Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1963)

The Thrill of It All" Scubteu &<itcHf O O O Pius Has all the familiar elements of Universal' s prior comedy successes: Doris Day, lavish production, sight gags. Some of the humor lags, but it will be big moneymaker. Universal, which seems to have an exclusive patent on the lush, frothy, sight-gag romantic comedy technique, has stamped out another film in the mold of "That Touch of Mink", "Pillow Talk", etc. It has all the familiar — and money-making — ingredients: Doris Day, plush settings, gorgeous cloths, an aura of sophisticated glamor. While it doesn't have Rock Hudson or Cary Grant, it does have James Garner to play Miss Day's love-making and laugh-making partner. "Thrill' is sheer escapist froth that will draw a big audience. Some of the comedy this reviewer found a bit too contrived, but that will not be sufficient to keep practically every young and not-so-young female from leading her boyfriend or husband to the theatre where "The Thrill of It All" will be playing. The Ross HunterMartin Melcher production in Eastman color is dazzling in a style that will make spectators, especially the fern contingent, drool. Director Norman Jewison keeps things moving at a good pace, although one wishes he had strived for a bit more realism in the husband-wife relationship. Much of the fun emanates from sight gags, such as the one in which Garner arrives home from work and drives his car into a filled swimming pool that had just been installed without his knowledge; he sits still and sinks slowly into the water. Such incidents and some of the lines in screenplay by Carl Reiner provide plenty of laughs. On some occasions Reiner's material tends to sound strained and a few of the sight gags appear to have been dragged in for pure shock effect. Probably, they will get laughs in the theatre. Miss Day is presumed to be a "typical" American housewife, sporting a fabulous Jean Louis wardrobe and living in a "typical" suburban $150,000 home. She is blissfully content being the mate of the handsome young doctor. Garner, and watching over their two beautiful and witty children, while occasionally bottling her own ketchup (sic) in the cellar. Their happy marriage is turned topsy-turvy when she accepts an offer of $80,000 per year to appear in TV commercials. From that point on, the story deals with Dr. Garner's frantic efforts to restore both his household and his wife to normalcy. Miss Day is as gay and scrubbed as usual. Garner is no Cary Grant, but this is his most relaxed performance to date. Arlene Francis plays a middle aged wife who has become unexpectedly expectant. The late Zasu Pitts has some poor material in her role as a maid. Universal. 108 minutes. Doris Day, James Garner, Arlene Francis. Produced by Ross Hunter, Martin Melcher. Directed by Norman Jewison. Trma La Douce" &u4cHed4 Kate*? O O O Gay, sophisticated farce strictly for adult trade. Lemmon and Mac Lai ne score again. Will be important grosser in metropolitan markets. Thanks to the performing magic of Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine, this should be an important grosser. Under the knowing hand of producer-director Billy Wilder, the stars work wonders with a gay, if repetitious, Wilder-I. A. L. Diamond script to make "Irma La Douce" fast, funny, risque adult entertainment. This United Artists release will find enthusiastic response in metropolitan markets. The Technicolor-Panavision production is lively, despite an occasional tendency to lag. This can be blamed on the fact that the music in the original stage version has been relegated to the background and some of the farce played straight, with even some forays into topical satire. Con sidering that the story deals with the affair of a popular and proud prostitute, played by Miss MacLaine and the young policeman (Lemmon) who falls for her, the musical interludes might have kept it in a lighter, more farcical vein. Nonetheless, "Irma" will provide plenty of fun for adults with any degree of sophistication. Lemmon, as the prudish young man who finds himself acting as business manager for a prostitute, gives a remarkably versatile performance. His impersonation of an English lord ranks among the great moments of celluloid comedy. Miss MacLaine is a perfect foil as the prize poule of Paris, and their scenes together generate a warmth and humor that no other team today could duplicate. After Lemmon is booted off the police force for taking his job too seriously, he becomes enamored of Irma, the friendly tart he had previously arrested in the line of duty. In a cafe fight, he unwittingly clobbers Irma's procurer, the local bully, and soon finds himself in his predecessor's shoes — and bed. Lemmon becomes intensely jealous of Irma's clients disguises himself as a titled English nobleman who obtains her exclusive services. Complications develop and Lemmon is sentenced to prison for "murdering" the imaginary "Lord X." Everything ends happily, with Lemmon returning to the police force to support his wife, Irma (who has now retired), and their baby. Un:ted Artists. 142 minutes. Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine. Produced and directed by Billy Wilder. The Girl Hunters" Satinet &€LtiHQ O O Plus Rough, tough Mickey Spillane mystery-murder meller, with author playing Hammer. Good exploitation entry for general market. Sadism, sex, and masochism, combined with the Mickey Spillane name, will sell this searing melodrama in the general market, especially where it is exploited. Robert Fellows' production maintains a machine-gun pace from its opening shot in a filth-strewn gutter to its blasting finale. Spillane, himself, plays the Mike Hammer role and also collaborated on the screenplay with Fellows and director Roy Rowland. This trio didn't miss a trick — they even had it photographed in Panavision so that audiences could get the full impact of the spattering gore. In addition, a bluesy background theme, composed by Phil Green and performed by Eddie Calvert, should get plenty of juke-box and radio play. Although the story takes place in New York and Washington, the picture was made in England, and at times the discrepancy shows, particularly in the Washington scenes. The plot opens with Mike Hammer, a Bowery alcoholic, dragged out of the gutter by the police who beat him up and then dispatch him to a hospital. This surprise introduction to our hero is followed by talk — most of it while Hammer is fighting off adversaries — about a girl, Velda, whose apparent death caused Mike's descent to the gutter. It soon appears that she is alive and captive of an enemy agent known only as "the dragon." Whenever Hammer is about to get a clue to her whereabouts his contact is murdered. The trail eventually leads to the widow (Shirley Eaton) of a murdered Washington senator, with whom Hammer is soon embroiled in a passionate love affair. With the help of secret agent Art Rickerby (Lloyd Nolan) and columnist Hy Gardner, portraying himself, Hammer tracks down the secret agent and, after beating him insensible, drives a spike through his hand to prevent escape. Mike suspects that the senator's wife is involved in the spy ring, but wanting to give her the benefit of doubt, he fills the barrels of her shotgun with moistened dirt. When she attempts to shoot him her own head is blown off and Mike is spared the agony of having to pull the trigger on the woman he loved. Colorama Features. 103 minutes. Mickey Spillane, Shirley Eaton, Lloyd Nolan. Produced by Robert Fellows. Directed by Roy Rowland. Page 20 Film BULLETIN June 10, 1963