4/10
Fluffy RomCom From Another Era
2 October 2009
The film's story is about what one would expect for a romantic comedy from the early 1960s. California guys chase girls, and vice versa. With an exception or two, the tone is lighthearted, upbeat, frothy, and fluffy.

The script has an ensemble cast. Connie Stevens, Ty Hardin, Stefanie Powers, and Robert Conrad probably fare the best. And Carole Cook, as a perky hotel clerk, is quite good. But Andrew Duggan, Jack Weston, and Jerry Van Dyke all seem out of place here.

Major characters have enough dimension, though just barely, to make them reasonably interesting, especially Gale Lewis (Stevens) and Eric Dean (Conrad). One could argue that the script over-populates the story. Three or four main characters might have worked better. As is, the plot is all over the place as it flits from one character to another.

Comedy is quite juvenile. It is very unsubtle, and veers toward slapstick. As an example, an annoying little boy named Boom-Boom creates havoc when his behavior results in a swimming pool that fills up with soap bubbles.

Music trends decidedly upbeat. I like the Van Dyke/Hardin duo of "Bye Bye Blackbird". But I could have wished for some songs from the early 60s. The Kingston Trio performs a rather uninteresting number. More interesting than the song are the large, unattractive horn-rimmed glasses the lead singer wears.

Don't expect any complex plot or heavy-duty message here. "Palm Springs Weekend" is pure fluff, engineered for entertainment. As such, the film will appeal mostly to older audiences yearning for a bit of early 1960s nostalgia.
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