that funny feeling

the year: 1965

the genre: comedy


the cast: Sandra Dee (Joan Howell); Bobby Darin (Tom Milford); Donald O’Connor (Harvey Granson); Nita Talbot (Audrey); Larry Storch (Luther); Leo G. Carroll (Mr. O’Shea, the pawnbroker)


the plot: Joan Howell, a pretty maid-for-hire, meets and begins dating wealthy New York City businessman Tom Milford. Embarrassed about taking him back to the tiny apartment she shares with her roommate Audrey, Joan takes Tom to a fancy apartment that she cleans on a daily basis not knowing that it's his place. Tom plays along with the charade despite not knowing who Joan really is, especially at the insistence of his friend Harvey – who is hiding his priceless paintings at Tom’s house so his wife’s divorce lawyers won’t include them in the alimony equation.


count: how many wing-ding parties are held in Mr. Milford’s apartment.


don’t miss: the supporting characters – Audrey, Audrey’s boyfriend Luther, and Mr. O’Shea.


check out: the bartenders. Slightly reminiscent of I’d Rather Be Rich.


listen for: “This is the girl who took my place.” “Well, what's she doing in my place?” “She won't let me in my place so I had to call your place my place.”


extra bonus points: if you can name the other two movies in which Darin and Dee co-starred.

the parent trap

the year: 1961

the genre: comedy



the cast: Hayley Mills (Susan Evers / Sharon McKendrick); Maureen O’Hara (Margaret “Maggie” McKendrick); Brian Keith (Mitch Evers); Charles Ruggles (Charles McKendrick); Leo G. Carroll (Reverand Moseby); Una Merkel (Verbena)



the plot: Thirteen year olds prim and proper Bostonian Sharon McKendrick and tomboyish Californian Susan Evers meet at summer camp. It's hate at first sight because besides the differing length of their hair, they look exactly the same. After the girls carry out one battle after another against each other, the camp administrators place the two in solitary confinement with each other. Since they’re stuck with each other, the girls finally get a chance to know each other and learn that they are indeed twins, separated when they were babies when their parents divorced. Wanting to get to know the parent they never met, Sharon and Susan decide to switch places. They figure that their parents would ultimately have to 'un-switch' them, and the girls hope when they do, they will fall in love all over again. In California their plan hits a snag when Mitch introduces his daughter to Vicky Robinson, who aspires to be the second Mrs. Mitchell Evers. Sharon and Susan have to figure out a way to get rid of Vicky and bring Maggie to California quickly so that their parents can reconcile and the foursome can be one big happy family.



count: how many time Verbina says “I don’t say a word.”



don’t miss: Miss Inch’s welcome to the girls at camp.


check out: Reverend Moseby. And Grandpa McKendrick. It’s a toss up for which I like more.




listen for: “That plus-faced child bride and her electric hips!”




also listen for: “I shan't tell my aunt about the ants nor the debutantes. Shall I?”



did you know: the screenplay originally called for only a few trick photography shots of Hayley Mills in scenes with herself - the bulk of the film was to be shot using a body double. But when Walt Disney saw how seamless the processed shots were, he ordered the script reconfigured to include more of the special effect.




extra bonus points: if you can name the two artists who sang the title song. Hint: they were on the lot shooting Babes in Toyland.

north by northwest

the year: 1959

the genre: mystery & suspense


the cast: Cary Grant (Roger O. Thornhill); Eva Marie Saint (Eve Kendall); James Mason (Phillip Vandamm); Leo G. Carroll (The Professor)


the plot: Madison Avenue advertising executive Roger O. Thornhill is mistaken for a government agent by a gang of spies. He gets involved in a series of misadventures and is pursued across the States by both the spies and the government whilst being helped by a beautiful blonde.




count: the height difference between the Redcap who Roger steals a uniform from and Roger - who fits the uniform perfectly.



don’t miss: Hitch's brief cameo in the first few seconds of the film. He misses the bus.



check out: a young extra in the background (during the scene in the diner at Mount Rushmore) anticipating the gun shot, fired by Eve.



listen for: "I've got a job, a secretary, a mother, two ex-wives and several bartenders dependant upon me, and I don't intend to disappoint them all by getting myself "slightly" killed."

we're no angels

the year: 1955

the genre: comedy


the cast: Humphrey Bogart (Joseph); Peter Ustinov (Jules); Aldo Ray (Albert); Leo G. Caroll (Felix Ducotel); Basil Rathbone (Andre Trochard); Joan Bennett (Amelie Doctel)


the plot: Joseph, Julius and Albert escaped prison on Devil's Island. Loitering around the port, awaiting a ship to take them away, they decide to steal some goods from a merchant. Letting him hire them to repair the roof, they get some insight into the private life of his family. Isabelle, the 18-year-old daughter, is still unmarried and longs for her old love Paul, who is back in Paris. Felix, her father, is afraid of cousin André, who owns the shop and will fire him if there are no profits reported soon. When Paul and André arrive on the island - and are far less sympathetic than the family expected – the three convicts take matters into their own hands, along with the help of Adolf, Albert’s poisonous pet snake.



count: on a good laugh when the convicts hold a “fair trial” about the fate of Cousin André. Jules is brilliant as the defense attorney.



don’t miss: the convicts’ rush to “help” Cousin André upon his arrival. I especially love the pineapple.


check out: how the dinner plates keep changing positions as the table is set for Christmas dinner.


listen for: “We came here to rob them and that's what we're gonna do - beat their heads in, gouge their eyes out, slash their throats. Soon as we wash the dishes.”