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Cactus Flower

Play trailer Poster for Cactus Flower PG 1969 1h 43m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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85% Tomatometer 20 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Distraught when her middle-aged lover breaks a date with her, 21-year-old Toni Simmons (Goldie Hawn) attempts suicide. Impressed by her action, her lover, dentist Julian Winston (Walter Matthau) reconsiders marrying Toni, but he worries about her insistence on honesty. Having fabricated a wife and three children, Julian readily accepts when his devoted nurse, Stephanie (Ingrid Bergman), who has secretly loved Julian for years, offers to act as his wife and demand a divorce.
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Cactus Flower

Critics Reviews

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Myles Standish St. Louis Post-Dispatch Jun 15, 2022
One of the funniest light comedies of the year. Go to Full Review Variety Staff Variety Mar 26, 2009
The plot [from the play by Abe Burrows, based on a French play by Barillet & Gredy] is minimal and the lines are somewhat stilted and hollow, but if the direction was tighter and the mood kept light and airy it might have worked. Go to Full Review Howard Thompson New York Times May 10, 2005
It comes as a pleasing jolt to find the youngster, Goldie Hawn, at the apex of the triangle, not only beautifully holding her own with the two veteran stars but also enhancing the content and flavor of the movie. Go to Full Review Hazel Garland New Pittsburgh Courier Jun 15, 2022
Ingrid Bergman stars in her first Hollywood film in 20 years, and is as usual great. Walter Matthau is always wonderful, but TV's Goldie Hawn almost steals the picture. She should get an Oscar nomination for her role as "Toni." Go to Full Review Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com Feb 19, 2018
A-
this is a 1969 romantic comedy with style, wit, charm, sophistication, and several delightful moments of women's lib in action. It also happens to be a great time capsule of late '60s fashion, music, and culture in Manhattan. Go to Full Review TV Guide May 8, 2017
2/5
A misfire despite the presence of many of filmdom's best talents. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Bill T. @btreakle Jun 1, 2026 Loved this one! Goldie Hawn and Walter Matthau were superb in this story of love. See more Horror fan 4 @Horrorfan4life May 31, 2026 A star studded cast of veteran actors and new commer Goldie hawn drive this screwball comedy. My favorite scene is when they're all on the dance floor. Goldie is amazing in this movie. Well deserving of all the awards she won. I love the story of how I lie turns into one of the best movies I've ever seen. Tim Treakle See more Katherine V @KittKat Mar 24, 2026 Worth the time. Acting good & nice trip down memory lane visually See more James G P @AlbertJay Feb 23, 2026 Goldie Hawn bravely tries to carry the movie through to its oh-so-predictable outcome, but the casting is mostly wrong and the script, weak. The saving grace is that it's kind of a hoot to see the stilted portrayal of the Swinging 60's: the hair, the outfits, the dancing, the slang. See more CodyZamboni Z @CodyZamboni Dec 21, 2025 Amusing movie. As Walter Matthau, a womanizing dentist asks his assistant, Ingrid Bergman, to pose as his wife, so he can continue his affair with Goldie Hawn, Awkwardly amusing situations ensue, Movie bouyed by its' likeable stars, and one big laugh out loud moment, Star making performance by the charming Goldie Hawn as a naive ditz who soon wises up real fast, Most surprising, a wonderful comedic turn by Ingrid Bergman, And yeah, you can see the ending coming a mile away, but it’s still fun getting there. See more thiago s @Thiagostone Oct 20, 2025 Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom See more Read all reviews
Cactus Flower

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Cast & Crew

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Gene Saks

Director

Walter Matthau

Dr. Julian Winston

Ingrid Bergman

Stephanie Dickinson

Goldie Hawn

Toni Simmons

Jack Weston

Harvey Greenfield

Rick Lenz

Igor Sullivan

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Cactus Flower

Cactus Flower (1969) Cactus Flower (1969) Cactus Flower (1969) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Distraught when her middle-aged lover breaks a date with her, 21-year-old Toni Simmons (Goldie Hawn) attempts suicide. Impressed by her action, her lover, dentist Julian Winston (Walter Matthau) reconsiders marrying Toni, but he worries about her insistence on honesty. Having fabricated a wife and three children, Julian readily accepts when his devoted nurse, Stephanie (Ingrid Bergman), who has secretly loved Julian for years, offers to act as his wife and demand a divorce.
Director
Gene Saks
Producer
M.J. Frankovich
Screenwriter
I.A.L. Diamond
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Production Co
Columbia Pictures Corporation, Frankovich Productions
Rating
PG
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 16, 1969, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 16, 2012
Runtime
1h 43m
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