Bundle of Joy (1956)

Director:

Norman Taurog

Writers:

Robert Carson (writer)
Felix Jackson (story)

Release Date:

12 December 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Plot:

Kitschy musical remake of "Bachelor Mother". Debbie Reynolds plays an over-eager clerk in a large department...

Plot Keywords:

Remake

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Eddie Fisher	...	Dan Merlin
Debbie Reynolds	...	Polly Parish
Adolphe Menjou	...	J. B. Merlin
Tommy Noonan	...	Freddie Miller
Nita Talbot	...	Mary
Una Merkel	...	Mrs. Dugan
Melville Cooper	...	Adams, the Butler
Bill Goodwin	...	Mr. Creely
Howard McNear	...	Mr. Appleby
Robert H. Harris	...	Mr. Hargraves
Mary Treen	...	Matron
Edward Brophy	...	Dance Contest Judge (as Edward S. Brophy)
Gil Stratton	...	Mike Clancy
Scott Douglas	...	Bill Rand

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #18147) | Finland:S

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

Around 1956, singer Eddie Fisher and his agent Lew Wasserman were discussing roles for Fisher's acting debut. A project being discussed at the time was "What Makes Sammy Run?" by Budd Schulberg and Stuart Schulberg. Fisher wanted to play aggressive producer Sammy Glick, "the ultimate Jewish hustler. I knew a lot of real Sammy Glicks and I felt confident that was a character I could play." Lew Wasserman decided that the character was too much of a classic negative Jewish stereotype and that it would be bad for Fisher to play it. So Fisher went in the complete opposite direction (in retrospect, perhaps too far) with then-wife Debbie Reynolds in this squeaky clean comedy that Fisher hated, made to capitalize on the birth of their daughter, future Star Wars (1977) "Princess Leia" Carrie Fisher. The Schulberg project was eventually produced in 2 parts as "Sunday Showcase (1959)" {What Makes Sammy Run?: Part 1 (#1.2)} and "Sunday Showcase (1959)" {What Makes Sammy Run?: Part 2 (#1.3)} with Larry Blyden in the role.

Movie Connections:

Remake of Kleine Mutti (1935)

Bundle of Joy??? more like Bundle of Laughs

This film is and will always be one of the unsung classics of the RKO Studio. A musical remake of "Bachelor Mother", "Bundle of Joy" is a funny, heartwarming tale of mistaken identity and blossoming love.

The only downside of this movie is the fact that it has Eddie Fisher in it. He should have stuck to singing as he is the most excruciatingly bad actor I have ever seen.

Overall, I give this movie 41/2 out of five stars.