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The Impossible Years
The Impossible Years
	Theatrical poster
Directed by	Michael Gordon
Screenplay by	George Wells
Based on	The Impossible Years; 1965 play; by Bob Fisher; Arthur Marx
Produced by	Lawrence Weingarten
Starring	David Niven;
Cinematography	William H. Daniels
Edited by	James E. Newcom
Music by	Don Costa
Production; company	Marten Productions
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date	December 5, 1968 (New York City);
Running time	98 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$5.8 million (North America)

The Impossible Years is a 1968 American comedy film directed by Michael Gordon, and starring David Niven. The film also features Lola Albright, Chad Everett, Ozzie Nelson in his final film appearance, and Cristina Ferrare, who was 17 years old at the time the film was shot. It is based upon the 1965 play of the same name by Bob Fisher and Arthur Marx, the son of Groucho Marx, and was adapted for the screen by George Wells.

The eponymous theme song was written by The Tokens and performed by The Cowsills.

Plot

Jonathan Kingsley is a professor of psychiatry at the local university. An author of numerous books on parenting, he and wife Alice are raising two teenage daughters. The elder, Linda, 17, begins to display uncharacteristic behavior: walking as if on air, smiling incessantly for no reason, cleaning up her room daily, showing politeness toward her little sister, and more. It is suspected that she has lost her virginity while on a school field trip to Catalina Island, and Kingsley's general practitioner confirms this. Linda, while being interrogated, admits as much, and she reveals that she is married. She insists on concealing the identity of her husband until the film's conclusion.

Cast

David Niven as Jonathan Kingsley
Lola Albright as Alice Kingsley
Chad Everett as Richard Merrick
Ozzie Nelson as Dr. Herbert Fleischer
Cristina Ferrare as Linda Kingsley
Darleen Carr as Abbey Kingsley
Jeff Cooper as Bartholmew Smuts
John Harding as Dean Harvey Rockwell
Rich Chalet as Freddie Fleischer
Mike McGreevey as Andy McClaine
Don Beddoe as Dr. Elliot Fish
Louise Lorimer as Mrs. Celia Fish
Karen Norris as Mrs. Rockwell
Susan French as Miss Hammer
Trudi Ames as Francine
Edward McKinley as Dr. Pepperell
Ned Wertimer as Dr. Bodey

Production

MGM bought the film rights to the play in 1965 for $350,000.^[2] George Wells completed the script by March 1966.^[3] MGM announced it for production in August 1966. The movie was greenlit by the team of Robert O'Brien and Robert M. Weitman.^[4] Filming took place in October 1967.

At one stage, Peter Sellers was announced for the lead^[5] but by May, David Niven had been signed. Christina Ferrare, who played Niven's nubile daughter, had been under contract to 20th Century Fox for a year.^[6] The film featured the final movie performance of Ozzie Nelson.^[7]

Release

The Impossible Years premiered at New York City's Radio City Music Hall on December 5, 1968.^[8]

Box office

The film was a box-office hit, earning $5.8 million in rentals in North America,^[1] making it the 17th most popular movie at the U.S. box office in 1969.^[9]

Critical response

Critical reaction to The Impossible Years was overwhelmingly negative.^[10]

Home media

The Warner Archive Collection released The Impossible Years on an MOD DVD-R on May 16, 2011.^[11]

Adaptations

In 1970, it was reported that Jackie Cooper and Bob Finkel had written a pilot script for a TV adaptation of the play for NBC.^[12]

References

^ ^a ^b ""Big Rental Films of 1969"". Variety. 7 January 1970. p. 15.
^ Smith, Cecil. (October 15, 1965). "'Impossible Years' Has All Possible Comedy Ingredients". Los Angeles Times. p. d13.
^ Martin, Betty (March 31, 1966). "'Impossible' Script Ready". Los Angeles Times. p. d17.
^ Martin, Betty (August 9, 1966). "Top Role for Candy Bergen". Los Angeles Times. p. c9.
^ "MGM Plans 14 Films on 1967 Budget". Los Angeles Times. January 25, 1967. p. d10.
^ Haber, Joyce. (October 12, 1967). "Cindy: She Came to Work, Not Play". Los Angeles Times. p. e15.
^ Fristoe, Robert. "The Impossible Years". Turner Classic Monthly. Archived from the original on December 21, 2014.
^ "Cristina in Town". New York Daily News. November 27, 1968. p. 51 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "The World's Top Twenty Films." Sunday Times [London] September 27, 1970: 27. The Sunday Times Digital Archive.
^ Champlin, Charles (February 9, 1969). "The Wonder of Hollywood's Movie Decisions". Los Angeles Times. p. t1.
^ "The Impossible Years DVD-R". Oldies.com. Archived from the original on August 29, 2022.
^ Haber, Joyce (October 19, 1970). "Hairdresser Just for Julie, Warren". Los Angeles Times. p. c18.