Despite the fact that Tony Curtis' Bronx vibe (and accent) get in the way of his "I'm from Milwaukee" vibe, and the Jack Oakie/Kay Medford stuff looks like a Garson Kanin pilot for a pallid, early 60s sit com called "Mac's Place", and that cinematographer Robert Burks cannot trick me into mistaking downtown Pittsburgh for Times Square, I still really liked this hard edged rom com. Director Robert Mulligan, as he showed in "Mockingbird", "Up The Down Staircase" and "Baby, The Rain Must Fall", is a master at keeping heartwarming from spilling over into cloying. And in this worthy endeavor he is immeasurably aided by his two leads, especially Debbie Reynolds who, thankfully and believably, removes her usual perk for a tougher and much more welcome veneer. At least that's how I feel. Apparently, 1960 audiences disagreed, wanting more saccharine "Tammy" garbage, and so the film bombed. Oh, well. Still a good movie. I also liked Don Rickles, Joe Bushkin and sax great Gerry Mulligan (no relation to the director) as various nightclub/musician sleazoids and thugs, all of whom get away with their various misdeeds, a refreshing departure from the usual Hays Office practices of the time and probably another reason this film didn't make money. Give it a B.
PS...Oops. Forgot to mention Elmer Bernstein's great, propulsive, jazzy score. Most appropriate to a film with a jazz musician hero.
PS...Oops. Forgot to mention Elmer Bernstein's great, propulsive, jazzy score. Most appropriate to a film with a jazz musician hero.