A Little Night Music

{{Infobox film | name = A Little Night Music | image = A Little Night Music film poster.jpg | alt = | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = Harold Prince | screenplay = Hugh Wheeler | based_on = A Little Night Musicby Hugh WheelerSmiles of a Summer Night'by Ingmar Bergman | producer = Elliott Kastner | starring = | cinematography = Arthur Ibbetson | editing = John Jympson | music = | studio = | distributor = New World Pictures | released = | runtime = 124 minutes | country = | language = English | budget = $6 million–$7.2 million }}A Little Night Music is a 1977 musical romantic comedy film directed by Harold Prince in his second and final directorial role. The screenplay by Hugh Wheeler is adapted from his book for Stephen Sondheim's 1973 musical of the same name, itself an adaptation of Ingmar Bergman's 1955 film, Smiles of a Summer Night. An international co-production of the United States, West Germany and Austria, the film stars Elizabeth Taylor, Diana Rigg and Lesley-Anne Down, and features Len Cariou, Hermione Gingold and Laurence Guittard reprising their Broadway roles. Plot In a town in a Austria at the turn of the 20th century, Frederich Egerman, a widower, works as a successful lawyer but is struggling with his marriage to Anne, his 18-year-old second wife. Anne nervously has protected her virginity for the first 11 months of marriage, though she continues to tell Fredrick she will be ready to make love to him for the first time "soon". Frederich's son (from his first marriage) Erich is studying to be a member of the church. However, Erich has been lusting after Anne, whom he is only one year older than her. In an effort to please his wife, Frederich purchases tickets to a play touring through the city. The play stars Desiree Armfeldt, a very renowned actress and Frederich's old flame from 14 years ago, and when the lock eyes in the theatre, Anne becomes aggravated and demands to leave. After the play, Fredrick and Desiree reunite in her dressing room. While Desiree tours around Europe in play after play, her 14 year old daughter, Fredericka, lives with Desiree's mother, Madame Armfeldt, in her estate in the country. Madame Armfeldt does not approve of the actress lifestyle her daughter lives but she does not push the matter any further.