the reel dope

 

Movie reviews for: A Farewell to Arms, The Lady Takes a Flyer, and The Brothers Karamazov.

come september

the year: 1961

the genre: comedy


the cast: Rock Hudson (Robert L. Talbot); Gina Lollobrigida (Lisa Helena Fellini); Sandra Dee (Sandy Stevens); Bobby Darin (Tony)


the plot: Wealthy, industrialist playboy Robert Talbot arrives early for his annual vacation at his luxurious Italian villa to find three problems lying in wait for him. First, his long-time girlfriend Lisa Fellini has given up waiting for him to pop the question and has decided to marry another man. Second, the major domo of his villa has turned the estate into a posh hotel to make some easy money while the boss isn't around. And finally, the current guests of the "hotel" are a group of young American girls trying to "fend off" a gang of American boys, led by Tony, who are 'laying siege' at the outer walls of the villa. Talbot, to his own surprise, finds himself becoming an overprotective chaperone.


don't miss: "Multiplication" as sung by Bobby Darrin.


listen for: "Mr Clavell!" "Sir?" "You are to go with them and you are not to let those girls out of your sight." "Sir, I can't ride a motor scooter." "Then learn." "I have no sense of balance. I was the only child that ever had to be strapped to his tricycle."


did you know: Bobby Darrin and Sandra Dee met during the filming of this movie. They were married not long after the film wrapped.


also listen for: "Where do you live?" "[broken English] Saus-a-lito." "And where is that near?" "San Fran-sis-co." "I am very stu-pid. But I'm loads of fun."



You can watch the movie in parts, starting here.

pillow talk

the year: 1959

the genre: comedy




the cast: Doris Day (Jan Morrow); Rock Hudson (Brad Allen/Rex Stetson); Tony Randall (Jonathan Forbes); Thelma Ritter (Alma)


the plot: Interior decorator Jan Morrow and composer/playboy Brad Allen share a phone line. Brad keeps the line occupied all day talking to his girlfriends, which annoys Jan terribly and animosity between them builds up. They have never met and when by chance Brad sees Jan, he decides to add her to his list of conquests. Knowing how she feels about him, he poses as an innocent Texan country boy named Rex Stetson to win her over.



count: Alma’s hangovers.



don’t miss: the horse-drawn carriage driver.


check out: the extras who just won’t quit. When Jan and Jonathon are talking in front of the interior design store about the car he is offering her, a woman with a blue coat and gray hat walks by four times, and a woman with a red coat walks by at least three times.


listen for: “Can you believe that? They sent a woman. That's like sending a marshmallow to put out a bonfire.”


also listen for: “There's no phone number, but I have a forwarding address." "241 Stoneybrook Road." “Why yes sir.” "And you let her go." “Well, it wasn't my place..." “No, it's my place. And I helped him pack.”



did you know: In the diner scene near the end, the restaurant patrons were supposed to deck Tony Randall, who would fake a reaction to the blow and slide down "unconscious" in the booth seat. However, during filming the actor overestimated his hook and accidentally knocked out Randall for real. The shot wound up being so good that the accidental knockout is the one shown in the film.



extra bonus points: if you can name the other two movies in which Doris Day, Rock Hudson and Tony Randall co-starred.

magnificent obsession

the year: 1954

the genre: drama





the cast: Jane Wyman (Helen Phillips); Rock Hudson (Bob Merrick); Agnes Moorhead (Nancy Ashford); Barbara Rush (Joyce Phillips); Otto Kruger (Edward Randolph)






the plot: When wealthy and spoiled Bob Merrick foolishly wrecks his speedboat and almost dies, the rescue team saves him at the last minute with a resuscitator borrowed from the home of a famous surgeon, Dr. Phillips, who lives nearby. Dr. Phillips himself has suffered an attack, and, with his equipment out on loan, dies before he can be revived. Phillips had helped many people, and when Merrick learns Phillips' secret, to give selflessly and in secret, he tries it in a ham-handed way. The guilt-ridden Bob clumsily tries to make amends by romancing the surgeon’s young widow, Helen, but only causes further tragedy: escaping his embrace, she is struck by a car and blinded. Having belatedly learned his lesson, Bob returns to the medical studies he dropped years before, and becomes a Nobel Prize-winning brain surgeon. When Helen falls into a coma, only one doctor has the expertise to operate and bring her out of it — and, as a side benefit, restore her sight.



don’t miss: the beach scene. It’s a 3 second “awwwwwwww.”




check out: the rich 50s cinematography.



listen for: “Once you find the way, you'll be bound. It will obsess you. but believe me, it will be a magnificent obsession.”





did you know: Jane Wyman was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for MO.





the trailer can be found here.



extra bonus points: if you can name another movie in which Rock Hudson and Jane Wyman co-starred.