Redford & Fonda Fine in Fluffy ‘Barefoot in the Park’ 1967

 

Jane Fonda & Robert Redford are well-paired as beautiful & charming newlyweds,
in 1967's Neil Simon film version of "Barefoot in the Park."

As the long-running Broadway smash, Barefoot in the Park, wound up its run in 1967, the film version was released.

The play’s original male lead, Robert Redford, wasn’t sure that he wanted to repeat himself with the film adaptation of Barefoot in the Park. I find this questionable, since Redford had been in films for five years, without a hit movie. The film version of Barefoot proved to be just as big at the movie box office as the play was on Broadway. Natalie Wood was first offered the female lead, which would have been her third time as Robert Redford’s co-star. Wood opted instead to take some time off from film-making, and came back two years in another sex comedy, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.

We first meet newlyweds Paul and Corie Bratter during the opening credits, on a horse and carriage ride around NYC, as a dippy sitcom-esque theme by the usually marvelous Johnny Mercer drones on the soundtrack. The general feeling is of an opening to a sixties sitcom.

Robert Redford & Jane Fonda are honeymooners in 1967's "Barefoot in the Park."
 After a carriage ride, they honeymoon hibernate at NYC's Plaza Hotel.

NYC’s Plaza Hotel is prominently featured in the opening scenes of Barefoot in the Park. This is where Fonda and Redford’s Corie and Paul Bratter honeymoon for six nights. Once they come up for air and check out of the Plaza, the bulk of the film is devoted to their next four days as newlyweds, settling into their new apartment.

Don't recognize the maid? As soon as she talks, you know that's Doris Roberts!
She has a fun bit as the maid reacting to the honeymooners in "Barefoot in the Park."

Barefoot in the Park is so light-weight, it's a cinematic soufflé. Tasty, yes; substantial, no. While Simon's dialogue is clever and funny, the plot is essentially non-existent and the entire point of the movie is whaaat? Barefoot in the Park debuted on Broadway in1963, a month before the Kennedy assassination. The film version came out in 1967, just before censorship game-changer The Graduate. Interestingly, Mike Nichols won Best Director Tony for the Barefoot play and his only Best Director Oscar for The Graduate. What was once risqué four years earlier now seemed a bit passé with Barefoot in the Park the movie. Much more of a hit with audiences than critics, Barefoot was akin to the artificial ’67 comedy, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? Ironically, both Barefoot stars were considered for the leads in the following year’s Rosemary’s Baby. Imagine the Bratters as New Yorkers Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse, with bigger problems than a hole in their apartment skylight!

Jane Fonda's a free spirit and Robert Redford's a stuffed shirt, as newlyweds
in 1967's "Barefoot in the Park." That's basically the comedic conflict, folks!

The current IMDB website ratings/reviews rate Barefoot in the Park much lower than older reviews; this seems to indicate that the movie has not aged well to younger viewers.

Here’s my Facebook entertainment page, FYI!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/178488909366865

Producer Hal Wallis and director Gene Saks were solid but not the most scintillating filmmakers for Barefoot in the Park, given the saucy material. Aside from the opening horse ride and Redford’s enacting the film’s title in the finale, the resulting movie feels like a filmed play. Saks’ film and stage career was mostly directing Simon plays or his film adaptations, so his strongest suit was that he understood Simon’s wishes. Neil Simon insisted on writing the screenplay for Barefoot. After Simon’s first big hit, Come Blow Your Horn, was shoehorned to fit 50-ish Frank Sinatra as a 30-something swinging bachelor who's really just a nice Jewish boy—a scenario he didn't wanted to repeat! In fact, after Horn, Neil Simon wrote all the screenplays to his stage plays.

Jane Fonda & Robert Redford kiss a lot in 1967's "Barefoot in the Park."
Well, they play newlyweds and he IS Robert Redford, after all!

Robert Redford as buttoned-down lawyer Paul seems the most contemporary of the cast. While his co-stars are just fine, too, their characters and performances seem of the era, whereas Redford’s attitude and playing of his character still seems current today. And I say this as someone who’s not the biggest Redford fan. Robert could sometimes be remote as an actor, but his understatement is perfect for Paul Bratter. Bob’s dry sense of humor gets to shine, especially when he zings Fonda’s high-strung bride. When she accuses him of being perfect, ‘60s perfect Redford retorts, “That’s a rotten thing to say!”

Robert Redford's lawyer takes exception to wife Jane Fonda calling him perfect,
in 1967's "Barefoot in the Park."

Jane Fonda often comes off as humorless in person, yet has a natural flair for comedy. Jane's verbally and physically funny, yet in scenes that have serious undertones, as where Corie wants Paul's approval of the apartment, is very appealing. This is one of Jane’s best comedy performances, only undercut by the dated writing of Corie’s character. Fonda’s energy, intelligence, and charisma balance the downsides of the lightweight bride role. Off-topic: Listening to young Jane Fonda talk always reminds me of the later Laura Linney.

Jane Fonda is most appealing as Corie, here hoping that Robert Redford's Paul likes
their new apartment, in 1967's "Barefoot in the Park."

Jane's physicality as an actress is well-utilized, as well as showing off her trim body at every opportunity, in various stages of dress. The only thing Redford shows off is his bare feet in the finale of Barefoot in the Park.

Jane Fonda's figure is on full display and in various stages of dress throughout
1967's "Barefoot in the Park," a preview of coming attractions for "Barbarella!"

Hollywood age shaving is on display, too.  Robert Redford is cast as 26 at 31, the script doesn’t give Fonda's age, but she was 30 when this film was released. Corie, as written, is very childish, clingy, and naïve—which seems odd as played by adult Jane Fonda. Mrs. Bratter apparently has nothing to do but furnish the apartment and wait for Paul to come home from work, to jump his bones. Yes, he IS Robert Redford! Still, neither Redford nor Fonda comes off as young newlyweds, and their fights seem juvenile. As for the veteran stars, Mildred Natwick’s mother is 52 and Boyer’s neighbor is 58. Both actors were a decade older, and even when playing younger, the characters are treated like they were ready for the old folks’ home.

Jane Fonda & Robert Redford as newlyweds, taking stock of their new apartment,
in 1967's Neil Simon adaptation, "Barefoot in the Park."

I was curious why Robert Redford got top billing since this was his first hit movie. And Bob starred in some pretty high profile bombs: Inside Daisy Clover, This Property is Condemned, and The Chase. Conversely, Jane Fonda had just starred in Cat Ballou and had some mildly popular sex comedies and soaps to her credit—though she too had been in some clinkers. Inquiring minds wonder!

Jane Fonda & Robert Redford starred in 1967's "Barefoot in the Park." Fonda had
 already starred in several romantic comedies and this was Redford's first hit film.

Mildred Natwick and Charles Boyer are two old school pros having a field day, as Ethel Banks and Victor Velasco. I’m glad that Natwick got to reprise the role that she originated on Broadway. It would have been quite easy for producer Hal Wallis to cast Myrna Loy, a much beloved movie star, to play the role in which she had toured. And it’s great to see latter day Charles Boyer hadn’t lost his continental charm or comedic touch. The two characters are set up for a date by Corie and the hilariously disaster of an evening is the film’s highlight. Natwick’s character, trying to retain her dignity during the comedic chaos, while getting drunk, reminded me of Nathan Lane’s “Mother” in 1996’s The Birdcage.

The night out sequence of 1967's "Barefoot in the Park" is the film's comedic
high point. With Charles Boyer, Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, & Mildred Natwick.

Mother Mildred Natwick & son-in-law Robert Redford AFTER a night out with the eccentric upstairs neighbor & Jane Fonda's bride, in 1967's "Barefoot in the Park."

Herb Edelman got his chance to comically shine as the telephone repair man. Mabel Albertson (Bewitched) is Natwick’s lady friend. James Stone is the wheezing delivery man. And Ted Hartley plays Paul’s fellow lawyer, who literally phones in his one scene. Hartley, BTW, died Oct. 5, 2025, just shy of his 101^st birthday. Basically, Barefoot is a four-character cast, with supporting one-off roles.

Ted Hartley, as Robert Redford's fellow lawyer in '67's "Barefoot in the Park,"
passed away recently of this writing, Oct. 5, 2025. Hartley was a prolific actor.

Barefoot in the Park is superior fluff, with the star quartet making Neil Simon’s lightweight laughs sing, and bringing heart to their characters.

Mildred Natwick is memorable as Jane Fonda's staid mother in 1967's
"Barefoot in the Park." Robert Redford looks on as Fonda's new husband.

Charles Boyer is a charming scene stealer as upstairs neighbor
Victor Velasco in 1967's "Barefoot in the Park."

Here’s my look at the first big screen Neil Simon Broadway adaptation that displeased Simon very much, 1963’s Come Blow Your Horn. A young Jewish playboy who shows his brother the ropes is turned into a 50-ish Frank Sinatra! https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2019/01/when-sinatra-met-simon-come-blow-your.html

Fonda and Redford play husband and wife, though they barely have any scenes together, in 1966’s The Chase. This all-star bomb revolves around Redford’s escaped convict, setting off his small southern hometown into a feeding frenzy. My take here: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2023/09/all-star-cast-cant-save-chase-1966.html

 

Robert Redford's buttoned-down lawyer lets his hair down and shoes off at the finale
of 1967's "Barefoot in the Park."