The third in the Doris Day/Rock Hudson/ Tony Randall trilogy, and I'm surprised to find out, the best of the three.
I'd like to know more about Doris Day's hair. In this film, sometimes it looks like her normal hair, and sometimes it looks three times the size. It sort of reminds of NFL football player helmets -- the standard helmet versus the special helmet some players wear to protect their heads from concussions.
But in all seriousness, I'm guessing that Day wore wigs for at least some of the scenes in this film, but if she did and didn't wear them for all scenes, I'm just left confused. Why did she have to wear wigs in some of the scenes? And why did they have to be so big?
Meanwhile, Tony Randall has a little bit better part here. In the first two films, he's a rich friend of Rock Hudson, and he goes to a psychiatrist. That's really all we know about him. In this film, he's a lawyer and neighbor, and he's got a drinking problem. He's married, too, but the one odd thing is we never see his wife, although the film spends enough time in his house that you'd think we'd see her at least through a door in the kitchen. Or something. Is she just imaginary?
In terms of the acting approach, I think I like Rock Hudson. He's so deadpan in this movie, but it works great. In the other films, his sexuality is sort of -- I assume accidentally -- called into question. In this film, there's a slight jab at him not being quite "Cary Grant." I like little inside (or maybe not so inside) jabs like that. But no, I have nothing against Rock Hudson. I've watched a lot more Cary Grant and Gregory Peck films, and I supposed I always thought Rock Hudson came in third... maybe he still does, but he does nice work with Doris Day, and I'm curious to see more of his stuff.
The one thing Day and Hudson don't do very well is kiss. Did they not like kissing each other? Could they not act better and fake it? Usually, they seem to simply press their lips together without much meaning or emotion. Every so often, Day will give him a better kiss, and yes, I get Hudson was gay, but he was an actor, damn it, and if given a chance to kiss Doris Day on screen, he should have thought about Tony Curtis -- or whoever he needed to think of -- and earn his salary.
Yes, the film is a romantic comedy, but it doesn't feel as formula as a lot of rom coms, and that's probably why I bump up the rating a bit. It includes Paul Lynde as a funeral director, and Lynde acts just like Lynde, but it's funny seeing him be Lynde as a funeral director. For some reason, I assumed that Lynde had been in a lot of films, but his IMDb indicates that he was only in a handful. That makes me think that this might be the best film to see him in action, at least as an actor.
The ending has Winston (Hal March), one of George's (Hudson) friends, knock on the door. He doesn't know George is home, and he's brought a bouquet of roses to give to Judy (Day). Winston is a funny bachelor. He's game plan is to bed women when they're most vulnerable -- when they're on the brink of divorce. What Winston doesn't know is a) George is home, and b) he and Judy have reconciled. Winston is supposed to be George's friend, and Winston has already filled George in on how he takes advantage of women. So at first I wondered why Winston would sink so low as to hit on Judy. Maybe he's just a Quagmire type who would hit on anything or anyone. Or maybe Winston is seeking some revenge on George. That's never clarified, but George told Linda (Patricia Barry) what Winston was up to with her, essentially "cock blocking" him -- which also leads to Judy thinking George was having an affair... But if Linda did tell Winston that George was the one who ratted on him, I'm sure that didn't sit well with Winston, but then again, maybe he didn't care that much, as there are always vulnerable women around...
When Winston rings the doorbell, George opens the door and Winston pushes the flowers right in his face without even looking apparently. George punches him right through the flowers, grabs the roses from the stunned Winston and slams the door.
Judy and George remain together. I guess happily ever after, although we're still not sure why she ever left her college sweetheart, Bert (Clint Walker); nor do we know if George will seek a refund from the funeral director on that third plot he bought for Judy's potential future husband...
Rating: 4/5 stars
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