Sweet November

Sweet November is a 1968 American romantic comedy film written by Herman Raucher and starring Sandy Dennis, Anthony Newley and Theodore Bikel. The film originally had been written as a stage play by Raucher, but before it was performed, Universal Pictures got wind of the project and paid Raucher $100,000 to stop work on the play and adapt it as a screenplay. A 2001 remake also titled Sweet November starred Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron. Plot Successful British box manufacturer Charlie Blake (Anthony Newley) meets Sara Deever (Sandy Dennis) when they both take a driver's exam in New York City. She tries to get a few answers from him, but he gets expelled for cheating. They run into each other later and go out on a date. When they return to her apartment, Charlie meets Alonzo (Theodore Bikel), Sara's older, vegetarian friend. Then Richard (Sandy Baron) bursts in; he begs her to let him stay with her, but she has already packed his bag. After he leaves, Charlie asks her why Richard referred to him as his successor. She explains that she has a "special therapy program": She takes in a man for no longer than a month to diagnose and fix whatever problem he has. Richard was October, and she wants him to be November. She believes his trouble is his devotion to his work. Charlie accepts, though he is only interested in a short fling. He tells his employee, Digby (King Moody), to send him a telegram after a week so he will have an excuse to leave.