Don't Drink the Water (1969 film)
Don't Drink the Water is a 1969 American comedy film starring Jackie Gleason and Estelle Parsons.[2] It is directed by Howard Morris and based upon a 1966 play Don't Drink the Water by Woody Allen. The supporting cast includes Ted Bessell and Joan Delaney.
| Don't Drink the Water | |
|---|---|
 Film poster by Sandy Kossin | |
| Directed by | Howard Morris |
| Produced by | Charles H. Joffe A Jack Rollins and Charles H. Joffe Production Executive producer Joseph E. Levine |
| Written by | R. S. Allen and Harvey Bullock |
| Based on | Don't Drink the Water by Woody Allen |
| Starring | Jackie Gleason Estelle Parsons Ted Bessell Joan Delaney |
| Music by | Pat Williams |
| Cinematography | Harvey Genkins |
| Edited by | Ralph Rosenblum A.C.E. (editorial supervision) |
| Distributed by | Avco Embassy Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 100 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
In 1994, Allen remade the story as the television film Don't Drink the Water, with himself as Walter Hollander.[3]
Plot
Walter Hollander, a caterer, is on vacation with his wife Marion and daughter Susan. While flying to Athens, their plane is hijacked to Vulgaria, behind the Iron Curtain. While waiting for the plane to be cleared to take off again, Marion insists they go outside and take a few pictures. Unfortunately they are in a restricted area so the secret police suspect them of being spies. Inspector Krojak sends a squad of soldiers with machine guns to arrest them, and the Hollanders flee to the car of the American ambassador which is parked nearby.
The Hollanders take refuge in the U.S. Embassy nearby. The ambassador is away, leaving only his inept son Axel Magee to grant the Hollanders political asylum. Picketers protest outside the embassy as everyone tries to figure a way out. Walter and Marion even don a sultan's robes and attempt to sneak out with his party, but complicating matters further is that Susan has fallen in love with Axel.
Cast
- Jackie Gleason as Walter Hollander
- Estelle Parsons as Marion Hollander
- Ted Bessell as Axel Magee
- Joan Delaney as Susan Hollander
- Michael Constantine as Krojack
- Howard St. John as Ambassador Magee
- Danny Meehan as Kilroy
- Richard Libertini as Father Drobney
- Avery Schreiber as The Sultan
- Mark Gordon as Mirik
- Phil Leeds as Sam
References
External links
- Don't Drink the Water at the American Film Institute Catalog
- Don't Drink the Water at IMDb
- Don't Drink the Water at the TCM Movie Database