In 10 (aka as Ten), a semi-successful farce written and directed by Blake Edwards, a composer (Dudley Moore) going through a midlife crisis meets a fantasy girl (Bo Derek at her most seductive)–she’s easily the perfect 10 on a scale of 1 to 10.
Grade: B
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Theatrical release poster by John Alvin
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However, when it comes to real, durable relationships, he realizes that he’s much better off with an intelligent and mature woman like Julie Andrews (Edwards’ real-life wife).
Dudley Moore was a last-minute replacement for George Segal. Edwards sued Segal and won $270,000.
During a surprise 42nd birthday party for the wealthy and famous composer George Webber thrown by his actress girlfriend Samantha Taylor, George realizes he is unable to cope with his age.
Glimpsing a bride on her way to be married, George is instantly obsessed with her beauty. Following her to the church, he crashes into a police cruiser, stung by a bee and nearly disrupts the wedding ceremony.
Later that night, Sam and George argue over his treatment of women and his habit of spying on the intimate acts of neighbor (which later turns out to be consensual).
George visits the reverend who performed the wedding and learns that the woman is Jenny Miles, the daughter of prominent Beverly Hills dentist.
Accidents and embarrassments continue. While spying on his neighbor, George hits himself with the telescope and falls down an embankment, causing him to miss Sam’s phone call.
Still obsessed with Jenny, he schedules dental appointment with her father and learns that Jenny and husband David have gone to Mexico for honeymoon.
The effects of comically implausible amount of treatment accompanied by heavy dose of Novocain, aggravated by immediate heavy drinking, leave George incoherent.
Sam finally reaches him on the phone, but mistakes him for intruder and calls the police, who hold George at gunpoint while trying to understand his gibberish. George visits his neighbor’s house to take part in ongoing orgy, but Sam spots him through his telescope, widening the rift between them.
George impulsively boards a plane to follow the newlyweds to their resort in Mexico. In the bar, George encounters old acquaintance Mary Lewis, who lacks self-confidence. Later, Mary interprets George’s inadequacy in bed as confirmation of her own insecurities.
At the beach, George sees Jenny in swimsuit, awestruck again by her beauty. Noticing that her husband has fallen asleep on a surfboard, George rents a catamaran and rescues David, making him a hero.
David is hospitalized with sunburn, allowing Jenny and George to spend time alone together. Jenny smokes marijuana and seduces George, but he is horrified when Jenny takes a call from David and casually informs him of George’s presence. George is even more confused with David’s complete lack of concern. Jenny explains their open and honest relationship and reveals that she married David only because of pressure from her father. George realizes that Jenny sees their tryst as nothing more than a casual fling.
After flying home, George reconciles with Sam by demonstrating new maturity. George takes an idea from Jenny when he starts Boléro on his phonograph (lasting the appropriate duration for lovemaking) and he makes love with Sam in full view of the neighbor’s telescope, but the neighbor, frustrated that he provides erotic entertainment for George and gets nothing in return, is not watching.
Cast
Dudley Moore as George Webber
Julie Andrews as Samantha Taylor
Bo Derek as Jenny Hanley
Robert Webber as Hugh
Dee Wallace as Mary Lewis
Sam J. Jones as David Hanley
Nedra Volz as Mrs. Kissell
Brian Dennehy as Don, The Bartender
Max Showalter as Reverend
Peter Sellers as Night Club Drummer (cameo, scene cut)
Credits:
Directed. written by Blake Edwards
Produced by Edwards, Tony Adams
Cinematography Frank Stanley
Edited by Ralph E. Winters
Music by Henry Mancini; Maurice Ravel
Production company: Orion Pictures
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release date: October 5, 1979
Running time: 122 minutes
Budget $6 million
Box office $74.8 million
Reel/Real Impact
As a result of this movie, Bo Derek set the fashion for hairstyles in 1980, the first time an actress had done so since Debbie Reynolds’ pigtails in the 1950s.
One of the last Edwards films to be a commercial success, 10 occupied the seventh position of 1979 most popular pictures.
Release date: October 5, 1979
Oscar Context:
The film was nominated for two Oscars:
Best Song, “It’s Easy to Say,” music by Henry Mancini and lyrics by Robert Wells
Best Original Score by Mancini.
The winners in those categories were David Shire and Norman Gimbel for “It Goes Like It Goes,” from Norma Rae, and Georges Delerue, who scored A Little Romance.
