BACHELOR IN PARADISE
US, 1961, 109 minutes, Colour.
Bob Hope, Lana Turner, Janis Paige, Jim Hutton, Paula Prentiss, Don Porter, Virginia Gray, Agnes Moorehood, John Mc Giver.
Directed by Jack Arnold.
Bachelor in Paradise is a star vehicle for Bob Hope. After appearing in many comedies, especially with Bing Crosby, and making his mark at Paramount with such comedies as Paleface, he spent the 1950s making a long string of humorous slapstick comedies with wisecracks. This changed at the beginning of the 1960s with The Facts of Life and Critic’s Choice with Lucille Ball. After these films and Bachelor in Paradise he moved to smaller-budget, more slapstick films and did a great deal of work on television. His unlikely co-star in this film is Lana Turner who had completed her contract at MGM and had moved into a world of soap opera films starting with Peyton Place and appearing in Imitation of Life. By 1965 she was to appear in a remake of Madame X. However, in this film they are an interesting team.
The focus is on a writer, a best-selling writer of travel books who has tax difficulties and responds to a suggestion that he should write a book about suburban life. This involved him being attracted to many of the women in the area and their reactions to him. This was the beginning of the era of many similar sex comedies, probably characterised best by Doris Day- Rock Hudson comedies.
The film was directed by Jack Arnold, a competent director of a wide range of films from The Creature of the Black Lagoon to The Mouse That Roared.
1. The enjoyment of a Bob Hope comedy, his style and humour, wit, style of characterisation, satire on things American? Was this a good example of his comedy?
2. The significance of the title, the focus on the bachelor, the focus on Paradise with its heavenly Old Testament and Temptation aspects, the humour of its being used for a modern American suburban development? The many ambiguities in the title indicating theme?
3. The use of colour, cinemascope, singing, music? The glossy tone?
4. The film as a piece of Americana? Domestic comedy, American sex comedy? Acuteness of observation of the American way of life, attitudes both socially and morally? Satire on this?
5. The humour and risque aspects of the opening? Adam Niles and the salacious nature of his books? His observation on particular nationalities? How did the film share this power of observation in a satiric way? Its attack on moral protesters against book they haven't read etc.?
6. The American humour in the money situation, taxation, American preoccupation with money? The financial situation as a contrived framework for the rest of the plot?
7. The presentation of Paradise: the people who were there, the houses, the amenities, the predictable way of life, neighbours, the presentation of the beginning of the day in quick motion? The children, supermarkets and accidents, cooking? While poking fun at the American suburban way of life, did the film show its good points?
8. The wives in this kind of world, their study background, their wanting to better themselves? The importance of the influence in their life, his seminars, their femininity? The satire on the American woman trying to be French and sexy? The humour and yet the criticism of men in their harsh reactions to their wives? The Americans as unromantic, candlelight, changing of hair etc.?
9. How did the film focus on Linda to present this kind of character? The critical and satirical presentation of husbands?
10. The importance of Rosemary and her greater sophistication compared with the other wives? Her divorce background, her work, her showing them over her own home and his sarcastic reaction? The detailed resistance of Rosemary to all the advances? The changing of this into love? A low key and ironic battle of the sexes?
11. The presentation of the Jinsons: the husband preoccupied with building and with money, suspicion? The wife and her feeling neglected, her advances? The scenes at home, the washing machine in the flat, people's gossip, the encounter at the restaurant?
12. Comment on the gossiping woman, her attack in the book and the reason why Rosemary would not sign the petition? Her looking at television, her ringing people up? A good critique of this kind of person?
13. The resolving of the financial situation, Palfrey and his exploitation of advertising and the satire on the exploiters? The court case device for bringing everything together, how appropriate, contrived? The reaction of the wives, the reactions of the husbands? statement and proposal to Rosemary? The humour of the ambiguity with only women in the house, Rosemary's declaration under oath? The humour on the resolution with the tape recorder?
14. The quality of this comedy, the blending of Lana Turner and Bob Hope and their different styles? A comment on American mores of the 1960s?
