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Such Good Friends

Such Good Friends
SuchGoodFriendsPoster.jpg
Theatrical release film poster by Saul Bass
Directed by Otto Preminger
Produced by Otto Preminger
Written by Esther Dale
Based on Such Good Friends
by Lois Gould
Starring Dyan Cannon
James Coco
Jennifer O'Neill
Music by Thomas Z. Shepard
Cinematography Gayne Rescher
Edited by Harry Howard
Production
company
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date
  • December 21, 1971 (1971-12-21)
Running time
102 minutes
Country United States
Language English

Such Good Friends is a 1971 American comedy-drama film directed by Otto Preminger. The screenplay by Esther Dale (a pseudonym for Elaine May) is based on the novel of the same title by Lois Gould. The film stars Dyan Cannon, James Coco, and Jennifer O'Neill.

Manhattanite Julie Messinger, a complacent housewife and mother of two raucous young sons, is married to Richard, a chauvinistic and self-centered magazine art director and author of a best-selling children's book. When he falls into a coma during minor surgery to remove a nonmalignant mole on his neck, Julie learns from his doctor, Dr. Timmy Spector, that another surgeon nicked his artery, necessitating a blood transfusion to which he had a rare allergic reaction. The following day, Julie is told Richard has overcome the reaction, but his liver has sustained serious damage requiring immediate treatment. In quick succession, all his organs begin to fail.

While trying to comfort Julie, family friend Cal Whiting reveals his girlfriend Miranda has confessed to having had a lengthy affair with Richard. Distressed by the news, Julie seeks advice from her egocentric mother but finds herself unable to discuss her husband's infidelity. She decides to confront Miranda and asks her what future she anticipated having with her husband. Miranda confesses she and Richard are deeply in love and have discussed marriage, although thus far she has been unable to make such a permanent commitment.

Julie begins to unravel emotionally. She visits Cal, whose attempted seduction of her fails due to impotence. At the hospital, she tells the unconscious Richard she will never divorce him and vows to ruin his reputation. Timmy invites her to his apartment for drinks and admits he was aware of Richard's affair not only with Miranda, but with other women as well, and kept them secret out of a sense of loyalty to his friend. Stunned and confused, Julie lashes out at Timmy, then seduces him, and he succumbs to her advances.

At home later that evening, Julie finds a black book in Richard's desk and realizes it contains coded data about his numerous extramarital affairs, many of them with her friends. She gives it to Cal, who then shows it to Miranda to prove she was just one of Richard's many conquests. The following day, Richard goes into cardiac arrest, and Julie realizes she wants him to survive despite his betrayal of her. When Timmy reports her husband has died, a grieving Julie takes her sons for a walk in Central Park to contemplate their future.


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