Come September, from 1961, is a romantic comedy starring Rock Hudson and Gina Lollobrigida, with Sandra Dee, Bobby Darin, and Walter Slezak taking on supporting roles. This totally adorable film is the one which began the Dee/Darin romance. The two were married shortly after completion of Come September.
Rich American playboy, Robert Talbot (Rock Hudson), owns a villa in Italy; however, he only uses it for one month every year...in September. The rest of the year, the villa is in the hands of his major domo, Maurice (Walter Slezak), who, unbeknownst to Talbot, has been turning it into a 5-star hotel...La Dolce Vista...for the eleven months of the year that the owner is gone.
This particular year, however, Robert returns to Italy in July instead of September, and his unannounced, unexpected visit causes much craziness, for a group of teenage girls and their chaperone are in residence. Though Robert instructs Maurice to get the girls out immediately, since there are no vacancies in town, they have nowhere else to go. Robert has no choice but to let them stay.
Robert has an Italian girlfriend, Lisa (Gina Lollobrigida), who, though on the verge of marrying another, hightails it over to Robert's villa the moment she learns he has returned to Italy. Their rendezvous doesn't go as hoped, however; since the American schoolgirls are occupying so many rooms, Lisa is forced to bunk in with one of them, and it seems that every time she gets near Robert's bedroom door, the girls' chaperone is right there to make sure no inappropriate activity is taking place. After said chaperone injures herself in a fall and requires hospitalization, Robert begins to see himself as the protector of the young ladies' virtue, especially when a group of teenage boys is suddenly underfoot and wanting to make time with the girls.
Sandra Dee portrays one of the girls, and Bobby Darin is one of the boys, and as their characters feel attraction for one another, Rock works hard to keep them apart, lest the boys cross the line of decent behavior. However, as Rock counsels Sandra to be on guard against boys who are after only one thing, Gina begins to apply those words to Rock's and her relationship as well.
This movie is sweet and fun and a total delight. My daughter and I recently enjoyed it for a "chick flick" movie night, and we smiled and laughed through the whole film. Rock is his usual gorgeous, fabulous, romantic comedy self. We loved him. Gina Lollobrigida is certainly no Doris Day, and I don't think she and Rock had anywhere near the same chemistry he shared with Doris; however, Gina is definitely beautiful, and with her being Italian, she worked perfectly in this role. Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin were totally adorable, and seeing them, I was inspired to learn a bit more about them both. What a shame that Darin died so young. By the way, Darin does some singing in this movie.
Just have to say this...part of the counsel given to Sandra Dee's character was this: "The bedroom is like a wedding gown...it's bad luck to let him see you in it before you're married." In the sexually permissive society we live in nowadays, lines like that are laughable to us, but that's part of why I find the old movies so refreshing.
If you are a Rock Hudson, Gina Lollobrigida, Sandra Dee, or Bobby Darin fan, I feel sure you will enjoy Come September. The film is out on DVD, so it should be fairly easy to track down. Also, it's available on Net Flix instant viewing.
Happy viewing!!
