A Fine Madness

Samson Shillitoe is a charming man with a reputation for chasing women. He ends up under the care of a psychiatrist who is navigating her own troubled marriage, a situation that turns therapy into a complicated social game. The film follows their meetings as the boundaries between patient and therapist blur under witty banter and prickly honesty. Across a web of flirtations and mistaken loyalties, Rhoda Shillitoe, Samson's wife, and Lydia West drift in and out of the scenario, stirring jealousy, ambition, and longing. Rather than a straight romance, the story uses humor and heartache to examine how artful language, vanity, and desire collide in intimate rooms and crowded social spaces.

Released in 1966, A Fine Madness was directed by Irvin Kershner with a script by Elliott Baker. The movie pairs Sean Connery's suave swagger with Joanne Woodward's poised wit, balancing comedy and drama in a tense but affectionate study of relationships.

Box office figures for A Fine Madness are not widely documented and the film did not become a major commercial hit. Modern reference works offer only scant data on its earnings, reflecting a title that faded from mainstream attention.

Critical responses at the time noted the film's brisk blend of humor and pathos, with strong performances from Connery and Woodward. The piece looks at fidelity, status, and the costs of art within a world of flirtation and social maneuvering.