don not drink the water be an unbelievably bad film . it base on a 1966 broadway play by woody allen . it star jackie gleason and the comic genius behind the honeymooner . the director and howard morris and have appear in several mel brook comedy ( life stink and high anxiety and silent movie ) and have make a mark in animation ( character he have voice include gopher from pooh and jughead ( archie ) and beetle bailey ) what go wrong . i think the problem be that the premise be play out too seriously to work effectively . allen original play be tongue in cheek and which be why it work on broadway and in allen 1994 remake . the screenplay by r. s. allen and harvey bullock beat the premise to death and make too many change from the original play . make gleason wife an airhead in this version when she be a headstrong woman in the original be just one example of why this doesn not work . the act isn not much well . gleason do the best he can with the material and but he can not save this . gleason be a comic genius and but also a fine actor a he demonstrate in the hustler and soldier in the rain . his abrasive personality could have work here and but the lousy script doesn not even give him a chance . too bad . estelle parson airhead wife will drive you nut after 20 minute . see how soon it will take for you to want to strangle her . that be also a shame because she be also a fine actress and have turn in two exceptional performance in bonnie and clyde and rachel and rachel none of the other actor do particularly well either . woody allen hat this film so much that he remake the film in 1994 with himself and julie kavner ( marge simpson ) in the lead . they manage to hit all the right note and the film itself be a comic masterpiece . it finally on video after a long battle over right . do go out and find that version . all the 1969 original be good for be clear out unwanted guest who overstay their welcome . half out of 4 star .