THE TUNNEL OF LOVE
US, 1958, 98 minutes, Black and white.
Doris Day, Richard Widmark, Gig Young, Gia Scala, Elizabeth Fraser, Elizabeth Wilson.
Directed by Gene Kelly.
The Tunnel of Love had mixed reviews. Some audiences found it a bit too suggestive. Other audiences found it rather silly. However, it did get nominations for Golden Globes and other awards with Gig Young winning a Laurel award as best supporting actor.
Audiences were also surprised (probably and still are) with the teaming of Doris Day and Richard Widmark. Doris Day is all bright and sweetness and light. Richard Widmark was generally at home, especially in this period, as a criminal or in crime dramas. Gig Young could always do the genial, slightly tarnished, neighbour next door.
The film is concerned about adoption especially after the couple cannot have a child after many attempts. Gia Scala appears as an adoption agency authority – and, with various twists of imagination, Richard Widmark imagines that her baby is his.
However, the film does finish up with all things sorted out and a happy ending.
Direction is by Gene Kelly who had moved behind the cameras after his dancing career and made Bright Road. He was to make a mixture of films as director including Hello Dolly, The Cheyenne Social Club and A Guide for the Married Man. Oddball.
1. The film as an example of fifties comedy, human values? Its impact and entertainment value now? Changes?
2. The importance of the glossy style, the prominence of Doris Day and her personality, songs and music, colour and widescreen, suburban locations etc,? How real did the people and the situations seem? The possibility for audience identification?
3. The question of adoption, the background of parents, their way of life and suitability, the necessity of families for influencing children, the testing of suitable parents? How serious was this background? The humorous aspects?
4. The emphasis of the film as a sex farce? The mistaken identity situation? How strongly was this portrayed, the emotional impact for the characters, sense of realism? How much was played for laughs successfully?
5. The film’s centring on Isolde? Her strengths of character as a wife, mother, hopes for children, ambitions for adoption? Trying to please Estelle? The comic aspects of her character? The satire on wives and mothers? How credible was her final jealousy and wanting to walk out? Her final forgiveness?
6. The film’s focus on Augie? His character, temperament, work, as an artist, humorist? As a husband and would-be father? His mistake with Estelle? The involvement at the motel, the money, the fears and his anxieties over the months? The happy ending?
7. The importance of Alice and Dick as support? The film's poking fun at suburban life through them, the staid and suspecting wife, the philandering husband? Dick's mistakes with Estelle? Alice's support of Isolde?
8. How credible was the character of Estelle? The type who tested parents and their suitability. the ambiguity of her behaviour, the happy ending?
9. The comedy and the warmth provided by Miss McCracken? Her joy at family suitability etc.?
10. The pleasant domestic comedy with the final scenes of the baby?
11. The balance of this with Augie fears about its paternity? The film's playing on this ambiguity?
12. How appropriate was the happy ending? What human values were presented and explored? What happened to the audience in its response during this film?
