THE THRILL OF IT ALL

US, 1963, 108 minutes, Colour.
Doris Day, James Garner, Arlene Francis, Edward Andrews, Zasu Pitts, Reginald Owen.
Directed by Norman Jewison.

The Thrill of it All looks like a typical Doris Day comedy. However, while it has the usual ingredients, it is better than many of them. Doris has a chance to act well as well as give some good comedy performance. The housewife who becomes a TV celebrity in advertising especially with her stammering gives Doris a good chance to act and to send up television commercials. James Garner is quite an effective foil as her husband. There are some humorous sequences, especially in the TV dramas featuring, Carl Reiner. There is also a famous ‘soap suds’ sequence. The story was written by Reiner and Larry Gelbart, who were later to write and direct ‘Oh God’. Direction of this film is by Norman Jewison who was to go on to make such films as In The Heat of the Night, Fiddler on the Roof, Jesus Christ, Superstar and Rollerball.

1. A successful Doris Day comedy, comedy style? The main ingredients of the comedy and romance for appeal?

2. Doris Day's image in the sixties and the style in which it is presented? Straightforwardly, satirically? The film as a glimpse of American suburban life, the world of television and advertising, American values?

3. The atmosphere of colour, glossy affluence, the suburbs, the worlds of advertising and television?

4. Beverley and Jerry as an ordinary couple? Jerry and his work at the hospital and the film's attention to detail in this? Beverley and her work for the family, at home, bottling her own ketchup etc.?

5. The opening with the laughter and the pregnancy, the consequent dinner, the group looking at the advertisement and the change in the pace of the film and in the couple's way of life? The importance of the patriarch of the family and his crotchety manner and eccentricities dictating to the next generation of executives?

6. How telling were the satires and parodies of television commercials? The appearance of Carl Reiner in the commercials and using the same basic plot in so many different circumstances? The satire of the parties for the television people and the presentation of the 'yes' men executives?

7. Beverley as a Doris Day character, verve and charm, love for her husband, children? The attraction of the money for the advertisement? Her coping with the commercial and her spontaneity? The temptation for more money and her succumbing? The blend of artificial genuineness in her commercials? The consequences in terms of time, photographs, appearances, socials?

8. The humour of the television world and its being dictated by wealthy families? The executive meeting and everybody agreeing to the boss's proposals?

9. How well did the film show Jerry's exasperation? Taking his wife to dinner and the women seeking the autographs, crashing into the car looking at the street hoarding, the pool and driving his car into the pool etc.? How effective was his pretending to be taking out another woman, drinking etc.? The repercussions for Bev?

10. Beverley and her coping with the children and the problems especially that of the housekeeper, the German housekeeper and the telephone, the pool and the taking away of the suds?

11. The pregnancy and the developments at the party, getting the woman to the hospital, the comedy in the car and the traffic jams, riding on a police horse to the rescue etc.? A satisfactory climax to the film?

12. The masculine/feminine ending and the 60s views on women's place in the homes and men's careers?

13. What were the most effective comedy qualities of the film and why did they appeal?