Today's Movie: Pillow Talk

I decided to go with a classic today.

1959's Pillow Talk is a romantic-comedy starring Doris Day and Rock Hudson. Most romantic-comedies I don't get into. It's just not one of my favorite film genres. However, there are a few that I enjoy and this is one of them. The films plot is about two strangers, with very different personalities, who are forced to share a telephone party line. Rock Hudson's character Brad is a womanizing musician who hogs the phoneline all day, much to the dismay of Doris Day's character Jan. While they've never met in person, the two bicker over the phone and Jan even files a complaint with the telephone company. By sheer coincidence the two end up at the same nightclub one evening. While Brad overhears her name and immediately realizes it's the woman from the other end of the phone, she has no idea what he looks like. So, Brad puts on a fake Texas accent and basically acts like the opposite of himself. Over the course of the film the two start to fall in love but, as all these types of stories go, the lie is eventually revealed. 

    This premise itself is obviously nothing special. Two people who dislike each other falling in love because one (or both) of them doesn't realize who the other person is, had been done before and has been done since. Where this film shines is in the performances of not only Hudson and Day, but the whole cast. Tony Randall, Thelma Ritter, and Marcel Dalio are just as memorable as the lead characters. It's also well-written, it moves at a good pace, and a lot of the comedic beats do hit the mark. The film even won the Oscar for Best Screenplay beating out, among others, North by Northwest.

Overall, it's just a fun, light-hearted movie that I enjoy and recommend checking out if you've never seen it.

4 out of 5 

Bell, Book and Candle

Bell, Book and Candle is a romantic-comedy staring James Stewart and Kim Novak, as well as, Jack Lemmon, Else Lanchester, and Ernie Kovacs. A while back I wrote a piece titled  '10 James Stewart Movies Everyone Should See' and, while I do stand by those ten selections because they're all fantastic films, this is a movie that is certainly worth watching as well. Released in 1958, it's definitely been overshadowed by another Stewart/Novak film from that same year; Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo.

The plot is straight forward and fun: a witch named Gillian (played by Novak) has a bit of a thing for a man named Shepard (played by Stewart) who lives in the apartment just a floor up from her shop. Gillian originally plans to try to win Shepard over without using any magic but when she learns that he's already engaged and to be married soon, she decides to cast a love spell on him. So now she has Shepard infatuated with her, however, there are a couple problems with this plan. First off, obviously she can't tell Shepard she's a witch because he won't be too happy if he finds out he called off his engagement because of witchcraft. Second, witches can't fall in love and there is a legend among the witches that if you do, you lose your powers. Early on you'll know how this film is going end but it's a fun ride getting there.James Stewart and Kim Novak are both solid but, the two actors who steal the movie are Jack Lemmon and Erine Kovacs. While there are funny lines from just about everyone in the film, Lemmon and Kovacs provide the overwhelming majority of the jokes.

Overall, it's an enjoyable film full of laughs and charm. If you haven't seen it, you should check it out.

I give it a 4.5 out of 5.

80's Month Day 14: When Harry Met Sally

It's Valentine's Day and, while I've never been much of a fan of romantic-comedies, it only seems fitting that I review one today. So, I've picked one of the more tolerable one's, 1989's When Harry Met Sally starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan.

The film follows a lot of common romantic-comedy tropes and would probably be pretty dull and generic if not for a good chemistry between it's two leading actors. Additionally, having Billy Crystal makes it one the rare films within this sub-genre to actually be funny.  The movie starts with Harry (Crystal) and Sally (Ryan) meeting right out of college through Sally's friend who Harry happens to be dating and initially they don't really get along. After making the trip from Chicago to New York City the two part ways with no intention of seeing one another again. The film then jumps five years to a chance encounter the two have at an airport, and Harry doesn't remember who Sally is at first, but she's dating someone Harry knows and he remembers while on the airplane. Jump ahead another five years and this is where the film really gets rolling. Sally is fresh out of a long time relationship and Harry is about to be divorced. They meet up, talk about their failed relationships, and grow to be friends. They go through ups and downs together and they both try dating again but, because romantic-comedies notoriously predictable, you know they'll get together in the end.

Overall, like I wrote at the start, I'm not much of a fan of these types of movies. However, this one is well paced, pretty entertaining, and most of the comedy does hit the mark.
So, I give it a 3 out of 5.


Have a suggestion for a review?
Leave it in the comments below.