THE BIRDS AND THE BEES
US, 1956, 94 minutes, Colour.
George Gobel, David Niven, Mitzi Gaynor, Reginald Gardiner, Has Conreid, Fred Clark.
Directed by Norman Taurog.
A rather bland remake of the 1940's classic by Preston Sturges, The Lady Eve. The humour in the original film was rather sharp and social observation rather telling. The performances by Henry Fonda, Charles Coburn and Barbara Stanwyck, excellent.
This film is a vehicle for comedian George Gobel who made only this film and I Married a Woman. He portrays the little man theme quite well though more in the style of an American television comedian playing for the television audience. However, David Niven and Mitzi Gaynor give strong support to him and add their comedy flair.
1. An entertaining romantic comedy? Comedy of confidence tricksters? Satire on society?
2. The romantic conventions used, the presentation of the millionaire as the little man victim, the David Niven style, suave confidencetricksterism? The picture of American society? The satiric tone?
3. Colour photography, the affluent world? The songs and dances? The score?
4. The plausibility of the plot? the contrivances for the sake of romance and comedy? The shipboard romance, the unmasking of Jean and Colonel Harris? Jean's posing as the French girl and the resumption of the romance? The happy ending?
5. George Hamilton as hero? George Gobel and his style, the little man, Africa and the finding of the snake, his awkwardness, his gullibility in gambling, the awkwardness and accidents, falling in love with Jean, breaking off the romance? Falling for her again in her disguise? A believable character, a comic picture of the wealthy American male?
6. Mitzi Gaynor's style as Jean? suave, her father's daughter, falling in love with George? The card games? Her new pose after the breaking off of the romance? The songs and the dances?
7. David Niven's expected style an Colonel Harris? Suave manners, card games and gambling, his relationship with his daughter, pressurising her?
8. The minor characters and their contribution to the atmosphere Marty and his support of George, Gerald and his working in with Colonel Harris? Society people?
9. The comedy routines card games, the ambiguous accidents on shipboard with the snake etc.?
10. The satirical tone about the relationship of men and women, romance, society, judgments about people's characters?
