Strange Bedfellows (Universal Pictures) (1965)

Producer Melvin Frank Has New, Provocative Approach To Marriage In Bedfellows’ (Advance) After 25 years of effort, a top team of Hollywood film makers has figured a new and provocative approach to a story about a married couple. “Geometrically speaking,” explains Melvin Frank, “we threw out the old triangle, placed Rock and Gina at opposite ends of a separation—and drew a beeline for the boudoir.” Rock, of course, is Rock Hudson; Gina, Gina Lollobrigida. The speaker, Melvin Frank, is celebrating the silver anniversary of his lucrative film partnership with Norman Panama by handling the producer-director reins on their latest screen comedy, “Strange Bedfellows,” with Rock, Gina, Gig Young and Edward Judd heading the cast. Photographed in Technicolor, “Strange In most Hollywood offerings, post-nuptial kisses are normally as exciting as a day in a barber shop, watching haircuts. Without some mysterious stranger to compete with hubby’s halfhearted hugs, l’amour, married style, inevitably peeks from the screen with the verve of yesterday’s classified ads. But not the way Panama and Frank approach the subject. ‘TJ think we can _ truthfully state that ‘Strange Bedfellows’ features the sexiesst married-love scenes ever shown on a movie screen,” Frank says, immodestly, “and I also believe that censors will be hard-put to object to any scenes on the grounds of immorality.” Just as Cecil B. DeMille used to create lusty scenes of love against the socially acceptable backgrounds of biblical times, Panama and Frank have devised a method to put spice into matrimonial smooching. “Quite simple,’ says Frank. “We take a handsome American male such as Rock Hudson, and a tempestuous Italian fireball such as Gina Lollobrigida. Then we have them marry after a 24-hour courtship. Temperament breaks the marriage into separation within two weeks. Then we bring them back to a reconciliation seven years later. Any questions?” Any doubters that the love scenes between Rock and Gina are explosive may be forewarned that during the 45-day filming schedule for “Strange Bedfellows,” 16 days were directed toward bedroom scenes involving the pair. Says film-maker Frank: “Most of the bedroom scenes are involved with reconciliation— only that word, reconciliation, sounds much too clinical and courtroomish for what’s going on in our film.” The hilarious comedy, a Universal picture, was photographed mainly in Hollywood. Comedian Terry-Thomas is guest star as a mortician in a fun-filled sequence in “Strange Bedfellows.” British comedian Terry-Thomas is guest star in a cameo role in Universal’s zany comedy in Technicolor, “Strange Bedfellows,” produced and directed by Melvin Frank. (Still No 1941-140) Lollobrigida Prefers Not To Feel At Home (Advance) Obviously, the one thing that Italian film star Gina Lollobrigida didn’t want was to feel “at home” on the set while she co-starred in Hollywood with Rock Hudson and Gig Young in the Panama and Frank comedy, “Strange Bedfellows.”’ The Technicolor film comes Ppp menmi tetas to the: 3.25) theatre: When she reported to Universal studios for rehearsals, Gina found a tall stack of Italian-produced record albums alongside the phonograph in her dressing room, compliments of producer-director Melvin Frank. In thanking Frank for his thoughtfulness, Gina made a startling request. “Tf you don’t mind,” she told Mel, “I would like the records to be exchanged for American music —rock-and-roll, rhnythm-and-blues, and plenty of watusi so I can learn the dance.” “Strange Bedfellows” marks the second teaming of Gina and Rock in a romantic comedy. They previously made “Come September” in 1960. Also co-starred in the film which is set in modern London but photographed almost completely in Hollywood, are British actor Edward Judd and English comedian, Terry-Thomas as guest star. It marks the first American movie for Arthur Hayes, star on British television. the story (Not for publication) Richard Bramwell (GIG YOUNG), an American public relations whiz for a top U. S. oil company, comes to London to clean up the “corporate image” of Carter Harrison (ROCK HUDSON), a young executive destined to become president of the firm’s international branch. Family respectability is the trademark of the company’s top brass, and Carter has been seven years separated from his wife, a fiery Italian beauty, Toni Vincente (GINA LOLLOBRIGIDA), who spends most of her time championing a weird assortment of minority causes. Re-establishing a marriage that lasted only a matter of weeks is not what Harrison has in mind. In fact, with his American lawyer, he is conferring with Toni and her lawyer about a divorce. Because of British divorce laws, it’s decided that Toni will go to Reno for the decree. Sharing a taxi after the meeting, Carter and Toni rekindle a familiar spark that proves irresistible. Next morning in Toni’s studio apartment they ponder how to tell her boy friend, Harry Jones (EDWARD JUDD), that he’s been replaced for the second time. However, later Carter learns that Toni plans to picket the U. S. embassy, and blows his top. When Harry shows up, it’s just in time to watch Carter make an angry and inelegant exit. Harry, sensing the problem, advises Toni to leave for Reno immediately. At Bramwell’s office, the luxury of the job that can be his, overwhelms Carter and he makes another stab at a reconciliation. But Toni, Reno-bound, has left for the airport. Carter, pursuing in another cab, contacts her taxi via radio and a zany transmission of messages wins Toni back again. They decide to curb their notorious “animal appetites” to form a togetherness of sorts. That night, for instance, Toni leaves to attend a meeting for a sculptor whose work has been banned from the National Gallery in Washington, D. C. A pea-soup fog interrupts the meeting and most of the odd-ball protest group, including Harry, spend the night with Toni and Carter. By morning, Harry has framed a plan to break up the reconciliation. He suggests the protest march on the U. S. embassy coincide with a meeting there involving the improvement of the American image abroad. To insure publicity, he suggests that Toni, au naturelle, and astride a horse, deliver the protest a la Lady Godiva. Harry knows how furious this will make Carter; he doesn’t know that Carter’s boss, J. L. Stevens (HOWARD ST. JOHN), is arriving to be at the embassy at that particular hour. Using disguises, ruses and lies, Carter manages to get Toni to agree to leave with him by air immediately for Nassau. Unfortunately they run straight into the arrival of J. L. and Mrs. Stevens, and more lying by Carter can’t save him. Toni rushes off to a Soho Street costumer to take her place as Lady Godiva. Chasing after her madly, Carter locates the costumer’s shop, but mistakenly goes through the wrong rear entrance and winds up in a funeral parlor involved in a ’way-out double-entendre conversation with a mortician (TERRY-THOMAS). Emerging as the protest caravan takes off, Carter purposely causes a smash-up and the ensuing traffic snarl snares J. L. Stevens and his party. As a wild brawl develops, Bramwell, no matter his public relations acumen, can’t protect Carter from the shocked attention of Stevens. In jail, the others, including Toni, are fined, but an oil company attorney makes a clever plea in Carter’s defense. Spectators Bramwell and Mr. and Mrs. Stevens are shocked when Carter repudiates the defense and declares he caused it all for the love of his wife. Somehow, everything works out for the best. Toni winds up in Carter’s arms. J. L. Stevens, mindful of the ‘corporate image,’ fires both Bramwell and Carter — but not before he promises Mrs. Stevens he’ll rehire them. Page 4 billing Universal Presents ROCK HUDSON GINA LOLLOBRIGIDA GIG YOUNG in “STRANGE BEDFELLOWS” TECHNICOLOR co-starring EDWARD JUDD with ARTHUR HAYNES And Guest Star TERRY-THOMAS Screenplay by MELVIN FRANK and MICHAEL PERTWEE Story by NORMAN PANAMA and MELVIN FRANK Produced and Directed by MELVIN FRANK A Panama-Frank Production A Universal Picture the east Carters 22 ROCK HUDSON Oni oo GINA LOLLOBRIGIDA Richard Bramwell.____GIG YOUNG Harry Jones........ EDWARD JUDD Assistant Mortician TERRY-THOMAS Carter’s Taxi Driver ARTHUR HAYNES J. L. Stevens. HOWARD ST. JOHN Aggressive Woman..NANCY KULP the staff Associate Producer, Hal C. Kern; Director of Photography, Leo Tover, A.S.C.; Unit Production Manager, Bob Larson; Art Directors, Alexander Golitzen and Joseph Wright; Set Decorations, John McCarthy, John Austin: Sound, Waldon O. Watson, Corson Jowett; Film Editor, Gene Milford; Make-up, Bud Westmore; Hair Stylist, Larry Germain; Assistant Director, Joseph Kenny; Gina Lollobrigida’s Gowns Designed by Jean Louis; Music, Leigh Harline; Music Supervision by Joseph Gershenson. Lollobrigida Assigned Star Dressing-Room (Current) Universal’s largest star dressingroom bungalow was assigned to Gina Lollobrigida when the Italian film star arrived to co-star with Rock Hudson and Gig Young in the Panama and Frank romantic comedy, “Strange Bedfellows,” NOW:sa Cathe eee ee Theatre. In addition to three queen-sized wardrobe closets and a completely equipped makeup and _ hairdress room, the bungalow features a three-room apartment — living room, bedroom and kitchen. “It had to be the biggest bungalow,” producer-director Mel Frank quipped. ‘‘We wanted to put her full name on the door.” “Strange Bedfellows,” a comedy background against modern London, did 99 per cent of its filming against Hollywood-built British settings. The Technicolor film marks the second pairing of Hudson and Miss Lollobrigida, who co-starred in “Come September” in 1960. Hudson, Lollobrigida Teamed In Comedy (Current) For the first time in almost five years, Rock Hudson and Gina Lollobrigida are together again on the screen in Universal's comedy romp photographed in Technicolor, “Strange Bedfellows,” now at the AS oe eeu Sia ms a BS EN Theatre. They appeared previously together in “Come September.” Co-stars in “Strange Bedfellows” are Gig Young and Edward Judd, and British comedian TerryThomas is seen as guest star in a cameo role. Modern Lady Godiva Carefully Handled In "Strange Bedfellows” (Advance) Lady Godiva’s famous naked ride gets the Hollywood treatment in a new romantic comedy soon to becséen ‘at. thes, 3 Theatre. But just how nude the cinematic equestrienne is won’t be revealed until the picture is shown. One thing is certain, however. The gorgeous gal who did the Godiva bit didn’t fight for more cover. She’s Gina Lollobrigida, Italy’s luscious gift to the movie screens of the world, and she agreed to go along with whatever producer-director Melvin Frank, studio officials and censor chiefs decided. “Too much concern was being made about the scene,” Gina believed. “History tells us that Lady Godiva rode naked through the streets of Coventry, but all of the illustrations of her 11th century gallop show that she was well covered with long, flowing tresses. The only decision that I think had to be made was how much hair I’d use for a gown and how long it would be.” Producer-director Frank, on the other hand, took a more concerned approach to the matter. After all, the Lady Godiva routine, as it is featured in “Strange Bedfellows,” the Panama-Frank romantic comedy in which Gina stars with Rock Hudson, Gig Young and Edward Judd, cost slightly under $85,000 to photograph in Technicolor—and Mr. Frank didn’t like to see that sort of moola go tumbling down the drain, excised from the story by the scissoring objections of censorship. “After all, we expect many millions of moviegoers to see Gina when she makes her Lady Godiva ride,’ Frank pointed out. ‘When the real Lady Godiva made her ride, only one person witnessed her trek, a Coventry tailor who went down in history as Peeping Tom. And for being so mean as to peek at her, Peeping Tom was stricken blind.” The controversial movie scene took place on the back lot of Universal studios in a modern-day replica of London’s Soho square. “We abandoned the idea of attempting to film the scene on location in London,” Frank said. “After all, London has enough problems with traffic already. Even their worst fog couldn’t tie up traffic as spectacularly as the sight of Gina Lollobrigida, au naturelle, riding a horse in Soho.” “Strange Bedfellows” is the story of American businessman Rock Hudson’s renewal of a brief marriage with Gina seven years after. Gina, a champion of minority causes, plays the Lady Godiva role to bring attention to her current efforts on behalf of an artist —much to the disgust of her husband. ‘ls It Strip-Tease?” Asks Gina Lollobrigida (Advance) Hollywood weekly diary: Monday — On the set of the Panama and Frank comedy at Universal, “Strange Bedfellows,” which: COMeS Meiers see oe to the Theatre, Gina Lollobrigida, wrapped in raincoat, dashes through a manmade London thunder shower. Tuesday — Miss Lollobrigida, in clinging stretch pants and figurefitting blouse, sits in front of a fireplace and drinks champagne with Rock Hudson. Wednesday — Gina, in negligee, greets her screen husband, Rock after a 7-year separation during a reunion sequence. Thursday — Gina, in black nightie, and Rock, in pajamas, loll in bed and discuss their marriage. Friday — Gina, in panties and bra, makes a frantic dash past an open window in order to reach a robe. Producer-director Melvin Frank, after photographing the scene in Technicolor from many provocative angles, pronounces it perfect and starts to tell his gorgeous Italian leading lady about plans for the following week. “Judging from the striptease I have been doing this week,” Gina tells Frank, “I’m afraid to find out what’s planned for next Monday.” Also starring in “Strange Bedfellows” are Gig Young, Edward Judd and British comedian TerryThomas as guest star.