As much as I wanted to capture the nostalgic feel of "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" TV show, it was just not to be while watching this earlier preview featuring Bobby Van and Debbie Reynolds. The thought that came to mind was a beach picture without the beach or the one piece bathing suits on the picture's females. The film wore out it's welcome about the tenth time I heard 'Learn, learn learn, Work, work work', and that was just in the first half hour. By his own indisputable admission, Dobie (Van) is a fun seeker, who's prime directive employs the ideal 'Workers ought to work, and enjoyers ought to enjoy'. There's never any doubt in which category Master Gillis belongs.
Before she joined the slackers club, Debbie Reynolds looked like she might have been the proverbial too good to be true catch for Dobie, but their romance is cinched almost from the get go. On the other hand, Lorna Ellingboe (Barbara Ruick) is more than hormonally challenged by the sight of Dobie on campus. How all these lovebirds reconcile their feelings for each other is part of the meandering script, with caper after caper usually ending in disaster.
The one surprise I wasn't expecting here was the presence of legendary dance choreographer and director Bob Fosse. For most of the picture, he was Lorna's noble meatball, but when he breaks into a solo dance number, he's simply amazing. Later he tries not to show up buddy Dobie in a choreographed number that also includes the girls. Those two spots would have been the highlight of the film for me.
If you tune in expecting to see characters from the TV show, be warned. There's no Maynard G. Krebs or Zelda Gilroy, no Chatsworth T. Osborne Jr. or Frank Faylen knock off portraying Dobie's grocer dad. Depending on your mood, this one could be mildly entertaining or just a complete bore. Unfortunately, it looks like I caught it on a bad day.
Before she joined the slackers club, Debbie Reynolds looked like she might have been the proverbial too good to be true catch for Dobie, but their romance is cinched almost from the get go. On the other hand, Lorna Ellingboe (Barbara Ruick) is more than hormonally challenged by the sight of Dobie on campus. How all these lovebirds reconcile their feelings for each other is part of the meandering script, with caper after caper usually ending in disaster.
The one surprise I wasn't expecting here was the presence of legendary dance choreographer and director Bob Fosse. For most of the picture, he was Lorna's noble meatball, but when he breaks into a solo dance number, he's simply amazing. Later he tries not to show up buddy Dobie in a choreographed number that also includes the girls. Those two spots would have been the highlight of the film for me.
If you tune in expecting to see characters from the TV show, be warned. There's no Maynard G. Krebs or Zelda Gilroy, no Chatsworth T. Osborne Jr. or Frank Faylen knock off portraying Dobie's grocer dad. Depending on your mood, this one could be mildly entertaining or just a complete bore. Unfortunately, it looks like I caught it on a bad day.