MARRIAGE ON THE ROCKS
US, 1965, 109 minutes, Colour.
Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Deborah Kerr, Cesar Romero, Hermione Baddeley, Tony Bill, Nancy Sinatra, John McGiver?.
Directed by Jack Donohue.
Marriage on the Rocks is a piece of romantic fluff, mid-'60s style, for a middle-aged audience. Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra were about 50 at the time and Deborah Kerr 45. However, they all act characters at least five years younger than they actually were.
The supporting cast includes Nancy Sinatra and Tony Bill, early in his career. The amusing supporting cast includes Cesar Romero and John McGiver?.
The film is done in the lush Technicolor style, runs at a very long running time - and all seems rather silly in retrospect. However, the stars are at ease, Deborah Kerr lets her hair down a little, and, of course, everything works out just fine in the end - with Frank Sinatra seeming a dedicated workaholic and Dean Martin a man about town and then a chance to reverse roles. The title has the frothiness of a drink on the rocks as well as a marriage in trouble.
1.Entertaining romantic comedy of the '60s? '60s style? For middle-aged audiences?
2.The stars? The glossy Californian settings? Mexican settings? Nightclubs, music and songs?
3.The title, the frothy suggestion, marriage in difficulty?
4.Frank Sinatra as the dedicated businessman, married to his wife for 19 years, not seeing her boredom, his best friend being his business associate, but a ladies' man? Hard at work, gifts for anniversaries, outings, wishing he were home? His son and his shrewdness in trying to work his best friend against him? The daughter wanting to move out with the nightclub dancer? His strictness? His agreeing to the second honeymoon, the time in Mexico, wishing he were home? The mix-up with marriages, remarriage? The business deals and the best friend coming down to Mexico, the mishaps at the ceremony, Valerie married to his best friend? Moving out, the change of character, the reaction of his children, the man about town, his best friend's strictness? The reconciliation - and the happy ending? His dealing with his mother-in-law and her drinking, wisecracks?
5.Dean Martin in the contrast role, the man about town, an eye for the girls, the phone calls? Not good at business? His apartment? Danny's children coming to him and his giving them advice? The outings, the nightclub, dancing with Valerie, her going back to his apartment? The mix-up in Mexico, his being married to Valerie? Taking everything seriously, the mother-in-law walking out, his strictness with the children? Hard at work? His rushing out of the marriage - after Valerie wondering what it would be like to marry him? His being the perennial bachelor?
6.Valerie and Deborah Kerr's style? Bored with her marriage, trying to revive it, having everything in order, the night out, the dancing, to her best friend's apartment? Arranging the Mexico visit, Danny getting sick, staying for the remarriage after the tangles with the man in Mexico who did everything from lawyer to clergyman? The strange remarriage ceremony? Returning home, the new situation, the parallel situation - and Danny's devices to win her back? The best friend pulling out of the marriage?
7.The children, the young boy and his shrewdness? The information about divorced parents and getting all he wanted? Playing off the best friend against his father? His reaction to the second marriage? The daughter, her friend the dancer, Danny's talking to her, not being allowed to go? Her second father being just as strict?
8.The mother-in-law, Scots, the bagpipes, the drinking, the comments, the television? Going off with Danny? Comic touches?
9.Mexico and Cesar Romero's comedy as the do-it-all man in the town - and his popping up, his special rates, etcetera? The stereotyped but amusing Mexican comedy?
10.Trini Lopez and his nightclub song? The music of the period?
11.Marriage themes, business and the time passing, refreshing a marriage, marriage and divorce? People acting according to their character? Everything being right in the end?
