The Bachelor is a 1999 American romantic comedy film directed by Gary Sinyor and written by Steve Cohen. It is a remake of the 1925 film Seven Chances and stars Chris O'Donnell and Renée Zellweger. The film received negative reviews from critics and grossed $36.9 million against its $21 million budget.
Plot
A confirmed bachelor, after spoiling his would-be and half-hearted proposal to his girfriend of three years, discovers that his eccentric grandfather has died and left him the family business under the conditions that he be married by 6:05 p.m. on his 30th birthday, that he not be apart from his bride for more than a week at a time over the next 10 years of their marriage, and that they must attempt to produce a child sometime during the first five years of their marriage, leading to the bachelor, his friends, his grandfather's friends, and a priest to scramble over the next few hours in search of a bride. If Jimmy fails, business competitor Oden Sports will buy the company. Shannon Billiards would not last a week. Meanwhile, Anne has second thoughts and returns to her apartment, which she shares with her sister Natalie. Natalie talks Anne into going home to go visit their parents in Napa for the night. A desperate Jimmie opens a shoebox full of photos of old girlfriends, and begins to track them down. First he sees Stacey, an oil futures trader, who turns out to be engaged. Second is Zoe, a clingy window dresser. Jimmie goes to see her, but just after promising he'd never leave her for another woman, he runs off after a woman in the street whom he incorrectly thinks is Anne. He returns to find Zoe has set a mannequin on fire in effigy of him. He strikes out with a melodramatic opera singer and a tough-as-nails cop. Soon his list is depleted, but his last choice accepts— brittle, chain-smoking socialite Buckley, who detests Jimmie but wants his money to prop up her family's waning fortune. As the priest tries to conduct the ceremony, she gradually learns the other conditions of the will: she and Jimmie must have children within five years, spend no more than one night apart per month, and stay married for at least ten years. Horrified, she drives away. Anne misses Jimmie and heads back to the city. Trying to locate him, she calls Marco to arrange dinner with Jimmie. Desperate, Marco had earlier placed an ad for a bride in the newspaper. He figures a few women will show up at the appointed time and church for the offer. As everyone scrambles to help Jimmie save the family business, Jimmie realizes the "effect" of marriage, as the kindly priest reveals how he took on the priesthood after his beloved wife died, and that he was proud to be married and produce a wonderful family in the process. Realizing that he truly loves Anne and is ready to 'take the plunge', Jimmie, after being up all night, rests in the church where Marco had promised to deliver a bride. He awakens to find hundreds of women dressed as brides waiting for him. After trying to settle the women down, Marco lies and says it was all a prank. This angers them, and they try to rip the two men to shreds. Marco reveals that Anne is on her way back, so Jimmie flees to the train station, ordering a cake on the way. He makes it there after escaping the would-be brides. He finds Anne in the train, but she has discovered a newspaper with its front page asking, "Would you marry this man for $100 million?" with Jimmie's picture beside. She is upset, but he professes his love for her and they reconcile. Natalie finds a discarded wedding dress in the station, and Anne puts it on in the bathroom. She opens the door to see hundreds of would-be brides run past, chasing Jimmie. Jimmie flees. He eventually climbs up a flight on a fire escape ladder and shouts for Anne, as the would-be brides gather en masse below. The priest begins to conducts the ceremony over a loudspeaker from inside a police car, causing many 'brides' to attack the car, and chaos ensues. Anne, in the crowd, makes her way through and up to Jimmie. Natalie yells at everybody to "Shut up!". Anne convinces the other women to be happy and let it be her day. The priest finishes the ceremony by pronouncing them husband and wife, to cheers from all, and Jimmie and Anne kiss. They made it just in time before the deadline of 6:05 p.m. to inherit a 100 million dollars. She then tosses her bouquet into the teeming crowd below.
The Bachelor holds a 9% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 70 reviews with the consensus: "Cliched, witless and irritating, The Bachelor proves that Chris O'Donnell is no Buster Keaton."
Box office
The film opened at number 3 at the North American box office behind The Bone Collector and House on Haunted Hill making $7.5 million USD in its opening weekend. The Bachelor ultimately grossed $37 million worldwide making it a modest box success.
