The story of Any Wednesday: Mistresses, mix-ups, and Manhattan
Any Wednesday follows Ellen Gordon, a sharp, sophisticated mistress to a wealthy New York executive, who finds herself caught in an escalating romantic triangle when a young business associate is accidentally sent to use the same Manhattan apartment where she and her married lover conduct their weekly rendezvous. What starts as a simple case of mistaken identity spirals into genuine complications when the executive's wife arrives with her own plans for the space—redecorating, naturally, because nothing says "I'm about to discover your affair" like hiring an interior designer. The film's central conceit is delightfully simple: the apartment becomes a pressure cooker where secrets collide, desires shift, and nobody can quite keep their story straight. It's the kind of premise that works best when everyone involved is smart, attractive, and willing to bend the truth—which is precisely what this cast delivers.
Behind the making of Any Wednesday: From Broadway smash to Technicolor screen
Any Wednesday arrived on screens in 1966 as a direct adaptation of Muriel Resnik's Broadway play, which had run for an impressive 983 performances from 1964 to 1966—a genuine theatrical phenomenon that attracted studio attention almost immediately. Warner Bros. Pictures brought the property to film under director Robert Ellis Miller, with producer Julius J. Epstein handling the screenplay adaptation. The casting was star-studded: Jane Fonda was already a rising name in Hollywood, Jason Robards brought gravitas and comedic timing from his stage work, and Dean Jones—best known for his Disney comedies—provided the earnest young lead. The film was shot in vibrant Technicolor, which gives the Manhattan locations and especially the apartment itself a glossy, almost dreamlike quality that underscores the fantasy of the setup. While the film didn't become a blockbuster in the traditional sense, it found an appreciative audience and has maintained a respectable IMDb rating of 6.1/10, suggesting it holds up reasonably well for viewers discovering it decades later. In the UK, the film was retitled Bachelor Girl Apartment, a change that hints at how differently audiences on either side of the Atlantic were expected to receive the material.
What makes Any Wednesday stand out: Fonda's charm and the comedy of collision
What's striking about Any Wednesday is how it trusts its cast to carry material that could easily have become heavy-handed or moralistic. Instead, the film leans into the absurdity—there's a moment where the apartment becomes the focal point of competing agendas, and everyone's trying to control the narrative, and the whole thing just spirals beautifully. Jane Fonda brings a particular kind of intelligence to Ellen; she's not playing a victim or a villain, but rather a woman who's made a choice and is now living with its consequences, and she does so with a wink and a knowing smile that keeps the audience on her side. Jason Robards, playing the executive, has the harder job—he's the one with the most to lose, and yet he can't quite bring himself to behave like a responsible adult, which is exactly the point. Dean Jones, as the earnest young associate, represents a kind of innocence that gets corrupted (or educated, depending on your view) by proximity to the affair. The screenplay by Epstein keeps the dialogue snappy and the situations escalating; there's genuine wit here, not just sitcom mechanics. I keep coming back to how the film never quite condemns anyone outright—it's too busy being entertained by human weakness and desire to spend time moralizing about it. That's a luxury that 1960s cinema sometimes allowed itself, and it's part of what makes Any Wednesday feel like a genuine product of its moment.
Where to stream Any Wednesday online
Any Wednesday is currently available on major OTT services, and Movie OTT tracks real-time streaming availability so you can see exactly where it's playing right now without having to check five different apps. The "Where to Watch" widget at the top of this page will show you every platform currently carrying the film in your region. Since streaming rights shift regularly—sometimes monthly—Movie OTT keeps that information current so you don't waste time searching. Whether you're a fan of 1960s comedies or just curious about how Hollywood adapted Broadway hits in that era, you'll want to know where to find it without the guesswork.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Is Any Wednesday based on a true story?
No, it's a fictional romantic comedy based on Muriel Resnik's original Broadway play. The characters and situations are entirely invented, though the themes of infidelity and urban sophistication certainly reflect real human experience.
Q: Who directed Any Wednesday?
Robert Ellis Miller directed the film from a screenplay by producer Julius J. Epstein, who adapted it from Resnik's stage play that had run successfully on Broadway from 1964 to 1966.
Q: How long is Any Wednesday?
The film runs 109 minutes, which gives it plenty of time to develop its central premise and let the comedy breathe without feeling rushed.
Q: What was the film called in the UK?
Any Wednesday was retitled Bachelor Girl Apartment for British audiences, a change that reflects how the same story was marketed differently depending on the market.
Q: What's the IMDb rating for Any Wednesday?
The film holds a 6.1/10 rating on IMDb, indicating it's generally well-regarded by viewers who've discovered it, though it's not considered a masterpiece of the era.
Final thoughts on Any Wednesday
Any Wednesday isn't trying to change cinema or challenge your worldview. It's a smart, stylish romantic comedy that understands how to build tension from a simple premise and how to keep an audience laughing even as the stakes get murkier. The 1966 Technicolor palette, the snappy dialogue, and the genuine chemistry between Fonda and Robards make it worth seeking out—especially if you're interested in how Hollywood handled adult themes and romantic entanglements before things got either more explicit or more ironic. It's a film that knows exactly what it is and doesn't apologize for it.
