In Steve Martin’s fourth collaboration with director Carl Reiner, Martin plays Roger Cobb – an idealistic lawyer (and part-time be-bop jazz guitarist), half of whose body is possessed by the spirit of Lily Tomlin’s dead and unpleasantly crotchety millionairess, Edwina Cutwater.
In a bizarre reincarnation scheme, Edwina’s soul had been aimed at the body of beautiful Terry Hoskins (Victoria Tennant) at the moment of the sickly woman’s last breath. But her plan takes a wrong turn, and her soul winds up sharing Cobb’s body with him.
It’s an uneven effort, but Martin provides a feast of physical comedy as he simultaneously walks and talks as half-man, half-woman.
Character actor Richard Libertini – as wacky Swami Prahka Lasa – is the next best thing to Steve Martin in the film, while Victoria Tennant seems wasted in a role that is too uptight.
Roger Cobb Steve Martin
Edwina Cutwater
Lily Tomlin
Terry Hoskins
Victoria Tennant
Peggy Schuyler
Madolyn Smith Prahka Lasa
Richard Libertini
Burton Schuyler
Dana Elcar
Tyrone Wattell
Jason Bernard
Margo
Selma Diamond
Fred Hoskins
Eric Christmas
Fulton Norris
Gailard Sartain
Gretchen
Neva Patterson
Mr Mifflin
Michael Ensign Dr Betty Ahrens
Peggy Feury
