I absolutely adore Rock Hudson, and when I learned he had done a romantic comedy with my favorite actress, the marvelous Leslie Caron, I was enthusiastic to acquire my own copy of the film. Quickly I purchased it and eagerly awaited the time that I could sit and savor the film from start to finish. When the time came and the movie began, I was at first very excited to see what would happen between my two big screen favorites, only to be bitterly disappointed. I later learned that this film was Rock's least favorite ever made, and after watching it, I can completely understand why. The basis for the film's plot, has a sickening undertone where a woman's father, fearing she is doomed to a sexless and platonic existence with her obviously effeminate fiancé, hires Rock's character to basically gaslight his daughter into finding her sexual self. When Hudson succeeds in scaring the woman so deeply to her core that she is emotionally distressed to the point of a complete breakdown, her father, having only seconds beforehand been reunited with her after a 25 year absence, swears revenge on the man he has hired after seeing how much his daughter has been hurt. Caron then turns the tables with equal ferocity, and manages to flip Hudson the same way he flipped her, shaking his sexual confidence to pitiful levels. It is after this that the father then decides that the two would be a match made in heaven and tries to get them together. Hudson, feeling desperate to regain his sexual prowess once again, agrees, and In order to convince Caron that they are meant for each other, concocts a ruse in which he dresses his secretary Mickey (Nita Talbot) who has long nursed an open crush on him, as a man (hair cut and all) and runs off to a hotel with her, giving off the appearances of a homo-erotic tryst.
The ruse works and all live happily ever after as the credits roll. Meanwhile, the viewer is left with a sick feeling in their stomach and a rotten taste in their mouth. This movie MIGHT have worked if it had been better written, and a method other than mutual gaslighting between the "lovers" to be was used as the method of wooing. The whole plot that a happy successful career woman soon to be 30 needed to be loosened up or be doomed to a life of sexless spinsterity is frankly, highly offensive.
And though the movie has one or two points that tickle the funny bone, one will not be moved to tears of laughter watching this film. They may, however, be moved to tears of sorrow that they wasted an hour and a half watching this pitiful excuse for a romantic comedy.
As I said in the title, I was sincerely disappointed that I didn't find this movie enjoyable. I wanted it so desperately to work; but unfortunately, in this case, the writers were just too darn lazy to try and write a decent plot, and thus the entire movie suffers, as does the audience.
Two thumbs down from me.
The ruse works and all live happily ever after as the credits roll. Meanwhile, the viewer is left with a sick feeling in their stomach and a rotten taste in their mouth. This movie MIGHT have worked if it had been better written, and a method other than mutual gaslighting between the "lovers" to be was used as the method of wooing. The whole plot that a happy successful career woman soon to be 30 needed to be loosened up or be doomed to a life of sexless spinsterity is frankly, highly offensive.
And though the movie has one or two points that tickle the funny bone, one will not be moved to tears of laughter watching this film. They may, however, be moved to tears of sorrow that they wasted an hour and a half watching this pitiful excuse for a romantic comedy.
As I said in the title, I was sincerely disappointed that I didn't find this movie enjoyable. I wanted it so desperately to work; but unfortunately, in this case, the writers were just too darn lazy to try and write a decent plot, and thus the entire movie suffers, as does the audience.
Two thumbs down from me.