The Wild and the Innocent (1959)

What do you get when you cross Audie Murphy with Sandra Dee?  An unlikely pairing, right? Maybe...but you also get the fun and sweet The Wild and the Innocent.  From 1959, this romantic comedy Western also features Joanne Dru, Gilbert Roland, and Jim Backus in supporting roles.  Strother Martin and Peter Breck (of Big Valley fame) also have parts in this charming little film.

Somewhere in the mountains of Wyoming, Yancy Hawks (Audie Murphy) lives with his uncle and his uncle's wife.  Trappers, the two men have been in the mountains for years; in fact, Yancy's never been out of them and in a town before.  After his uncle is mauled by a bear and needs to be still in order to recuperate, Yancy is sent on to the trading post to get needed supplies.  To his dismay, he discovers that the trading post has been closed and in order to sell his pelts and purchase what he needs, he will have to go into the big city---to the general store in Casper.

Enroute to the "big city," Yancy comes across a man (Strother Martin) traveling westward with a whole passel of kids.  Saying she would make a good wife, the man offers to trade his daughter, Rosalie (Sandra Dee), for half of Yancy's furs. Insisting that he would have to love a woman in order to marry her, Yancy declines the man's offer and continues on his way.

Not long afterwards, the dirty, unkempt Rosalie, who has run away from her pa, re-enters Yancy's life.  Sure that her father would have traded her to the first man who would take her, she chose to strike out on her own.  Since she figures she'll be able to find a job in the big city, and since that is Yancy's destination, Rosalie requests that he take her with him.  Although he doesn't really want the responsibility of the girl, Yancy agrees, and two very innocent, naive souls soon have their first-ever taste of city life.

The city's 4th of July celebration is in full-swing, so after cleaning up and getting some new clothes, both Yancy and Rosalie enjoy a night on the town.  Not knowing exactly what a dance hall girl is, Yancy is soon quite smitten with one of them (Joanne Dru).  Meanwhile, Rosalie, who is in love with Yancy and yearns for him to notice her, is romanced by the town's sheriff (Gilbert Roland) and offered a job at the dance hall.  She's unsettled about the type of gown she must wear and the kind of work she's expected to do, but since she has to support herself, what choice does she have?

Both Yancy and Rosalie are so innocent that the sheriff makes the comment that one doesn't know the kind of world he's in and the other doesn't even know she's pretty.  Will these two innocents get taken for a ride in the big city?  Will Yancy realize Rosalie loves him?  Or will he keep his attentions on the dance hall girl?  And what will Yancy do when he discovers Rosalie will soon be part of the dance hall establishment? How it all plays out is the balance of this very delightful film.




Although I'm calling this 3-stars, it's more like 3.5---it's cute, fun, sweet, totally charming, and somewhere between "like it" and "really like it" for me. There are a few parts which caused me to giggle like crazy.  First, when new clothes are bought for Rosalie---one of the items is a corset, and she has no idea what it is, nor does Yancy.  She tells him that she was informed it was to "hold her up."  Yancy's response, "Hold you up where?"  was quite comical.  Later, after she had donned her new gown over the corset, Yancy told her to take the corset off, that it made her bulge in places.  (Yes, the innocence of those statements is laughable to us today, but that is part of the film's charm.)

Besides the delightfully winsome storyline, it's fun seeing Sandra Dee in this change-of-pace role.  I think she did a great job.  The Big Valley's Peter Breck portrays one of the rowdy, drunken cowpokes who wants to bully the ill-equipped-for-city-life mountain man. Breck seemed totally in character, as on The Big Valley, he is usually the first one of the Barkley brothers to get into a scuffle.  Audie Murphy is perfect in this role; in fact, his character is much how I think of him in real life---an unsophisticated, small-town guy, able to stand right there with the best of them. Oh, and it must be mentioned that Audie is incredibly handsome at this point in his career!  While he was in his mid-30's here, his naturally youthful looks allowed him to believably portray a character who was probably supposed to be in his late teens.  (Audie was 17 years older than Sandra Dee, and, quite honestly, that fact didn't even occur to me until I was doing this post and realized her birth year---she actually could have passed for early 20's here.  And since Audie looked younger than his years, their pairing worked.)

The movie is corny, predictable, and (of course) very dated, but it's also charming, sweet, and unpretentious.  Put on your 1950's lenses, sit back, and enjoy a trip back to a more innocent time.

While not out on DVD or on the TCM schedule anytime soon, The Wild and the Innocent is available in its entirety on YouTube.  It's in four 20-minute parts, and although it's always a bit of a pain to watch in parts, it's definitely better than nothing.  I do hope you get a chance to see this.

Happy viewing!

NOTE:  All photos in this post were obtained from the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Website (HERE)

Portrait in Black (4 stars)

Portrait in Black, from 1960, is a suspenseful, slightly mysterious drama/film noir starring Lana Turner and Anthony Quinn, with Richard Basehart, Sandra Dee, John Saxon, and Lloyd Nolan taking on supporting roles.  (Net Flix categorizes this film as noir; however, it is in color, which most noirs are not.)  With February being Lana's birthday month, I decided a re-watch of this whodunit was in order, and even though I was aware of the surprise ending, I enjoyed the film as much as I did on my first viewing.

Wealthy shipping magnate Matthew Cabot (Lloyd Nolan), a demanding, unkind man, conducts his business from the bedroom of his mansion.  An invalid, Matthew is attended by his doctor, David Rivera (Anthony Quinn), and his attorney, Howard Mason (Richard Basehart), both of whom make regular visits to the Cabot home.  Also attending to Matthew is his beautiful, much-younger wife, Sheila (Lana Turner), and though it would appear that Sheila is devoted to her husband, in actuality, she is in love with and having an affair with Dr. Rivera. 

After having her chauffeur supposedly take her shopping, Sheila rendezvouses with the doctor, who begs her to leave Matthew and run away with him.  Knowing Matthew would never give her a divorce or custody of their young son, Sheila insists she cannot leave, which makes David more determined than ever to leave town himself.  Being near her and wanting her, he says, would make it so easy to pick up a syringe and inject Matthew with something completely untraceable.  With that thought spoken aloud between them igniting the plan into action, David and Sheila plot Matthew's murder, and since Matthew was ill anyway, no one is the wiser when he soon passes away...or so they think.

After Matthew's funeral, David insists that he and Sheila cannot see each other for awhile, so as not to arouse suspicions.  Soon, though, Sheila receives an anonymous letter congratulating her on the success of her murder, and although they realize the need to keep their relationship secret, David and Sheila begin meeting with one another regularly as they try to determine who it is who sent the letter...who it is who knows Matthew's death was not of natural causes.

Could it be Howard Mason?  He has told Sheila he wants to marry her, adding that he usually gets what he wants.  Could it be the chauffeur, who has begun asking if Mrs. Cabot has been upset by her mail?  Could it be the maid, who is also acting very strangely?  Whoever it is, the murderous pair intends to silence that person by committing yet another murder.  How it all plays out is the balance of this exciting film.

Portrait in Black is a very interesting movie, and the twist at the end will totally surprise you; truly, I NEVER saw that coming.  Lana Turner is simply beautiful here, and her wardrobe is stunning.  I know many people think she was a horrible actress, but I, however, am not one of those people.  I think she was a very good actress, and here, in Portrait in Black, I thought she was wonderful and quite believable...a bit melodramatic perhaps, but that was in keeping with her character and her crime...and it's what Lana could do so beautifully.  Anthony Quinn seemed a bit miscast for a romantic role, but he definitely worked.  I felt the chemistry between him and Lana was good---their illicit love seemed real, as did the tension between them when things began to unravel.

The film is out on DVD; I have it as part of a Lana Turner double feature, with Madame X...one of my five favorite movies of all time.  Additionally, it is available in its entirety on YouTube (HERE).   If you like Lana Turner, Sandra Dee (who portrays Dee's stepdaughter, Kathy), surprise endings, or beautiful clothing, I think you will enjoy Portrait in Black.

Happy viewing!!

If a Man Answers (4 stars)

If a Man Answers, from 1962, is a totally adorable romantic comedy starring real-life couple Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin.  Taking on supporting roles in this sweet little film are John Lund, Micheline Presle, and Cesar Romero.

Socialite Chantal Stacy (Sandra Dee) is out to get a husband, and photographer Eugene Wright (Bobby Darin) is her target.  Eugene, though, insists that he loves bachelorhood and that it is the ideal state for him.  Not to be put off by Eugene's "I'll never settle down" attitude, Chantal gets to work on the man's heart, and before long, Mr. "Marriage Isn't For Me" is standing before the preacher, saying "I do."

Though she and Eugene are married, Chantal feels a bit ignored, so upon the advice of her French mother (Micheline Presle), she sets out to train Eugene to be exactly what she wants him to be.  Using a dog-training manual, Chantal successfully turns her husband into an obedient, loving man.  Of course, no husband wants to be treated like a dog is treated; therefore, when Eugene discovers Chantal's methods, he rebels.  Determined to re-capture Eugene's attention, Chantal puts another of her mother's schemes into action, this time letting him think she is involved with another man.  Eugene isn't a fool, though, and, scheming himself, he turns the tables on Chantal, which leads to some very comical moments. Who wins the game of one-upsmanship will play out in the remainder of the film.

This really is an adorable film, and the chemistry between Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin is fabulous.  While my favorite of the Dee/Darin films is That Funny Feeling (reviewed HERE), If a Man Answers is definitely pure delight.  It's funny and sweet, and the supporting cast is wonderful.  John Lund portrays Chantal's dad, and the interaction between him and Micheline Presle (Chantal's mom) was fantastic.  I loved them about as much as Dee and Darin.  Cesar Romero is loads of fun in his role as well.  And topping it all off are Sandra Dee's gorgeous dresses!  Oh, I wish we gals still dressed like that on a daily basis!

This wonderful film is out on DVD, so it should be quite easy to track down.  Definitely try to catch it if you can; I feel sure you will enjoy every delightful, romantic minute.

Happy viewing!!

That Funny Feeling (5 stars)

That Funny Feeling, from 1965, is a totally adorable romantic comedy starring Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin.  The third film that the real-life couple made together, That Funny Feeling made its TCM debut earlier this week, and I was positively thrilled to catch it (my very first viewing of this movie and, thus, my first 5-star discovery of 2012).  Easily, it ranks up there with Pillow Talk as a completely delightful romantic comedy and one of my absolute favorites.  I loved every single minute of this film and found myself smiling and laughing the whole way through.

Living as frugally as possible while she tries to get into show business, Joan Howell (Dee) shares a tiny apartment with a friend, while working as a maid on the side.  One of the apartments she cleans belongs to playboy Tom Milford (Darin), a man she has never seen before; shortly after the film begins, Joan is notifed that he is going to be out of town for ten days.

A bit later, a handsome businessman asks Joan for a date, and though the man asks Joan what she does for a living, she doesn't reveal to him that she is a maid, nor does she want him to know she lives in a tiny apartment; therefore, when he insists on seeing her home at the end of the evening, Joan comes up with the idea of calling Milford's apartment her own...after all, he's out of town, so what difference can it make?!  What a surprise to the businessman when he walks Joan to the door of his very own apartment, for he is none other than Tom Milford, whose business trip was cancelled.

At first shocked, Tom isn't quite sure what to do, but since he's convinced Joan is not a thief, he allows the charade to keep on playing out.  Joan settles in and makes the apartment more and more her own, while Tom tries to keep her from discovering that he is, in fact, Mr. Milford.

This film was an absolute delight!  Yes, it's predictable, as most romantic comedies are, but getting there was loads of fun.  Sandra Dee was a total joy to watch...so beautiful and sweet and innocent.  I was in love with her wardrobe, especially the bright green dress.

Bobby Darin was handsome and funny.  Together, I thought they were magical....great chemistry between them, which, of course, is to be expected since they were happily married at this point in their careers.

The supporting cast was alot of fun...especially Robert Strauss as a bartender.  Some of his facial expressions were hilarious.  Oh, and finally, Bobby Darin sings the theme song.

For me, That Funny Feeling is easily as wonderful a film as Pillow Talk, which is one of my favorite romantic comedies ever.  I think it's a definite must-see gem of a film, and since it's out on DVD, it should be fairly easy to track down.

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!!