''Sweet November'' is a 1968 American

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...

film written by

Herman Raucher Herman Raucher (born April 13, 1928) is an American author and screenwriter. He is best known for writing the autobiographical screenplay and novel ''Summer of '42'', which became one of the highest-grossing films and one of the best selling nove ...

and starring

Sandy Dennis Sandra Dale Dennis (April 27, 1937 – March 2, 1992) was an American actress. She made her film debut in the drama ''Splendor in the Grass'' (1961). For her performance in the comedy-drama film ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' (1966), she rec ...

Anthony Newley Anthony Newley (24 September 1931 – 14 April 1999) was an English actor, singer, songwriter, and filmmaker. A "latter-day British Al Jolson", he achieved widespread success in song, and on stage and screen. "One of Broadway's greatest leading ...

and

Theodore Bikel Theodore Meir Bikel ( ; May 2, 1924 – July 21, 2015) was an Austrian-American actor, folk singer, musician, composer, unionist, and political activist. He appeared in films, including '' The African Queen'' (1951), ''Moulin Rouge'' (1952), ' ...

. The film originally had been written as a stage play by Raucher, but before it was performed,

Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...

got wind of the project and paid Raucher $100,000 () to stop work on the play and adapt it as a screenplay.. A 2001 remake also titled '' Sweet November'' starred

Keanu Reeves Keanu Charles Reeves ( ; born September 2, 1964) is a Canadian actor. Born in Beirut and raised in Toronto, Reeves began acting in theatre productions and in television films before making his feature film debut in '' Youngblood'' (1986). ...

and

Charlize Theron Charlize Theron ( ; ; born 7 August 1975) is a South African and American actress and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actresses, she is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. In 20 ...

Plot

Successful British box manufacturer Charlie Blake (

) meets Sara Deever (

) when they both take a driver's exam in New York City. She tries to get a few answers from him, but he gets expelled for cheating. They run into each other later and go out on a date. When they return to her apartment, Charlie meets Alonzo (

), Sara's older, vegetarian friend. Then Richard (

Sandy Baron Sandy Baron (born Sanford Irving Beresofsky; May 5, 1936 – January 21, 2001) was an American actor and comedian who performed on stage, in films, and on television. Early life Sanford Beresofsky was born in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in th ...

) bursts in; he begs her to let him stay with her, but she has already packed his bag. After he leaves, Charlie asks her why Richard referred to him as his successor. She explains that she has a "special therapy program": She takes in a man for no longer than a month to diagnose and fix whatever problem he has. Richard was October, and she wants him to be November. She believes his trouble is his devotion to his work. Charlie accepts, though he is only interested in a short fling. He tells his employee, Digby (

King Moody Robert "King" Moody (December 6, 1929 – February 7, 2001) was an American actor, best known for playing Shtarker in the television series ''Get Smart'' and for his portrayal as Ronald McDonald in the McDonald's commercials from 1969 to 1985. ...

), to send him a telegram after a week so he will have an excuse to leave. As November progresses, however, Charlie begins to fall in love (for the first time in his life) with the unorthodox Sara. When he gets the prearranged telegram, he telephones Digby to tell him to handle an important business meeting by himself. Clem Batchman (

Burr DeBenning Burris Franklin DeBenning (September 21, 1936 – May 26, 2003) was an American character actor who worked in both film and television. Early years The son of Mr. and Mrs. M.J. DeBenning, he was born in Seminole, Oklahoma, and grew up in Still ...

), another of Sara's projects, shows up, inciting Charlie's jealousy, until Sara informs him that he just wants to introduce her to his fiancée, Carol (

Marj Dusay Marjorie Ellen Mahoney Dusay (; née Mahoney; February 20, 1936 – January 28, 2020) was an American actress known for her roles on American soap operas. She was especially known for her role as Alexandra Spaulding on ''Guiding Light'', a role s ...

). Charlie becomes troubled by certain signs that Sara may be ill. When he asks Alonzo, his worst fears are confirmed: Sara has only a little time left. She lives as she does so that she will be remembered after she is gone. Charlie tries hard to get her to break her self-imposed rule, and believes he has succeeded. She later admits to Alonzo that, unlike all the others, she has fallen for Charlie, but wants him to remember her as she is now. Thus, when December (and a clumsy Gordon) arrives, she has secretly packed November's bag. Charlie reluctantly leaves, promising he will never forget her.

Cast

as Sara Deever *

as Charlie Blake *

as Alonzo *

as Clem Batchman *

as Richard *

as Carol * Martin West as Gordon *

Virginia Vincent Virginia Vincent (May 3, 1918 – October 3, 2013) was an American film, television and theatre actress. She was known for playing the role of "Jennie Blake" in the 1958 film ''The Return of Dracula''. Vincent died in October 2013, at the ...

as Mrs. Schumacher *

as Digby * Robert Gibbons as Sam Naylor

Audrey Hepburn Audrey Hepburn (born Audrey Kathleen Ruston; 4 May 1929 – 20 January 1993) was a British actress and humanitarian. Recognised as both a film and fashion icon, she was ranked by the American Film Institute as the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, t ...

originally was announced for the lead.

Home media

On March 22, 2009, the film was released on DVD by Warner Bros.

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sweet November (1968 film) 1968 films 1960s romantic comedy-drama films American films based on plays American romantic comedy-drama films Films directed by Robert Ellis Miller Films scored by Michel Legrand Films set in New York City Films shot in New York City Films with screenplays by Herman Raucher Warner Bros. films 1968 comedy films 1968 drama films Films produced by Elliott Kastner 1960s English-language films 1960s American films