THE HONEYMOON MACHINE
US, 1961, 91 minutes, Colour.
Steve McQueen?, Brigid Bazlen, Jim Hutton, Paula Prentiss, Dean Jagger, Jack Weston.
Directed by Richard Thorpe.
The Honeymoon Machine is a pleasant early Steve McQueen? comedy vehicle. He is supported by Jim Hutton and Paula Prentiss who were emerging as a good comedy duo at the time,(The Horizontal Lieutenant). There is a humorous performance by Jack Weston who was to be a good stand-by comedian for over 20 years.
The film is directed by Richard Thorpe, director of many Robert Taylor vehicles and action dramas. It is based on a play called The Golden Fleecing by Lorenzo Semple Jnr., a playwright who became a noted screenwriter. Pleasant music is by Leigh Harline. The film is pleasantly inconsequential - attractive Venice locations and an early comedy using computers.
1. An enjoyable comedy? Steve McQueen? vehicle? A film of the early '60s?
2. Wide-screen location photography of Venice? Attractive settings? Americans in Europe? The musical score, songs?
3. The romantic comedy - the film a variation on these conventions? Audience expectations of hero, comics, heroine? Ambiguous situations? The touch of the cold war with American-Russian? suspicions?
4. The romantic comedy and its implausibility? The American Navy? The use of computers? The signals from ship to shore? The American reaction? Russian reaction? The possibility of an international situation? The happy resolution?
5. Steve McQueen's comic style? His thinking up the plan? The computer, the roulette tables at the Venice Lido? The support of Jason, of Ensign Gilliam? The intrusion of Burford Taylor? The winning of the money? The encounter with Julie? Pam? The complications with the Admiral? Steve McQueen's comic style -nonchalant, quick-thinking, double takes? The final complications - and happy ending?
6. Jim Hutton's comic style as Jason? His expertise, working the computer, sending the signals? The encounter with Pam? The comic duo? Ensign Gilliam and his support?
7. Julie and Pam? Their presence in Venice, friendship? Julie and the entanglements with Fergie? Pam and Jason? Romantic and comic?
8. The Admiral and his reaction, severity, regard for his daughter, antagonism towards Fergie? The encounters with the Russians? The international incident? Burford Taylor and his disclosing of the plot?
9. Jack Weston's comic style as Burford - drunk, on the side of the building, trying to save the day, giving away everything?
10. The beginnings of comedy about computer crime? The increasing role of computers? Gambling systems?
11. The international tension - echoing the early '60s? The comic touch?
