NOT WITH MY WIFE YOU DON'T

US, 1966,119 minutes, Colour.
Tony Curtis, George C. Scott, Virna Lisi, Carroll O'Connor.
Directed by Norman Panama.

Not With My Wife Your Don't is an example of the perennial romantic comedy coming from Hollywood. In the '30s it was the screwball comedy. In the '40s romantic comedy. A more permissive and frank tone came in the '60s.

The film was produced by Norman Panama who has written many comedies e.g. for Bob Hope and collaborated with writer director Melvin Frank. Here he collaborates with Larry Gelbart (writer of M*A*S*H, Oh God, co-writer of Tootsie and other successful comedies). There is a pleasant star cast, with George C. Scott doing comic turns. There is music by Johnny Williams and Johnny Mercer and titles by Saul Bass. Virna Lisi’s costumes are by Edith Head. With such glossy presentation, however, the film is nothing more than a 1960s pleasant time passer.

1. Enjoyable tradition of American romantic comedy? The basic ingredients: situations, stereotypes, triangle? Difficulties in resolution? Visual and verbal humour? This film as a '60s version?

2. Colour photography. America and Europe? The attractive score, lyrics? Costumes? The interaction of the stars? Ingredients for popular entertainment?

3. The tone of the title? Marriage and romance? The military setting? Romance and jealousies? Happy resolutions? Conventional material? how well done?

4. The focus on Tank and Tom as friends? Background of the Korean war? Their fighting with each other? American military wolves? Their experience in hospital? Tom falling in love with Julie? Tank and his power to transfer Torn to Japan and the attraction for Julie? The mutual rivalry? Tank's disappearance? The marriage? His later reappearance and the problems starting all over again? Tom in the Arctic? Tank as confirmed bachelor? The dilemma for Julie? Happy ending? Audiences enjoying this kind of material?

5. Tony Curtis' brash style as Tom? George C. Scott's ironic stolid style as Tank? The American military stereotypes? Their skill at situation comedy? Flip and serious?

6. Virna Lisi caught up in this kind of comedy? Her glamour, Italian style? Persuasive wife to Tom? Attracted to Tank and contemplating a divorce?

7. The associate characters, especially the various generals and sergeants? The tradition of humorous military films? The Korean war atmosphere? Hospitals? London? Rome? The Arctic?

8. Did the film have any particular qualities of comedy? Humour? Routines of double crossing and romance? Part of the Hollywood tradition?