Cactus Flower (1969

Cactus Flower movie storyline. 21-year-old Toni Simmons (Goldie Hawn) and middle-aged married dentist Dr. Julian Winston (Walter Matthau) are in love. Toni values honesty above all else, but their relationship is based on a lie: Julian is not married. He initially told her this lie to avoid making a long-term commitment to her, but now he feels he might be ready to marry her, but her respect of honesty would keep him from telling him that he lied before, and he isn’t actually married.

Then, not wanting to be a homewrecker, Toni wants to meet the first Mrs. Dr. Winston to ensure that their marriage is over. So Julian asks his efficient, no-nonsense, loyal, devoted nurse/receptionist Stephanie Dickinson to pose as his wife. She’s the logical choice in his mind, as she already does many personal chores for him. Stephanie, a middle-aged spinster who hides any aspect of her femininity, reluctantly agrees to the ruse. Toni has more questions about her own relationship with Julian after meeting Stephanie than are answered. But in posing as Mrs. Dr. Winston, Stephanie begins to bloom much like the cactus plant on her desk. Conversely, Toni’s next-door neighbor, writer Igor Sullivan, has his own thoughts about what Toni should do with her life.

Cactus Flower is a 1969 American comedy film directed by Gene Saks and starring Walter Matthau, Ingrid Bergman, and Goldie Hawn, who won an Oscar for her performance. The screenplay was adapted by I. A. L. Diamond from the 1965 Broadway play of the same name written by Abe Burrows, which in turn was based upon the French play Fleur de cactus by Pierre Barillet and Jean-Pierre Gredy . The film was the ninth highest-grossing film of 1969.

Directed by: Gene Saks
Starring: Walter Matthau, Ingrid Bergman, Goldie Hawn, Jack Weston, Rick Lenz, Vito Scotti, Irene Hervey, Eve Bruce, Irwin Charone, Matthew Saks, Merriana Henriq, Peter Morrison Jacobs, Barbara Randolph, Mary Jane Mangler
Screenplay by: I. A. L. Diamond
Production Design by: Robert Clatworthy
Cinematography by: Charles Lang
Film Editing by: Maury Winetrobe
Costume Design by: Moss Mabry
Set Decoration by: Edward G. Boyle
Makeup Department: John O’Gorman
Music by: Quincy Jones
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Columbia Pictures
Release Date: December 16, 1969