Three on a Couch is a 1966 American comedy film directed by and starring Jerry Lewis. Filmed from September 13-December 1, 1965, it was released on July 7, 1966 by Columbia Pictures. Co-starring are Janet Leigh, Leslie Parrish, Mary Ann Mobley, James Best and Kathleen Freeman.
Three on a Couch | |
---|---|
Directed by | Jerry Lewis |
Produced by | Jerry Lewis |
Written by | Bob Ross Samuel A. Taylor |
Story by | Arne Sultan Marvin Worth |
Starring | Jerry Lewis Janet Leigh James Best Mary Ann Mobley Kathleen Freeman |
Music by | Louis Brown |
Cinematography | W. Wallace Kelley |
Edited by | Russel Wiles |
Production company | Jerry Lewis Productions |
Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 102 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $2,875,000 (est. US/ Canada rentals) 464,995 admissions (France) |
Screenplay
Christopher Pride wants to marry his girlfriend, Dr. Elizabeth Acord. However, she is too involved with her patients and she doesn't think that she would be able to leave them to live in Paris for a year. Pride decides to solve her patients' problems after finding out that most of them are merely despondent after having relationships go bad. Therefore, he decides to "date" these women, without Acord's knowledge, and give them back their self-esteem so that they will be less dependent on their doctor.
The film comes to a climax when all the women, including the psychiatrist, assemble at a party with Pride present. He quickly switches from one character to the next depending on which woman is present.
Actor | Role |
---|---|
James Best | Dr. Benjamin Mizer |
Janet Leigh | Dr. Elizabeth Acord |
Jerry Lewis | Christopher Pride |
Leslie Parrish | Mary Lou Mauve |
Mary Ann Mobley | Susan Manning |
Gila Golan | Anna Jacque |
Kathleen Freeman | Murphy |
Buddy Lester | The Drunk |
Fritz Feld | The Attache |
This was the first film that Lewis made for Columbia after ending a 17-year partnership with Paramount Pictures. This is also the first film that Lewis directed in which he did not receive a screenwriting credit. Three on a Couch was listed in the 1978 book The Fifty Worst Films of All Time.
Comedians Buddy Lester and Fritz Feld have cameos. Janet Leigh previously co-starred with Lewis and Dean Martin in Living It Up.
Three on a Couch was released on DVD in a Jerry Lewis Triple Feature collection with Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River, and Hook, Line & Sinker on January 16, 2018.
- List of American films of 1966