The Happy Time (Columbia Pictures) (1952)

Boyer Talks About Love As ‘Happy Time’ of Life A person who talks a_ good game of love is usually limited to just that, but when Charles Boyer talks about love it’s more than conversation. Currently starring with Louis Jourdan in Stanley Kramer’s romantic production, Columbia Pictures’ “The Happy Time vatithems 4882. ~ Theatre, Boyer portrays the “talking lover” rather than the “active lover.” And on him it looks good. “The Happy Time” is all about the birds and the bees and the happy time of a boy on the verge of that well known urge. Everybody makes love to everybody else. Everybody, that is, except Boyer, who, married to Marsha Hunt, is surrounded by a household of Lotharios. His elderly father is forever chasing pretty widows in search of romance. His brother is a traveling salesman with a hobby of collecting fancy garters from fancy women, and his young son Bibi has a crush on the French maid. It is Boyer’s task to place a restraining influence on the amorous dalliances of his family, but he uses reverse psychology. He encourages them. Love is as natural as life itself, he tells them. It is significant that the worldfamous ‘Casbah casanova” has been entrusted with explaining the facts of life in “The Happy Time.” A teacher should be a man of experience, and experience in love-making is what Charles Boyer has had plenty of. So it following is, that the words, spoken by Boyer, to his young screen son, illuminate with impressive authority the wonder of adolescence and of love: “Where there is love, my son, there is also desire. They go together; love must have the desire; I do not believe there can be love without it. But... it is possible to have the desire without love, and this is where the world falls apart. “And this love . .. when it is real, when it is true, it is the greatest love of all... It is the best, it is the most natural. In this way the world comes down to a house, and a room, and a bed, and if there are two people in love there — that is the whole world.” “The Happy Time” is based on the play by Samuel A. Taylor, as produced on the stage by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. Prefers Privacy Charles Boyer, starred with Louis Jourdan in Columbia Pictures, ‘‘The Happy Time,” the delightful new Stanley Kramer productionyat= the. i 8. Theatre of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein’s frank and funny Broadway hit, believes an actor’s private life to be his own. Boyer, where his professional life is concerned, is most cooperative, but in his personal life he has never even permitted his eight-year-oldson, Michael, to be photographed. "Happy Time" Mat 2-A; Still No. 66 "THE HAPPY TIME," Columbia Pictures’ new Stanley Kramer comedy at the eI Des EN DS ... Theatre, stars Charles Boyer, center, and Louis Jourdan and features Linda Christian and Bobby Driscoll, right. Mat I-E; Still No. 78 LINDA CHRISTIAN gets a medal from Louis Jourdan, starred with Charles Boyer in Columbia's "The Happy Time," abithes. eek ee Theatre. ‘Happy Time’ Bird Needs Understudy Ever hear of a canary that had to have a stunt canary to double for her in a movie?,~ « That’s exactly what happened in Stanley Kramer’s production of “The Happy Time,” the delightful Columbia comedy starring Charles Boyer and Louis Jourdan at the Theatre. The situation in the script has Boyer’s son, Bobby Driscoll, receive a canary as a birthday gift. The bird sings, is let out of her cage, flies about the room and then out of the window. “Babe” Jank, bird and animal trainer, informed director Richard Fleischer that two _ birds would be necessary for the role. “My Minnie sings like Lily Pons, but she can’t fly worth a darn,” explained Babe. “Fannie, on the other hand, flies as though she were jet propelled, but when she opens her beak she croaks. Yep, to get this canary role played just right, we’ll have to use two birds!” So that’s why a canary had to have an understudy! Reluctant Suitor Richard Erdman, one of Hollywood’s most-in-demand young character actors, has the brightest comedy role of his career in “The Happy Time,” the Stanley Kramer romantic comedy starring Charles Boyer and Louis Jourdan which Columbia Pictures is releasing at the Theatre. Erdman plays a reluctant suitor in the delightful story. His ‘Happy Time’ Role Happy Time for Jourdan Any actor with a cameo-cut profile has his troubles, according to Louis Jourdan, who stars with Charles Boyer in Columbia Pictures’ “The Happy Time,” the Stanley Kramer romantic comedy atthe: 5i.cam Theatre. “It’s the homely actor with ability who usually is assigned the good parts in motion pictures,” sighs Jourdan. “As it is, if you have a ‘leading man’ type of face, all you get is the chance to pitch woo—and this eventually palls on the public.” Jourdan admits that occasionally an astute producer will come through with a part that’s not just a walk-through for the romantic male lead. Such a case is Jourdan’s role of the philandering Desmonde in “The Happy Time.” “Desmonde has comedy opportunities,” observes the actor, “that takes me out of the straight romantic rut.” Jourdan points out there is a self-evident difference in the terms “leading man” and “character actor.” It is the latter who gets all the histrionic gravy in the movie, he believes. “If you’re a ‘leading man,’ the character you play usually has no character.” Jourdan insists that he doesn’t want to be a “movie star” in the usual sense of the term. “I hate the word ‘star,’ because it’s limiting,” he states. “My ambition, rather, is to become an important Mat I-G; Still No. 76 BOBBY DRISCOLL is kissed by Linda Christian in Columbia's "The Happy Time," Stanley Kramer comedy starring Charles Boyer and Louis Jourdan at [06> :...,. em Theatre. actor. What’s more, I believe the star system is dying. The star system means that a story is written specifically for a star. Actually, a story should be written for itself. Then, it should be suitably cast.” “The Happy Time,” from Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein’s frank and funny Broadway hit of a boy on the verge of that well-known urge, features Marsha Hunt, Kurt Kasznar, Linda Christian, Marcel Dalio, Richard Erdman and Bobby Driscoll. The screen play, based on the play by Samuel A. Taylor and the book by Robert Fontaine, was written by Earl Felton. The music was composed and directed by Dimitri Tiomkin. Richard Fleischer directed and Felton served as associate producer. ‘Happy Time’ Props Add Entertainment Inanimate movie props can be as important to a film as its stars. For instance, where would Stanley Kramer’s new comedy, At othe: ec Theatre, Columbia Pictures’ “The Happy Time,” be without the glamorous female garters Louis Jourdan collects? Or the watercooler containing wine, the player piano, the violin, and the canary in its cage? “The Happy Time” is no exception. Remember how much work was done by the cigarette lighter in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Strangers on a Train?” The lighter was practically as important as the parts played by Robert Walker and Farley Granger. And the same goes for the jewelencrusted gauntlet and Glenn Ford in “The Green Glove.”’ Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor and Shelley Winters got star billing in “A Place in the Sun,” but the rowboat from which Shelley met her death was just about as important, dramatically, as the actors. Repeats Stage Role Kurt Kasznar, top character actor whose fabulous performance as Uncle Louis was one of the highlights in Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein’s frank and funny Broadway hit, “The Happy Time,” repeats his role for the delightful Stanley Kramer production which Columbia Pictures is releasing at the Brest eg oat Theatre. Charles Boyer and Louis Jourdan are starred in the film version. "Happy Time" Mat 2-E; Still No. 252 LINDA CHRISTIAN IS FEATURED in Columbia Pictures’ "The Happy Time," Stanley Kramer's production of the Rodgers & Hammerstein stage success, now starring Charles Boyer and Louis Jourdan at the ab aie (en SNR nN te Theatre. Linda Christian Tana By Star for ‘Happy Time’ Linda Christian, who is featured importantly at the ..... Theatre in support of stars Charles Boyer and Louis Jourdan in Columbia Pictures’ “The Happy Time,” contends that one Hollywood home should be large enough to accommodate two careers. “That is,” she adds “if both persons are sensible.” The wife of screen star Tyrone Power, Linda recently resumed her acting career when she accepted the romantic feminine lead in Stanley Kramer’s production of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein’s frank and funny stage sensation, “The Happy Time.” She is certain she can successfully combine marriage with a career of her own. “As a matter of fact, Ty was as anxious to have me rzsume acting as I was myself,” Linda explained. “My husband enjoys acting, and so he can understand my attitude toward the _ profession.” Linda feels that a mutual career should firmly cement matrimony, as it gives a couple mutual interests. “T run dialogue with Ty at night when he is working on a picture, and he does the same with me,” she continued. “We discuss characterizations and bits of business that might enhance a part. And, someday, soon, we hope to appear in a play or motion picture together. We do feel that it would be interesting to occasionally appear in the same show or film.” Linda figures she has learned a great deal about the technique of acting since she married Tyrone Power in 1949. “Since then, we’ve rehearsed plays in the evening, and made tape recordings of our work. The playbacks show me what mistakes I’ve made, and on the next ‘take’ I try to rectify them. Ty gives me invaluable acting pointers— and I’m sure I’ve one of the most expensive drama coaches in the world giving me lessons for free,” she added laughingly. “The Happy Time” features a large supporting cast that includes, in addition to Miss Christian, Marsha Hunt, Kurt Kasznar, Marcel Dalio, Richard Erdman and Bobby Driscoll. Page 3