FOR LOVE OF MONEY
US, 1963, 108 minutes, Colour
Kirk Douglas, Mitzi Gaynor, Thelma Ritter, William Bendix, Gig Young.
Directed by Michael Gordon.
For Love of Money is an easygoing romantic comedy of the early '60s from Universal Studios. It seems very similar to the Rock Hudson- Doris Day style comedies, so popular at the time. In fact, star Kirk Douglas refers to Rock Hudson during the film.
Kirk Douglas shows a neat style of comedy. Mitzi Gaynor is an attractive heroine. There is enjoyable support from Thelma Ritter and William Bendix. Gig Young is there, yet again, as the best friend. Julie Newmar and Lesley Parrish are two sisters.
The film is one of those American fairy tales where the man preoccupied with money falls genuinely in love. It is one of those enjoyable American fairy tales. Direction is by Michael Gordon, director of the Doris Day- Rock Hudson Pillow Talk.
1.Enjoyable romantic comedy? Affluent San Francisco settings? The stars?
2.The atmosphere of the American city, affluence, big business? The musical score?
3.The title and its choices, and the fairytale touch?
4.Kirk Douglas and his comic style as Deke Gentry? The yacht, his Sunday off, lazing? The phone call, Mrs Brasher and her demands? His following orders? Hope for money? Taking the job, the interview with each of the sisters? Their not getting rid of him? His technique with Kate? The insinuations, criticism of her mother, her falling for the tricks and employing him?
5.Mrs Brasher and her style, the tough widow? Joseph as her adviser, detective? Pressure on Deke? Listening in on conversations? The lure of money, her bet with Joseph? Mrs Brasher and her relationship with her daughters, their resentment of her? Her plans for their marriages? Telling Gentry about the husbands and commissioning him to make the engagements? Kate's breakdown, weeping with her mother, Mrs Brasher's inability to help her? The happy reunion, the marriages?
6.Gentry and his manoeuvres, meeting each of the sisters, promising them money, arranging for the husbands-to-be to turn up? Timing, fostering the romances? The sisters and their turning to him? Kate and her resistance, her psycho-seduction and buyer motivation? The arrangements for the dinner with Sonny, the mistakes? Falling in love with her? Going to the boat, falling in the water? Her turning against him after discovering the report? The antagonism? With Sonny, the dinner and the fights? On the boat, everybody listening in on the radio? Falling in the water - and the reconciliation? The happy marriage? The change of heart in Gentry?
7.Kate, her wealth, antagonism towards gentry? Her work on motivation? Her collaborator, their film and people and their buying habits in supermarkets? Interest in Sonny? Willing to help Gentry, thinking that there was something wrong with him, trying to help, going to his apartment, seeing her sisters? Turning against him? Sonny and his courting her, the flowers and the invitation, the dinner and the dancing? Her seeing through him? At sea?
8.Sonny, the playboy, the women, the yacht, following Bonnie home, missing out on the dates? Friendship with Gentry? Attracted towards Kate, courting her? On the yacht? The clash between the two? His being the best man?
9.Bonnie, the body-building, Harvey and the tax returns, helping him, falling in love? Jan and her being way out, art and the San Francisco art scene, poking fun at it? Sam and his book about the prisoners? His clash with Jan, their falling in love?
10.The predictable situations, the verve of the writing and acting - and audiences enjoying this kind of predictable romantic comedy?
