The Marrying Man

Handsome playboy Charley Pearl (Baldwin) has finally opted for stability, and is set to marry the respectable daughter (Shue) of a movie mogul. But on the way to his bachelor party, he is smitten by sultry nightclub singer Vicki (Basinger), and they embark on a tempestuous, on-off relationship which encompasses four marriages. It's hard to spot vintage Neil Simon in his screenplay for this indulgent comedy, which exhaustively examines the premise that no one lover can provide both passion and emotional security. The action kicks off in 1948, a period which throws up various characters supposed to remind us of real-life celebrity counterparts; such comparisons, however, are lost amid the clichéd dialogue uttered by Charley's adoring entourage of showbiz buddies, whose apparent function is to make the not-so-loving couple appear more exciting and glamorous. Alas, to little effect.