SYNOPSIS: Harry Lambert, the twit-brained, extra-loudmouthed, middle-aged owner of a lumber company in the New England town of "Calverton" (actually Concord), gets his wife pregnant.
NOTES: The play opened on Broadway at the Playhouse on 27 November 1962 and ran a staggering 1,007 performances. The play starred Maureen O'Sullivan (in her Broadway debut) and Paul Ford. Supporting were Orson Bean, John Alexander, Fran Sharon, House Jameson and Leona Maricle. The play was directed by George Abbott and produced by Eliot Martin and Dan Hollywood. Although not a musical, the play was presented with a special musical score composed by Jerry Bock, Sheldon Hamick and John Kander. Miss O'Sullivan and Mr. Ford repeated their roles for the film version. Overseas, in the West End (London) stage presentation, Fred Clark and Joan Bennett starred.
COMMENT: Just as tasteless as their previous collaboration, "Come Blow Your Horn", this Bud Yorkin — Norman Lear production is a chore to sit through. This time, the main character is a splenetic blow- hard, outrageously over-acted by Paul Ford, who is completely miscast as an older man who gets his wife pregnant. Instead of being proud of his achievement as anyone would naturally expect such an egotistical windbag to be, he is instead — would you believe? — ashamed! What a ridiculous plot! To bring this turn of events off, the producers needed to cast some Milquetoast comedian like Red Skelton, not a fulminating apoplectic like Paul "Loudmouth" Ford. Normally an abominable hammy actor who has the lion's share of scenes and dialogue, would throw the other players off-stride. That is not the case here because Jim Hutton and Connie Francis are such lousy actors, there's no way they would react sensitively to another player's mugging and grandstanding. Miss Francis is further burdened with an unattractive hair style that makes her look like a reject, bargain-basement Barbie doll.
The only players that come out of this farrago with any distinction are the charming Maureen O'Sullivan (making her first film for seven years) and the ever-reliable Lloyd Nolan. The latter's role is regrettably small, but Maureen has a decent part and manages to shine brightly despite just about all Paul Ford's elephantine efforts to overshadow her.
Aside from some bright location photography in Concord, Mass., production values are strictly minor league. Yorkin's direction, as usual, is steadfastly incompetent.
NOTES: The play opened on Broadway at the Playhouse on 27 November 1962 and ran a staggering 1,007 performances. The play starred Maureen O'Sullivan (in her Broadway debut) and Paul Ford. Supporting were Orson Bean, John Alexander, Fran Sharon, House Jameson and Leona Maricle. The play was directed by George Abbott and produced by Eliot Martin and Dan Hollywood. Although not a musical, the play was presented with a special musical score composed by Jerry Bock, Sheldon Hamick and John Kander. Miss O'Sullivan and Mr. Ford repeated their roles for the film version. Overseas, in the West End (London) stage presentation, Fred Clark and Joan Bennett starred.
COMMENT: Just as tasteless as their previous collaboration, "Come Blow Your Horn", this Bud Yorkin — Norman Lear production is a chore to sit through. This time, the main character is a splenetic blow- hard, outrageously over-acted by Paul Ford, who is completely miscast as an older man who gets his wife pregnant. Instead of being proud of his achievement as anyone would naturally expect such an egotistical windbag to be, he is instead — would you believe? — ashamed! What a ridiculous plot! To bring this turn of events off, the producers needed to cast some Milquetoast comedian like Red Skelton, not a fulminating apoplectic like Paul "Loudmouth" Ford. Normally an abominable hammy actor who has the lion's share of scenes and dialogue, would throw the other players off-stride. That is not the case here because Jim Hutton and Connie Francis are such lousy actors, there's no way they would react sensitively to another player's mugging and grandstanding. Miss Francis is further burdened with an unattractive hair style that makes her look like a reject, bargain-basement Barbie doll.
The only players that come out of this farrago with any distinction are the charming Maureen O'Sullivan (making her first film for seven years) and the ever-reliable Lloyd Nolan. The latter's role is regrettably small, but Maureen has a decent part and manages to shine brightly despite just about all Paul Ford's elephantine efforts to overshadow her.
Aside from some bright location photography in Concord, Mass., production values are strictly minor league. Yorkin's direction, as usual, is steadfastly incompetent.