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What a Way to Go! Photos

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Movie Info

After attempting to donate $200 million to the Internal Revenue Service, Louisa (Shirley MacLaine) finds herself in the care of a psychiatrist, Dr. Stephanson (Bob Cummings). She relates the improbable story behind her strange gift. It includes a pair of penniless husbands (Dick Van Dyke, Paul Newman), who build large fortunes before suffering early -- and unusual -- deaths. To break the curse, Louisa weds a millionaire (Robert Mitchum), then a clown (Gene Kelly), without much improvement.

Genre:

comedy
Original Language:

English
Director:

J. Lee Thompson
Producer:

Arthur P. Jacobs
Release Date (Streaming):

Nov 25, 2015
Runtime:

1h 51m

Cast & Crew

Shirley MacLaine
Louisa May Foster

Paul Newman
Larry Flint

Robert Mitchum
Rod Anderson, Jr.

Dean Martin
Leonard "Lennie" Crawley

Gene Kelly
Pinky Benson

Bob Cummings
Dr. Victor Stephanson

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Critic Reviews for What a Way to Go!

All Critics (9) | Top Critics (3) | Fresh (2) | Rotten (7)

Hard to define but easy to recommend; the 20th-Fox presentation is a funny musical comedy, or comedy with music, with all the glamour that Hollywood can throw into one film, and a high-powered cast to light the marquee.

May 15, 2018 | Full Review…

James Powers
Hollywood Reporter
J. Lee Thompson's direction has failed to coalesce a good, firm farce. It lets the whole thing flap wildly -- and that's no way to make a film.

June 17, 2008 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…

Bosley Crowther
New York Times
A big, gaudy, gimmicky comedy which continually promises more than it delivers by way of wit and/or bellylaffs.

June 17, 2008 | Full Review…

Variety Staff
Variety
What a Way to Go is supposed to have cost six million dollars, which averages out to about a million and half a laugh.

March 16, 2020 | Full Review…

Joan Didion
Vogue
[Spells] out each joke for the slow readers and then repeating it for those who can't read at all.

August 13, 2019 | Full Review…

Dwight MacDonald
Esquire Magazine
The talents of an incredible group of actors are pooled for this effervescent comedy that was originally conceived as a starring vehicle for Marilyn Monroe.

August 16, 2017 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Matt Brunson
Creative Loafing
A star vehicle for Shirley MacLaine, Thompson's film is a tediously episodic black comedy about a wealthy widow and her five husbands; Newman, Mitchum, and Martin are all wasted.

June 11, 2010 | Rating: C- | Full Review…

Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
The fact was that it simply wasn't very funny.

June 17, 2008 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…

TV Guide
An unappealing episodic black comedy that gets stuck in its own silliness.

February 9, 2005 | Rating: C | Full Review…

Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

View All Critic Reviews (9)

Audience Reviews for What a Way to Go!

Nov 12, 2020

An expensive bauble that pretends to be a rare and unique gem but is actually only a shiny piece of glass. A glossy appearance, tons of glorious costumes, a cadre of character actors nodding their approval and loads of A-list big-name talent cannot hide that that is all that is there: a present that is all wrapping paper but no present. Blah.

Kevin M. W Super Reviewer
Jun 11, 2012

Silly shenanigans with Shirley a daffy delight as she works through a series of husbands and crazy production numbers. Her costumes have to be seen to be believed.

jay n Super Reviewer
Nov 19, 2008

A delightful confection of a movie made primarily to showcase Edith Head's sumptuous outfits. It's really an experience to see all these big stars having a grand old time f-cking each other in a big glass of champagne. A satire of sorts, but the main purpose of seeing this movie is to have FUN, because you're never gonna see anything like this again.

Jennifer X Super Reviewer