I Will, I Will for Now

Director: Norman Panama Norman Panama

Overview

Norman Panama directed and wrote (along with Albert E. Lewin) this mediocre piece of fluff about unhappily divorced marriage partners. Elliot Gould stars as Les Bingham, who takes umbrage that his ex-wife Katie (Diane Keaton) has a new love in life. What Les doesn't realize is that her new paramour is lawyer Lou Springer (Paul Sorvino). When Katie's sister Sally (Candy Clark) arrives and tells the two about her new, hip '70s marriage contract, Les and Katie decide to try to get together again under a more liberal marriage contract, like Katie's sister. But, unfortunately for the couple, the contract is planted with the seeds of self-destruction, having been drafted by Lou.

Product Details

Release Date:	03/19/2013
UPC:	0883316744956
Original Release:	1976
Rating:	R
Source:	Warner Archives
Region Code:	A
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[monaural, Dolby Digital]
Language:	English
Time:	1:48:00
Sales rank:	47,347

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Elliott Gould	Les Bingham
Diane Keaton	Katie Bingham
Paul Sorvino	Lou Springer
Victoria Principal	Jackie Martin
Robert Alda	Dr. Magnus
Madge Sinclair	Dr. Williams
Warren Berlinger	Steve Martin
Candy Clark	Sally Bingham
Carmen Zapata	Maria
George Tyne	Marriage Counselor
George Barrie	Composer
John Cameron	Composer

Technical Credits

Norman Panama

Albert E. Lewin

George Barrie	Producer
Norman Panama	Director,Screenwriter
Albert E. Lewin	Screenwriter
Dick Alexander	Sound/Sound Designer
Tex Rudloff	Sound/Sound Designer
Vern Poore	Sound/Sound Designer
Lawrence O. Jost	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

Considering the talent of its stars, it's amazing that I Will, I Will. . .For Now is as deadly as it is. The problem, as is so often the case, is the screenplay. Specifically, the problem is that I Will is the spirit of a 1950's sex comedy trapped in the would-be hip body of a 1970's comedy. Not that this is the only problem with the script; it also has some of the flattest dialogue one can imagine. There's nothing that comes close to sparkling, nothing that even begins to know what a quip is. It doesn't help either that the plot is labored and nonsensical, either. But it's that "time warp" aspect that really ends up sinking the affair. It's totally dishonest, and it makes the entire affair plastic and unrealistic. A really first rate director might have been able to salvage I Will -- not save it, but salvage it. But Norman Panama's direction is almost as leaden as his writing. As a result, Diane Keaton is given no chance to exercise her unique comic personality or delicate charm, and Elliott Gould's worst qualities keep coming to the fore. Add in the fact that the stars have zero chemistry in this flick, and the result is a total waste of everyone's time.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler