MOVE OVER, DARLING
US, 1963, 103 minutes, Colour.
Doris Day, James Garner, Polly Bergen, Thelma Ritter, Fred Clark, Don Knotts, Elliott Reid, Edgar Buchanan, John Astin.
Directed by Michael Gordon.
Move Over Darling is a remake of the play by Bella and Sam Spewack, filmed by Garson Kanin in 1940, My Favourite Wife. This film has an unusual history. In 1962, 20th Century- Fox decided to remake My Favourite Wife as Something’s Got To Give with Marilyn Monroe, Dean Martin and Cyd Charisse, directed by George Cukor. However, Marilyn Monroe died during the making of the film. The remnants of the film were put together in a documentary and can be seen. Fox then decided that they would still remake the film and so cast Doris Day and James Garner.
This was the period of the 1960s when Doris Day was in many romantic comedies with the light touch, even slapstick as in this film: Pillow Talk (directed by Michael Gordon who directed this film), Lover Come Back, The Thrill Of It All … James Garner was emerging at this time as a romantic lead. The supporting character actors are in good form, especially Thelma Ritter.
The film concerns a man who was happily married, whose wife disappeared, who married again – and then his wife was rescued from a desert island and returns to cause all kinds of difficulties. The film is an amusing piece of romantic comic fluff.
1. The tone of the title, comedy, relationships the background of the credits? Indication of themes and situations?
2. The film as a Doris Day vehicle? Audience expectations and response to her style? The characteristics and conventions? How well were they fulfilled?
3. The film as a typical light American comedy? Its origins in the thirties and reference to the original film?
4. The conventions of this kind of light American comedy? How particularly American? In terms of character, plot, farce?
5. The film did not aim to be realistic? Did it move towards realism at any stage? How well did it present its plot in terms of farce? Stylized comedy?
6. The exploration of the traditional values of marriage, loving men and women through comedy and style?
7. Doris Day's style and her performance as Ellen? A character in herself, being away for so many years, her love for her husband, her inability to tell the children, the farcical details of her experience, at the hotel, as the truth?
8. Nick as the American hero? The typical American male? How strong and how weak? The coward in not telling the truth? Pretending in order to avoid telling the truth? Comic style?
9. The comedy in the presentation of Bianca? The contrast with Ellen? Her snobbery, psychological overtones?
10. Adam and the satire on the American strong man? The arrogant hero, presenting himself? the girls in the pool? Chasing Ellen for five years in an egotistical way?
11. The film's use of the conventions of mistaken identity and farce? How successfully handled?
12. The contribution of the minor characters, especially Grace as the mother, the law, the judge and his dithering, and not being able to handle the Court well? His shop-assistant used as Adam? The hotel assistant?
13. Which situations were handled best and the best illustration of American style comedy?
14. Why was the film enjoyable? Its reflection of traditional American values?
