Audience Member
I only became familiar with this film because I enjoy actress, Ali MacGraw, who I feel is a tremendously underrated actress. Curious to know what the hell this film even was, I then looked up the trailer which shows MacGraw chasing down Alan King in a high end department store, beating the hell out of him with a purse. I found it funny and it made me even more curious to see the film. And I'm glad that I did, because what I got is one of the most underrated comedies ever made.
Set in New York, the story is an unconventional love story. Max Herschel is the head of Herschel Industries, which owns a gamut of businesses from mines to sporting goods stores, making him extremely wealthy. He's shrewd, arrogant, prone to bursts of anger like a petulant child, and is also a womanizer.
He has a wife, of course. Her name is Connie, who is an alcoholic and currently at rehab, screwing her doctor. But aside from his wife, he has a plethora of beautiful women working for him who his secretary, Stella (Who is like a mother figure of sorts to Max), refers to as the Herschel scholars. Sex and business aren't his only dealings with them, as he also has their teeth fixed at an orthodontist and sends them off to get the best schooling.
But out of all the women in his life, one of his "scholars" who one could consider the star pupil and alumni of such an illustrious class is a television executive named Bones Burton, whom he has been involved with for many years. So much so, that even Max's own daughter, Baby, looks at her like a friend or even as something like a cool aunt. While he financed her studio, it's because of her that the station has won four Emmys.
Max and Bones act more like a long-time married couple than Max's own marriage to Connie. But, like anything that lasts for many years, the two have begun to hit a rough patch in their relationship. She wants something more from their relationship, feeling that their relationship isn't a whole lot more than sex, lavish apartments, and expensive jewelry. She's also recently had another abortion, which creates further friction because she didn't tell Max about it and he only found out about it after calling the doctor she mentioned.
Things in their relationship really take a turn for the worst when Max is in the process of acquiring a failing film studio called International Pictures, which he intends to bulldoze, turn into a sports stadium, and sell the studio's film negatives for $100 million. Not only will it be a win-win on the business end of his massive industrial empire, but he also can't help but relish the fact that he is buying it from a fellow businessman/frenemy, Seymour Berger, as a way to stick it to the old man.
Apparently, his grandson, Mike, isn't good with the numbers of the business and Seymour is also disappointed that his grandson will never give him and his wife, Marsha, grandchildren because he's a "pansy."
Bones, however, sees it as a new opportunity, as she is tired of the television business and begs Max to give her a chance to turn the studio around. Max scoffs at the idea, both out of arrogance as well as a genuine concern for her, given the vicious, unforgiving nature of the film industry.
Bones is crushed by this, but tries to move on. At her job at the television studio, she has been trying to get a young playwright named Steven Routledge to come on. Steven has recently made waves for his new play, which features an Arab terrorist as the hero. Certainly a head-turner and raiser of eyebrows, that's for certain.
After speaking with Steven on the phone, they finally have an in-person meeting. First at a restaurant and then she takes him back to her lavish apartment. There, while giving a tour, it seems that he knows quite a lot about Max (Such as his art collection, and how his taste is drastically different from hers). This is quite odd, as no one associated with Max talks about him, his personal life, or even what he collects (Employees are even required to sign a lifetime N.D.A.).
He himself is quite different from Max. He's more sensitive, knows more about the finer things despite not having the wealth of Max, and seems to genuinely care about Bones. Soon, Bones becomes smitten with him. She not only goes with him to his Vermont home, but also ends up marrying him.
Max is devastated to hear that Bones is now involved with someone else. But like a petulant child, does everything to cut her off. He strips the television studio away from her, hides as many of her assets as he can, has her apartment guarded to prevent her from taking things, and takes up a newer, younger mistress named Kathy.
Bones goes off to California with Steven to pursue the dream of adapting his play into a film, while Bones herself buys the rights to a novella in the hopes of turning it into a film. She even plans to spite Max by going onto a television program to talk about what Max is really like. But, she can't help but shake her old feelings for Max (Even after the department store fight resulting in God knows how many thousands of dollars in damages).
Max continues acting like a rich, petulant child, but it also becomes clear as time goes by that he, too, deeply cares for her still.
The story is rather unconventional for a love story, and admittedly, not very wholesome. A number of subject matters will be off-putting for viewers and some will probably even find it hard to like characters of such an elite status.
I'm not going to lie, these characters certainly aren't saintly. Far from it, but they were well developed enough to where I did actually care about their problems. You get a deeper sense of who they are behind all the luxury items. Max is arrogant, but also cares deeply for those in his life. Hell, he even backs down on certain issues when his secretary, Stella, calls him out for his behavior. Bones is strong and independent, but is also fragile at times, just trying to find the right path. These two have a far deeper, far more interesting relationship and dynamic than nine out of ten romantic comedies.
I also found it to be a very funny film, not only because of the setups, but also because it knows how to give breathing room for the plot and character development. Most other films would have the comedy be a frantic, shrill, irritating mess, that would constantly stumble over itself. This film knows how to take the time to evenly space out the setups and witty dialogue. It's not stuffed to the brim with comedy, but when it does have a comedic bit, it's damn funny. Quality over quantity, for sure.
The acting is also terrific. Alan King plays Max beautifully, whether it be as a sly fox with business and the ladies, bursts of foul-mouthed fury, or even just smaller, gentler moments. Ali MacGraw plays Bones just as well and throws herself into the role wholeheartedly. She's strong-willed, but also has a softer, guarded side to her. Plus, it's a hell of a lot of fun to watch her chase King around the department store, beating him with a purse or tackling him to the ground like one of those great screwball and slapstick comedies from the 30's and 40's. I was also delighted by Myrna Loy's performance as Stella, the level-headed, motherly secretary to Max.
Just Tell Me What You Want is one of the great, underrated comedies ever made. I found it to be a hilarious, clever, well-acted film that was a pure delight from beginning to end. I hope that one day this film gets rediscovered as it is the very definition of a diamond in the rough.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/26/23
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Audience Member
descent rom-com-dram
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
01/21/23
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Audience Member
A terrifically funny film that feels like an unsympathetic editor got ahold of before it's release. Alan King, in one of his few film showcases is a scream and Ali McGraw manages to reign in her excesses; There's very little nostril flaring. Definitely worth seeking out.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/04/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Ali MacGraw following Alan King into a New York department store--Bergdorf Goodman--and beating him with her purse. What other opening scene in a movie is as funny as this? And it gets better. Dina Merrill is funny too in a couple of scene-stealing efforts--she's always just about to shatter.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
02/03/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Fun comedy that has surprisingly good performances from Alan King and Ali MacGraw perhaps her best ever, which isn't setting the bar too high of course but she really is okay here. Myrna Loy offers excellent support as usual, this was her last theatrical feature and it's a much better role and picture than a lot of classic actresses had a chance to exit in.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/27/23
Full Review
Audience Member
An enjoyable comedy starring Ali MacGraw attacking her boyfriend Alan King in a department store--it's a great fight scene. And Myrna Loy is, of course, delightful as always!
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/24/23
Full Review
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