Send Me No Flowers (1964)

Regular readers of They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To know that I don't lean much to comedy.  Of my 40 all-time favorite movies, only five of them are comedies---and two of those I would classify more as dramedies than out-and-out comedies.  Despite my usual lack of tolerance for that genre, though, for some reason, the three romantic comedies pairing Doris Day and Rock Hudson quite appeal to me.  In fact, I actually love and 5-star two of them, one of which is 1964's Send Me No Flowers.  Also starring Tony Randall and featuring Paul Lynde and Clint Walker in small roles, Send Me No Flowers is the final of Rock and Doris's three pairings.

A hypochondriac to the max, George Kimball (Rock Hudson) is convinced he is dying. Although he had seen his doctor and had a complete check-up two weeks earlier, he is sure that the pain in his chest means he's on his last legs, so he makes another trip to his doctor's office.  After listening to George's heart, the diagnosis is indigestion, and George is sent home with another bottle of pills, to add to his already-burgeoning medicine cabinet.  At George's previous visit, the doctor had taken a cardiogram, the results of which have not come back yet.  While George is in the restroom, the doctor takes a phone call about one of his other patients---a man who is dying. Overhearing the doctor's side of the conversation, George is certain he is the patient being discussed and that the results of the cardiogram indicate it is he who has only a few weeks to live.

Determining that it would be best to not tell his wife, Judy (Doris Day), the horrible news---lest she go to pieces---George shares the news of his "condition" with neighbor/friend, Arnold (Tony Randall) and then sets out to be sure Judy will be taken care of after his "death."  He purchases cemetery plots, dictates a goodbye message, then attempts to set her up with another man (Clint Walker).  Through a series of misunderstandings, Judy comes to believe that George is actually having an affair with a neighbor lady, and she kicks him out of the house.  When he attempts to explain the situation, Judy doesn't believe a word he says, and George finds himself further in the doghouse.

Does George ever realize that the doctor was talking about another patient and that he really has nothing wrong with him?  Does Judy figure out why George is pushing her into the arms of another man?  Does she believe him when he insists he is not having an affair?  Those are the questions which play out in the remainder of the film.



For a variety of reasons, I find Send Me No Flowers to be a completely delightful film.  For one thing, the chemistry between Rock and Doris is awesome.  I know Rock was gay and that there was never anything more than deep friendship between the two of them, but, boy, they could have fooled anyone.  They are amazing together, and that is part of what makes this film work for me.

Another reason I love the film is that I completely relate to it.  Twenty years ago, I was the kind of hypochondriac George Kimball is.  I was continually convinced that I had every form of cancer there is and that I was going to die before six months was up.  I remember my son's 3rd birthday in November, 1994.  Though I wouldn't be diagnosed for a few more days, I had pneumonia at the time, and I was horribly sick.  I remember crying to my mother-in-law at my son's birthday party, telling her that that was the last of Garrett's birthdays I would ever see.  I was completely and totally convinced I was dying.  AND, my daughter has inherited this propensity to hypochondria, having every form of cancer there is herself.  A black and blue mark, and she's convinced she has leukemia, a headache, and she's convinced it's a brain tumor, etc.  So, as we watch George Kimball obsess about his ailments, my daughter and I howl with laughter, seeing ourselves in the entire situation, thereby making the film even more amusing to us.

Tony Randall, as the Kimball's next-door-neighbor, and Paul Lynde, as the cemetery salesman, are both quite hilarious in their roles.  Doris is her usual perky, lovely self.  She sports some beautiful outfits here, especially her bright green suit.  Rock is gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous.   And, finally, Doris sings the film's theme song.  All those things combine to make this a film I absolutely love.

Out on DVD, Send Me No Flowers should be quite easy to track down.  If you like Pillow Talk, I'm sure you will enjoy this film as well.  It's a definite 5-star, "love it" film for me, and I highly recommend it.

Happy viewing!!

All That Heaven Allows (4 stars)

With tomorrow being Rock Hudson's birthday, I thought a re-watch of one of my favorites of his films (and a re-working of one of my earliest posts) was in order.  All That Heaven Allows---a 1955 Douglas Sirk romantic drama pairing Rock with Jane Wyman---is a tender, touching film which explores the theme of romance between an older woman and a younger man. I am totally not a Jane Wyman fan and would have preferred someone else to have been in this role. (Susan Hayward comes to mind as one who I would have loved here, and given that she was only three years younger than Jane Wyman, her age would have worked in this role.) On the other hand, I think Rock Hudson is fabulous. He is beyond gorgeous at this point in his career, and he and the sweet storyline are the reasons I like this movie so much.

Jane Wyman plays Carrie Scott, a socially prominent, middle-aged widow, with college-age children. (You never really know how long she has been a widow, but you assume it's not been too long.) With her children off at college, Carrie is quite lonely, and even though her country club friends try to keep her active, there is still something missing in Carrie's life.

One day, while she is lunching alone on her terrace, Carrie makes the acquaintance of Ron Kirby, her new gardener, who tells her that his father has died and that he has taken over the business. Several years younger than Carrie, Ron is a simple, down-to-earth man totally at ease with himself and his position in society. He doesn't aspire to be socially prominent or to live the country club life; rather, he is content to live in the country and to try his hand at tree farming.

Carrie and Ron are drawn to each other and begin spending time together, despite the fact that the tongues of the snobby country club crowd are beginning to wag. When Ron takes her out to his tree farm, Carrie is fascinated by the old mill located on the property and tells him it would make a wonderful home for him and the wife he will one day have.

Several weeks later, Carrie is stunned to visit the mill and discover that Ron has begun renovating it and it is shaping up to be a beautiful home. He tells her he is doing it for her, for them...and he tells her he loves her and asks her to marry him. At first, Carrie turns him down, convinced that their different lifestyles and the age difference between them will prevent them from finding happiness. However, after Ron encourages her not to worry about what other people think and to take a chance on happiness, Carrie accepts his proposal and is blissfully happy.

When Carrie calls her college-age children home to share the news with them, she is unprepared for how violently they oppose such a union. Besides the fact that Ron is much younger than their mother, is the fact that socially he is not what she deserves. They are certain he could never fit in with the elite country club crowd Carrie has run in for years, and a cocktail party with said people proves they are right. The gossip mill is in full force when Carrie and Ron show up for a party, and ugly words about Carrie's fidelity to her deceased husband make their way to Carrie's daughter's ears. Both of Carrie's children tell her that such a marriage will shame them and totally ruin their lives.

Will Carrie reconsider?  Will she put aside other people's opinions and do what makes her happy?  These are the questions which play out in the balance of this sweet, tender film.



As noted, I don't care for Jane Wyman, but Rock more than makes up for that. I quite adore him---his gorgeous presence makes any movie enjoyable for me.  And this film is definitely sweet and lovely and even gets me mildly misty-eyed.  Out on DVD, it ought to be fairly easy to track down.  And, just FYI, Jane and Rock were paired together in another romantic tearjerker, Magnificent Obsession.  I highly recommend both that film and this one.

Happy viewing...and happy birthday, Rock Hudson (November 17, 1925 - October 2, 1985)!!

Something of Value (4 stars)

Something of Value, from 1957, is a hard-hitting political/racial unrest drama starring Rock Hudson and Sidney Poitier, with Dana Wynter and Wendy Hiller taking on supporting roles.  It's a film that takes place in Kenya during the 1940's and early 1950's...a time when the East African country was under British rule.

Peter McKenzie (Rock Hudson), a white English colonist, and Kimani (Sidney Poitier), a black native Kenyan, have been raised as brothers.  Since Peter's own mother had died when he was a baby, Kimani's mother, a servant for the McKenzie family, raised the white child.  As a result, Peter and Kimani have played together and been as close as brothers all their lives; however, as the boys grow to adulthood, Peter is told that Kimani is supposed to be his servant, not his equal.  In fact, Peter is told, "Blacks are blacks and not playmates."  Those ideas do not sit well with Peter, and although Kimani tells him they are not friends anymore, but servant and master, Peter responds that he will always be his friend.

Wanting more out of life than to be "head man" to a white man, Kimani leaves his home to join up with a revolutionary group.  Although Kimani would prefer non-violent methods of delivering the native people from the English, the group he has joined insists that independence will only be accomplished with guns and spilled blood.  Eventually, Kimani drinks the vow, which consists of sheep's blood, millet, and earth.  As he drinks, he promises "to steal guns, to never be a Christian, and to drive out all English or kill them."

Of course, Peter's and Kimani's paths are destined to cross again, and with both men having a bond of love for the other, can one of them possibly kill the other?  Or can the war be won peaceably?  These are the questions that play out in this hard-hitting, heartbreaking drama.

While I readily admit I know little about Kenyan history and, therefore, cannot say with certainty that this film is historically accurate, I did, nevertheless, find it to be completely riveting.  Sidney Poitier, who I think is a simply amazing actor, was totally stellar in this role.  He was completely believable, and my heart hurt for him over and over again.  Rock Hudson, I thought, was very good in his role.  Despite the fact that he was portraying an Englishman, yet had no English accent, he was completely believeable to me.  I could simply "blow off" the fact that the accent wasn't right.

Although tame by today's standards, there were a couple of very violent scenes, which really brought tears to my eyes.  The poignant ending, also, brought tears to my eyes.   All in all, I think Something of Value is a wonderful movie, and I highly recommend it.

This film is out on DVD; plus, it is available in its entirely on YouTube (HERE).  Happy viewing!!

Come September (4 stars)

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!!

Pillow Talk (5 stars)

Pillow Talk, from 1959, is a fabulous romantic comedy starring Doris Day and Rock Hudson.  Paired together in three movies (Pillow Talk, Lover Come Back, and Send Me No Flowers), Day and Hudson had amazing chemistry together.  Though all three movies are wonderful, Pillow Talk, without question, is my favorite.

Doris, who is her usual perky, lovely, delightful self, plays interior designer Jan Morrow; Rock, who is beyond gorgeous in this movie, is womanizing songwriter Brad Allen.  Jan and Brad happen to share a party line, which is a matter of great consternation to Jan, because Brad monopolizes the phone as he sings love songs to a multitude of different women, making it nearly impossible for Jan to use the line herself.  Irritated, Jan chews Brad out while he's in the middle of serenading one of his women, and then she proceeds to report his behavior to the phone company.  However, when the phone company sends one of their workers out to investigate, Brad charms her, and, therefore, Jan's complaints aren't taken seriously.

Though Brad and Jan have never met face to face, they both believe they know the other.  To Jan, Brad is nothing more than a playboy, and she detests him.  And to Brad, Jan is just a frustrated old maid who is jealous because a man isn't serenading her.  When by chance, they both happen to be at a night club one evening, and Brad discovers that Jan is a beautiful woman, he is instantly attracted to her.  Plus, he wants to prove to her that even she can fall victim to his charms.

So, introducing himself to Jan as Texas ranch man, Rex Stetson, Brad begins romancing her, and before long, Jan has fallen in love with him.  But how will she feel about him when she finds out he is none other than her playboy party line man, Brad Allen? 

Pillow Talk is an absolute scream.  There are several really hysterical moments in this movie, especially once Rex Stetson appears on the scene.  From the faked Texas accent, to asking for a dip recipe, to the times he goes back into Brad Allen mode and calls Jan on the phone to "warn" her about her Texas boyfriend, the laughs are plenty.  Oh, and the visit to the OB/GYN office is also hysterical.

The delightful Thelma Ritter, who is one of my favorite supporting actresses, is great here, as Doris's housekeeper.  Thelma adds so much life to ANY movie in which she appears.  She's loads of fun here, as she happens to enjoy listening to Brad serenade his many women and, therefore, isn't much on Jan's side about him.

Anyhow, Pillow Talk is one of the best romantic comedies I've ever seen, and as I said, Rock's totally gorgeous, and the chemistry between him and Doris is fabulous.  Definitely be sure to see this one.  It's out on DVD and should be very easy to track down.

Happy viewing!!