How to Murder Your Wife

"Here you are in the prime of life. A handsome figure of a man, successful in business, adored by one and all. In fact, it could be said that you had it made, except for the one thing."
"I'm a lousy lawyer, huh?"
"No, you're married."

Stanley Ford (Lemmon) writes a successful comic strip and is a confirmed bachelor.  He has a routine and a dedicated valet, Charles (Thomas).  His life is good.  While extremely intoxicated at a friend's bachelor party, Stanley inadvertently get married.  The next morning he learns that his wife (Lisi) doesn't speak any English.

His lawyer, Harold Lampson (Mayehoff), refuses to get him a divorce and welcomes him into the world of marriage.  Charles quits and Stanley's wife begins to change things... so he incorporates her into his comic strip.  Can Stanley's life ever return to normal?


The summer after I graduated from college, I used to get together with two friends and watch movies.  We would get Chinese food and borrow 2 movies from the college library (from within the same decade or year) and spend the afternoon / evening watching movies.  This was one of the films we watched... based on the title alone. I was delighted to find the film on Netflix instant streaming and immediately added it to my queue.  Watching the film brought an incredible sense of nostalgia.

It is an entertaining film... and definitely is not what you'd expect.  The film opens with Terry-Thomas' Charles narrating about Stanley's life, and giving the audience a tour of the apartment.  The Charles character repeatedly breaks the 4th wall and speaks directly to the audience, but is the only character to do so.  After the initial setup of Stanley's lifestyle, and then the bachelor party where he meets his wife, the film does not play out the way you would expect.  The climax is unexpected, and the outcome is also a surprise... which is rare in film, especially comedies.

My roommate mocked the film title, and joked about watching a "how to" film (like when I watched How to Marry a Millionaire).  While I enjoy the film, I think men will appreciate it more... based on the courtroom scene and the life philosophy of the main characters.  An enjoyable ride with an excellent cast, Lemmon and Thomas are always entertaining.

How to Murder Your Wife (1965) 118 minutes
Director: Richard Quine
Starring: Jack Lemmon as Stanley Ford
Virna Lisi as Mrs. Ford
Terry-Thomas as Charles Firbank
Eddie Mayehoff as Harold Lampson
Claire Trevor as Edna Lampson
Sidney Blackmer as Judge Blackstone