SUNDAY IN NEW YORK
US, 1963, 103 minutes, Colour.
Rod Taylor, Jane Fonda, Cliff Robertson, Jeff Morrow, Jim Backus.
Directed by Peter Tewkesbury.
Sunday in New York is based on a play by Norman Krasner who adapted it for the screen. Krasner was a prolific writer of plays and screenplays ranging from Princess O ’Rourke to Kind Lady. The film was directed by Peter Tewksebury, a television director who made a number of the Elvis Presley musicals of the 1960s.
The film is a star vehicle for Jane Fonda early in her career. Rod Taylor is at his most genial. Cliff Robertson had appeared in a number of films like this but was to become a more serious actor, especially winning his Oscar in 1968 for Charly.
The film is a sex comedy – perhaps a bit more explicit for the early 1960s than audiences might remember. However, most of it is in innuendo and discussions about relationships.
The film is very much of its time, lavish and colourful. It has dated somewhat – but enables audiences to appreciate some of the issues in the changing values of the 1960s.
1.Popular comedy of its period? Now? The sex comedy? Characters, situations, dialogue?
2.The New York settings, the streets, buses, apartments? Airports? The weather, the rain, the sunshine? New York City as a character? The musical score?
3.The time frame, the Sunday, the experiences of Eileen, Mike, Adam and Mona? Drysdale and his running the schedule at the airport?
4.The focus on Adam, Cliff Robertson’s style, the pilot, his relationship with Mona? His plans? The roster and the changes? His talking with Eileen, her sudden visit, Mona turning up? His double standards? His having to fly, persuading Mona to fly, the accident, his being held back? Mona flying away? Her return? The comedy of the change of roster and her going on the other flight? Adam as a character, the philandering touch? Mona and her love for Adam, her exasperation?
5.Eileen, young, her arrival, in town? Her asking advice about marriage, sexual relationships, sex before marriage? His elderly brother advice? Her meeting Mona? Going out, searching for Adam, to tell him about the roster? In the bus, pinning herself to Mike? Their getting undone? Having the coffee, talking, the notes, escaping each other, the second encounter in the bus, her being stuck, talking with Mike? The rain? Going home, the seemingly compromising positions? The arrival of Russ, the break-up with Eileen, his coming to the city, her pretending that Mike was Adam? The further complications?
6.Eileen, going out with Russ, dancing? Encountering Mike? The truth, locking the door? Falling in love? Russ’s arrival – and her letting him go?
7.The airport, the pilots, the roster, the accidents? Mr Drysdale and his having to fly the plane?
8.The comedy of errors, the farcical touches, sex comedy, innuendo, moral questions?
