope, he is not funny here or anywhere. His "humor" grows worse and worse with age. Lucy is not funny or capable of acting, outside of her interactions with Desi Arnaz and Vivian Vance. This movie is another dud, something Lucy became famous for after the wild popularity of the 1950s. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Audience Member Very funny and so true Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Audience Member Oddly semi-serious Bob Hope and Lucille Ball comedy. Bob and Lucille are both trapped in separate loveless marriages but have a fling in Acapulco when they find themselves there without their spouses. Most of the film takes place after they return home and find themselves seeing each other at bridge parties and other social situations and the two then decide to continue seeing each other secretly. Bob is still filled with snapping one line zingers, but the drama lays our fairly seriously, though the film has (SPOILER ALERT!) a very disappointing and dated ending where the two "come to their senses" and decide it's better for their families to stay in a loveless marriage. Overall, it's an interesting change of pace for Hope and the drama plays out fairly well despite his out of place zingers. Saul Bass provided one of his usual cool title sequences. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/31/23 Full Review Audience Member ***Due to the recent RT changes that have basically ruined my past reviews, I am mostly only giving a rating rather than a full review.*** Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Audience Member Pretty good movie and Lucille Ball and Bob Hope were good and had great chemistry in this movie. It's just hard to see Lucille Ball play another character other then Lucy Ricardo. But this is a great movie to watch at home. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Facts of Life

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Movie Info

Synopsis The Gilberts, Larry (Bob Hope) and Mary (Ruth Hussey), and the Weavers, Jack (Don DeFore) and Kitty (Lucille Ball), are neighbors and close friends -- even though Larry and Kitty always grate on each other's nerves. When the friends' annual vacation arrives, Larry and Kitty are the only ones at the hotel, as their spouses can't make it. Stuck together for the trip, Larry and Kitty, surprisingly, fall in love. The two must now contemplate whether starting over is worth it at middle age.
Director
Melvin Frank
Producer
Norman Panama
Screenwriter
Melvin Frank, Norman Panama
Distributor
United Artists
Production Co
HLP
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 14, 1960, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 16, 2008
Runtime
1h 43m
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