That Funny Feeling (Universal Pictures) (1965)

Bobby Darin In 7th Movie, "That Funny Feeling, 3rd Time With Wife, Sandra Dee (Current) As a film personality, it is one down and one to go for Bobby Darin. As he appears in his seventh movie, Universal’s Technicolor romantic comedy, “That Funny Feeling, ” now at: the ..-22 5: Theatre, as one of a trio of stars also including Sandra Dee and Donald O’Connor, Bobby feels he has gained the important status of motion picture identity. At the same time, he evaluates himself as not yet a star, in the full sense of the word. It is a sought-after, elusive rating which comes genuinely to only a few. It is a quality of acceptance marked by having a large and faithful fan following and a corresponding draw at the boxoffice. Sandra Dee has it with 17 starring films now to her credit. Bobby Darin hasn’t it yet, in the medium of the motion picture, at his age of 28, and with starring roles in only seven p ctures thus far. But he IS a star in related fields of show business — as a nightclub headliner, song-writer and composer. But with release of the new film, in which he has a compelling role opposite Sandra, he may attain it in movies, too. “T’'1]1 know when I do,” he says. “T’]] know it when the first film producer has a screenplay written expressly for me to do.” The public will know it also, but its attainment may not be as well defined in that area. It will be felt, rather than said. Meanwhile, with his already attained status of motion picture identity—a thing in itself desirable, and not easy to come by— he has earned star billing and the role opposite Sandra on his merits alone. He fits the part as a manifestly capable actor, with no relationship to the fact that he happens also to be Sandra’s real-life husband. There are no problems apparent in this romantic pair:ng of Sandra and Bobby for a screen vehicle. It is a romantic comedy, and not a passionate love story. And they have one special advantage. Since they share the same household, they can and do rehearse one another in their time away from the studio. Very few screen troupers enjoy the same advantage. “That Funny Feeling,” which was directed by Richard Thorpe and produced by Harry Keller, is an hilarious masquerade romantic comedy. billing SANDRA DEE BOBBY DARIN and DONALD O’CONNOR as Harvey Granson in “THAT FUNNY FEELING” TECHNICOLOR co-starring NITA TALBOT LARRY STORCH LEO G. CARROLL Screenplay by DAVID R. SCHWARTZ Based on a story by NORMAN BARASCH and CARROLL MOORE Directed by RICHARD THORPE Produced by HARRY KELLER A Universal Picture the east JO0ns eee SANDRA DEE Tone eee BOBBY DARIN Harvey Granson ........------------------- DONALD O’CONNOR ARGTGYa ae NITA TALBOT utheros See LARRY STORCH OShea 2 = LEO G. CARROLL Officer Brokaw JAMES WESTERFIELD Bartender ...... ROBERT STRAUSS Bartender ..............---BEN LESSY the staff Director of Photography, Clifford Stine, A.S.C.; Art Directors, Alexander Golitzen and George Webb; Set Decorations, John McCarthy, Julia Heron; Sound, Waldon O. Watson, Lyle Cain; Unit Production Manager, Howard Pine; Film Editor, Gene Milford; Make-Up, Bud Westmore; Hair Stylist, Larry Germain; Assistant Director, Joseph Kenny; Gowns Designed by Jean Louis; Music, Bobby Darin; Music Supervision by Joseph Gershenson; Song: “That Funny Feeling,” Words and Music by Bobby Darin. involved in 10-minute sequence on the screen in Universal’s sidesplitting romantic comedy in Technicolor, ‘“That Funny Feeling.” Sandra Dee and Donald O’Connor also co-star. Jean Louis Suggests Girl’s Basic Wardrobe (Current) What could well be a basic wardrobe for any working girl trying to get along in a big city is illustrated by Sandra Dee in Universal’s romantic comedy in Technicolor, “That Funny Feeling,” costarring Bobby Darin and Donald O’Connor, now at the................ Theatre. Working as a maid but trying to break in as an actress on the (Still No. 1956-81) stage, Sandra’s wardrobe consists of the following: aqua linen sleeveless dress; fitted white slip; blue working smock; pink nightie with blue robe; red wool suit with white blouse; navy blue suit; white cocktail dress and coat; plaid slacks and car coat; navy blue dress with red bow; red skirt with white blouse and bow tie; green party dress; assorted sweaters and other accessories. For her movie role, these costumes were designed and selected by famous couturier Jean Louis. Paired romantically on the screen for the third time—they actually are married in real life—are Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin in Universal’s fun-packed romantic comedy in Technicolor, ‘That Funny Feeling.” (Still No. 1956-95) the story (Not for Publication) Joan Howell (SANDRA DEE) stoops to fix her stocking and collides with Tom Milford (BOBBY DARIN). At. which, Tom walks smack into Officer Brokaw (JAMES WESTERFIELD). Joan enters a nearby brownstone and uses her key to open the apartment labelled “Milford.” There she changes into a smock and slippers, hangs a ecard on the door, “Maid to Order — apartment serviced by Joan Howell,” and cleans up the place. At Granson Publishing, Tom’s boss, Harvey Granson (DONALD O’CONNOR), who is hiding expensive paintings with Tom pending a divorce settlement, assigns Tom to go to California for 10 days. Aspiring to be actresses, Joan and Audrey (NITA TALBOT) share a tiny apartment in the Village. They work as cleaning maids to support themselves. Luther (LARRY STORCH), a method actor type, is their neighbor. Next day, as Joan is en route to clean the Milford apartment, Tom trips on her hatbox at the corner newsstand. When Joan arrives at the apartment, she finds a note to discontinue service for 10 days as Milford will be away. That evening, two cabs collide, and their drivers berate each other. Tom is the passenger in one cab, Joan in the other. They decide they were meant to meet. When Tom insists on escorting her home, she heads for HIS apartment. She points to the nameplate, says she is Joan Milford. Baffled, Tom says he is Tom Baffle — and goes to stay at Harvey’s penthouse. So Joan moves in and Audrey joins her in the luxury. Joan has more dates with Tom, and when she feels she cannot keep him from the apartment any longer, she takes Tom’s clothes to pawnbroker O’Shea (LEO G. CARROLL), and with the money realized, she and Audrey feminize the place. Among other things, they replace Harvey’s fine oils, with cheap prints. Tom is shocked at the transformation, but still does not reveal his identity. The climax comes when jealousy rears its ugly head. Joan, in reclaiming Tom’s suits from the pawnbroker, is shown a picture that O’Shea has taken from the pocket, and discovers that Milford really is Tom. So, womanlike, she plans revenge. She and Audrey use Tom’s card-file of girls which they had found, and invite each of them to come to a surprise party, dressed as girls of the Paris boulevards. Seeing the girls arrive in droves, Officer Brokaw sends for police reinforcements. When all the women are assembled, demanding food, drink and men, Tom and Harvey arrive and are amazed at what they see. Harvey finds his paintings in a closet and leaves with them. The police load him first, then the party girls, then Joan, Tom and Audrey—all protesting innocence. In the police van, Tom makes his peace with Joan, offering her permanent use of his apartment and name. “That,” observes Audrey, “is a proposal.” Page 4 Nita Talbot, Sandra's Roommate In Comedy, “That Funny Feeling™ (Current) Nita Talbot has finally “arrived” if her appearance with Sandra Dee, Bobby Darin and Donald O’Connor in Universal’s Technicolor romantic comedy, “That Funny Feeling,’ now at [Eg eee eae ene is a aeale Theatre, is any criterion. This is her second movie in a row at Universal—the other being “A Very Special Favor.” For this actress-comedienne it is an accomplishment to have surmounted a multiple resemblance to several others. In style and appearance, she has been likened to Carole Lombard, Kay Kendall, Ida Lupino, Judy Holliday and Lauren Bacall. In fact, it was because of the latter that she made her Hollywood film contract bow — but no films—at a studio which regarded her primarily as a backup, or threat, to its then contract star, Lauren Bacall. It took this New York City girl—she was born in Harlem— many years and a lot of work to overcome that. Even as a child she wanted to be an actress, and when she was 12, she became a child model. Later she went to the Irvine School for the Theatre Arts, where she had won a scholarship. Her professional debut when she had grown into a tall, attractive blonde, was in a small part at a summer theatre in Green Hills, Pa. The next, and bigger, role there led to the contract — but no films. After that, and further study, she got her first break as a regular on the Jack Carson television show, and a new name for the Ginger Gray she was then calling herself. As Nita Talbot, success in television and on Broadway, came rapidly after that, and she has been busy as well in feature films. Having overcome an unfavorable multiple resemblance to others, Nita Talbot plays a leading role in the Universal zany romantic comedy in Technicolor, “That Funny Feeling.” (Still No. 1956-34) Movie Set Changes From ‘His” To “Hers” (Advance) Sandra Dee, Bobby Darin and technicians of their “That Funny Feeling” Universal film troupe had to cope daily with an instant sexswitch movie set, for the Technicolor romantic comedy coming.... Theatre. It consisted of Darin’s definitely masculine apartment, with black leather divan and the sort of drapes, bric-a-brac and other furnishings a man would want to live with. When Sandra takes over, she and Nita Talbot at once feminize the place with flowered chintz slip covers, bowls of flowers and new drapes. A crew of eight—three prop men, three drapers and two set decorators— made the changeover in a swift 15 minutes, every time it was required. Securing 45 Beauties And Costumes Is Big Job For hat Funny Feeling” Crew (Advance) Hollywood’s sexiest dress procurement job of the year—to clothe 45 exquisite young lovelies for a total of ten minutes’ playing time (screen) —was accomplished in less than a week by Universal. Needed were flashy party gowns, each more eye-catching (male) than the other, for the 45 beauties to wear in a three-scene single sequence of the Sandra Dee-Bobby Darin-Donald O’Connor romantic comedy in Techni color, “That Funny Feeling,’ COMING ee hae LOMUIC Weresereeneeee Theatre. It is the point in the story where Sandra has found bachelor Bobby’s little black book of girls — photographic model types in New York City — and devilishly invites them all to a _ surprise party for Bobby and to come dressed as their idea of girls of the Paris boulevards. To accomplish this, there had to be (among other things) the beautiful girls, and the costumes. Perhaps incredibly, both were found to be in short supply. Director Richard Thorpe interviewed more than 100 young ladies, before he found the 45 of requisite talent, beauty and provocative sexiness. They included 14 capable of reading lines or ad libbing, and 31 atmosphere beauties. Meanwhile Grady Hunt, costume designer for all the ladies in the picture with the exception of Sandra Dee, whose wardrobe was done for her by Jean Louis, bought 15 colorful dresses at a shop in Los Angeles which supplies originals for Nevada showgirls. The other 30 had to be made by the studio wardrobe shop. The dresses are widely varied in color and design. They run to above-the-knee hemlines (a few of them very much so), to deep and revealing skirt slits, to low, low decolettes (cleavage); to beads, feathers, rhinestones, sequins, flowers, fringes, furs and tassels; to such ‘hot’ and vivid colors as pinks, reds, purples, blues, oranges, yellows and, for contrast, blacks and whites. But no greens; Sandra plays the sequence in a chiffon sheath of Kelly green, and, after all, she is the leading lady and entitled to an exclusive. To get the ten minutes on the screen, the 45 girls worked one eight-hour day indoors, and one eight-hour night outdoors. Which is about par for the course. Canine Actor Displays Expensive Appetite (Advance) If Sandra Dee’s new movie went over budget in the food department, it was due to Spike, a mutt dog with an expensive appetite. Although brought up on horse meat and kibble, Spike discovered caviar hors d’oeuvres by sheer accident when he joined the cast of the Dee-Bobby Darin-Donald O’Connor romantic comedy in Technicolor, Universal’s “That There was a plate of the caviar tidbits on the coffee table in the movie set apartment in which Spike played his first scene with Sandra. After doing the scene, Spike edged over to the table and wolfed the whole platterful. Inasmuch as Spike’s opening performance had been successfully consumated, after another dog had flubbed the action, no one had the heart to deny Spike his reward. The caviar had been laid on for the stars to nibble in the following scene, so it was top-grade Beluga caviar, at $42 a halfpound, which qualifies Spike as a very expensive eater. But then the expensive actors are usually the best. That’s show business.