How to Murder Your Wife
How to Murder Your Wife Review: Story, Cast, Rating & Final Verdict
Last updated: April 10, 2026
Movie Overview: How to Murder Your Wife
| Movie | How to Murder Your Wife |
| Release Year | 1965 |
| Director | Richard Quine |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Runtime | 118 minutes |
| Language | EN |
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is How to Murder Your Wife (1965) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE with a verified audience rating of 6.3/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this Comedy.
Cast & Character Study
The performances in How to Murder Your Wife are led by Jack Lemmon . The supporting cast, including Virna Lisi and Terry-Thomas , provides the necessary layers to the central narrative.
movieMx Verdict: Is it Worth Your Time?
What Works in the Movie
While How to Murder Your Wife does not fully realize its potential, it still contains moments that may appeal to viewers who enjoy Comedy films.
- Interesting concept or premise
- Some entertaining scenes
- Supporting cast delivers occasional highlights
What Doesn't Work
Despite its strengths, How to Murder Your Wife has a few issues that may affect the overall viewing experience, particularly in terms of pacing and narrative consistency.
- Uneven pacing in certain parts of the film
- Some predictable plot developments
- May not appeal to audiences outside the Comedy fanbase
Story & Plot Summary: How to Murder Your Wife
Quick Plot Summary: Released in 1965, How to Murder Your Wife is a Comedy film directed by Richard Quine. The narrative brings laughter through sharp writing and comedic timing, providing amusement while touching on deeper societal themes. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict involving Jack Lemmon.
Ending Explained: How to Murder Your Wife
How to Murder Your Wife Ending Explained: Directed by Richard Quine, How to Murder Your Wife wraps up the main storyline while leaving some interpretation to viewers. The ending highlights the core comedy themes developed throughout the film.
The conclusion reflects the central themes explored throughout the narrative, particularly in scenes involving Jack Lemmon. The interpretation of the ending may vary among viewers.
Key Elements of the Ending
- Narrative Resolution: The story resolves its primary conflict while leaving room for interpretation.
- Character Development: Character motivations become clearer by the final scenes.
- Thematic Message: The ending reinforces the comedy themes introduced earlier in the film.
The final moments of How to Murder Your Wife reflect the creative choices of the filmmakers and align with the tone of the narrative.
Who Should Watch How to Murder Your Wife?
Worth Watching If You:
- Enjoy Comedy films and don't mind familiar tropes
- Are a fan of Jack Lemmon or the director
- Want some laughs and light entertainment
Box Office Collection: How to Murder Your Wife
| Metric / Region | Collection (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Worldwide Gross | $12.0M |
| Trade Verdict | FINANCIAL DISAPPOINTMENT |
Top Cast: How to Murder Your Wife
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Where to Watch How to Murder Your Wife Online?
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Fandango At HomeHow to Murder Your Wife Parents Guide & Age Rating
1965 AdvisoryWondering about How to Murder Your Wife age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of How to Murder Your Wife is 118 minutes (1h 58m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Verdict Summary
Analyzing the overall audience sentiment, verified rating of 6.3/10, and global performance metrics, How to Murder Your Wife is classified as a ABOVE AVERAGE. It remains an essential part of the 1965 cinematic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is How to Murder Your Wife worth watching?
How to Murder Your Wife is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Comedy movies. It has a verified rating of 6.3/10 and stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE in our box office analysis.
Where can I find How to Murder Your Wife parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for How to Murder Your Wife identifies it as NR. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of How to Murder Your Wife?
The total duration of How to Murder Your Wife is 118 minutes, which is approximately 1h 58m long.
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Critic Reviews for How to Murder Your Wife
Lemmon unable to save this from averageville. Cartoonist Stanley Ford loves bachelorhood, he enjoys his life, he has a butler to serve him, he can get girls, and he likes a drink or two. Then one night he's at a bachelor party and the beautiful Virna Lisi pops up out of the cake, his life is about to change. For when he wakes up in the morning, he finds he has married her, and to compound his problems, she doesn't speak any English. As a big Jack Lemmon fan I have to say I'm very disappointed in this picture, it's essentially a two joke movie that wastes Lemmon and Terry-Thomas' talent. The first half of the picture plays heavy on the fact that the new Mrs Ford only speaks Italian, this sets us up for a number of funny sequences, particularly when Claire Trevor enters the fray as Edna, but on it goes, and on it goes... We then get to watch as Stanley gains weight due to Mrs Ford's willingness to cook for her new husband, with Lemmon reduced to playing Stanley as an exasperated buffoon, henpecked within an inch of his manhood. The second half of the picture, as the title suggests, sees Stanley grow a spine and decide to deal with his problem by killing the wife. You would think that this sets the picture up for a number of riotous sequences as Stanley tries to do away with her, but sadly no, it's just the one joke that fails to light up the picture in any shape or form. The run in to the finale is marginally saved by the always reliable Eddie Mayehoff, but come the credits you wonder if the film ever meant to be a full blown comedy in the first place? 4/10 for Mayehoff and Terry-Thomas' opening scenes.
movieMx Verified
This review has been verified for accuracy and editorial quality by our senior cinematic analysts.
This analysis is compiled by our editorial experts using multi-source verification and audience sentiment data for maximum accuracy.










