Phffft! Reviews

PHFFFT! was based on an unproduced play that author Axelrod reshaped for the movies. It's basically the story of an estranged couple whose divorce doesn't work out. Lemmon is a bright attorney and Holliday writes TV soap operas. They are married, have no children, and live in a gorgeous home in the suburbs. But things aren't going smoothly between them, so Holliday goes to Reno for a quickie divorce and it's all over. But if that were the case, there'd be no movie, right? Suddenly single, both buy new wardrobes, take dance lessons (the "Mambo" was the popular step back then), and seek new relationships. Holliday starts going out with Lemmon's pal, Carson, an amiable boor. At the same time, she's learning French from Freeman, and having regular psychiatric appointments with Randolph. Lemmon begins dating Novak, but she is more of a problem than a pleasure. Through it all, Lemmon and Holliday keep meeting accidentally and both get involved in a Mambo contest. They soon realize that they miss each other and reconcile. Holliday and Lemmon were in their second film in a row together and proved a solid comedy duo at the box office. They are perfectly suited to each other: he plays "exasperation" to her "flightiness." Carson is also excellent in his secondary role. He was an actor who could always be counted on to deliver a top-notch job in comedy or drama.