After the success of the first pairing of Doris Day and Rock Hudson, there was a rush to bring this second pairing to the big screen. Fortunately, it was even better than the first, in part due to the script, which is clever but not emotionally complex, allowing viewers to enjoy the "fluffy" lightheartedness that typifies a Day/Hudson rom-com.
The two stars play advertising agents who butt heads while pursuing the same account. Carol Templeton (Day) is upset that she spent so much time on a presentation but was not even allowed to present it. Also, she is galled by the tactics used by her rival, Jerry Webster (Hudson), including the overt sexiness of a club dancer, Rebel Davis (Edie Adams). Jerry mixes work and pleasure unscrupulously, with confidence and precision. Carol determines to have Jerry's professional scalp or, failing that, to snatch one of Jerry's top prospects from under his nose.
Like the other two Day/Hudson collaborations, Tony Randall is onboard, this time playing Pete Ramsey, the earnest but inexperienced owner of the ad agency where Jerry works. Randall is comedy gold, especially in his first scene where he turns on a dime in portraying the duality of Pete, who longs to be commander in chief, but realizes his shortcomings as a boss. His insecurity motivates him to assert himself, resulting in a mistake that drives most of the film's action.
This film reflects the mainstream values of American life, American cinema, and relations between men and women in the early sixties. The country was on the brink of a sexual revolution, still coping with the female empowerment that began during World War II. By the standards of the day, this film was considered titillating, but it still maintained its wholesomeness by observing written and unwritten standards of decency and decorum.
For anyone who appreciates visiting the culture of the early sixties, this film is must-see viewing. Later, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan would assume the mantle of sweet rom-com stars in the nineties.
The two stars play advertising agents who butt heads while pursuing the same account. Carol Templeton (Day) is upset that she spent so much time on a presentation but was not even allowed to present it. Also, she is galled by the tactics used by her rival, Jerry Webster (Hudson), including the overt sexiness of a club dancer, Rebel Davis (Edie Adams). Jerry mixes work and pleasure unscrupulously, with confidence and precision. Carol determines to have Jerry's professional scalp or, failing that, to snatch one of Jerry's top prospects from under his nose.
Like the other two Day/Hudson collaborations, Tony Randall is onboard, this time playing Pete Ramsey, the earnest but inexperienced owner of the ad agency where Jerry works. Randall is comedy gold, especially in his first scene where he turns on a dime in portraying the duality of Pete, who longs to be commander in chief, but realizes his shortcomings as a boss. His insecurity motivates him to assert himself, resulting in a mistake that drives most of the film's action.
This film reflects the mainstream values of American life, American cinema, and relations between men and women in the early sixties. The country was on the brink of a sexual revolution, still coping with the female empowerment that began during World War II. By the standards of the day, this film was considered titillating, but it still maintained its wholesomeness by observing written and unwritten standards of decency and decorum.
For anyone who appreciates visiting the culture of the early sixties, this film is must-see viewing. Later, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan would assume the mantle of sweet rom-com stars in the nineties.