"Bwana Devil" writer & director Arch Oboler plunged fearlessly into the controversial Kinsey Reports with his message-laden, exploitation, soap opera "One Plus One." You need to know that real-life researcher Dr. Alfred Kinsey co-wrote two scholarly tomes about human sexual behavior. The first book "Sexual Behavior in the Human Male" came out in 1948. The second book "Sexual Behavior in the Human Female" followed in 1953. Fellow scientists Wardell Pomeroy, Clyde Martin, and Paul Gebhard were Kinsey's co-authors. These notorious bestsellers sent a shock wave of ripples through the public's collective conscious. Predictably, the prudes and religious zealot recoiled at the implications. Now, never the kind of guy to let such a timely incandescent project elude him, Oboler dared to go where the big studios couldn't. Remember, Oboler pioneered the radio anthology series "Lights Out." Although as dated as it is, this 1961 release remains relevant for contemporary audiences since the recent Supreme Court decision on abortion rights. Indeed, the final segment tackles the thorny issue of abortions. At least one man advocates legalized abortion, performed licensed physicians in immaculate, well-lighted facilities rather unscrupulous surgeons with grimy offices on poverty row.
Semi-documentary in nature, "One Plus One" unfolds on a university campus. Local residents have packed a forum to discuss the contentious findings of Kinsey Reports about sex and marriage. A retired zoologist, the eminent Professor Logan (Leo G. Carroll of "North By Northwest"), moderates this symposium. Carroll dominates the evening as well as the film with his dry wit and memorable commentary. Clearly, Logan believes in evolution and relies on a chalk board sketches to chronicle the creation of life, which clearly isn't Biblical. Clocking in at a verbose 114 minutes, this grainy black & white anthology of episodes dramatizes a number of issues raised in Kinsey's conclusions. Five segments appear in the following order. First, the 'Honeymoon' segment focuses on a young newlywed couple's pre-marital relationship and what lies ahead for them. Second, the glum 'Homecoming' explores a couple's extra-marital relationships. Third, the 'Divorcée' depicts promiscuity among divorcees. The funniest of the five is the 'Average Guy.' This story involves an older couple. Finally, the fifth story is about the 'Baby.' A wife refuses to pay $400 for an abortion despite the pessimism of her callous husband. He insists humanity is doomed to destroy itself. According to him, the dinosaurs were lucky.
By far the most important, the Baby segment chronicles the predicament of an 18-year-old wife, Peggy Cannon (Rita Gardner of "A Thousand Clowns"), after she learns she is pregnant. Sadly, her humorless husband (future Spaghetti western star Jack Betts of "Coffin Full of Dollars") has no use for children. Once her kindly doctor has informed her about her pregnancy, Peggy wanders aimlessly through New York's cold city streets and ends up at a dismal abortionist clinic that would scare the daylights out of anybody. This segment is the most serious of the five.
Meantime, an earlier segment deals with an irate older woman, Mrs. Kingsley (Jane Rose of "Summertime"), who discovers her husband, Mr. Kingsley (Truman Smith of "The Phenix City Story") may be embarking on an extramarital affair with his old high school sweetheart Gertrude (Winifred Dennis of "Die! Die! My Darling!") at a night club. Mrs. Kingsley fumes at the prospect of her husband's machination as well as the Kinsey books. Mr. Kingsley juggles statistics, and his employer loaned him a copy of the Kinsey book. The Kinsey book captivates Mr. Kingsley. He cannot set this page turner aside. He regrets that, according to Kinsey, he is not an average man. The average man orchestrates at least one extramarital affair. Mr. Kingsley has remained steadfast and faithful to Mrs. Kingsley. His wife uncovers his private diary in his work shop. She learns he is going to a rendezvous with Gertrude. However, these two are so intent on talking about themselves that neither hear a word the other utters during their overlapping banter. They ignore the cocktails Mr. Kingsley had ordered. Instead, they drink three milkshakes a piece. Meanwhile, Rose has penned a critical but corrosive letter to the Kinsey researchers because she believes they have turned her meek husband into a sex freak! Imagine her relief when her husband comes home and complains about a stomach ache.
Naturally, except for the 'Homecoming' and 'Divorcée' segments, these stories feature happy endings. Professor Logan concludes the town hall meeting after some Biblical scriptures are cited, goes home, and caps off the story. He appears to be recounting the night's activities to no one but himself. As he finishes what appears to be a contrived soliloquy, he sits on his bed and gazes with longing as his wife who is no longer alive. The entire time he has been reminiscing about the forum, he has been speaking to his dead wife as if she were still alive!
Sometimes amusing as well as sad, "One Plus One" emerges as a blast from the past that still has some relevance.
Semi-documentary in nature, "One Plus One" unfolds on a university campus. Local residents have packed a forum to discuss the contentious findings of Kinsey Reports about sex and marriage. A retired zoologist, the eminent Professor Logan (Leo G. Carroll of "North By Northwest"), moderates this symposium. Carroll dominates the evening as well as the film with his dry wit and memorable commentary. Clearly, Logan believes in evolution and relies on a chalk board sketches to chronicle the creation of life, which clearly isn't Biblical. Clocking in at a verbose 114 minutes, this grainy black & white anthology of episodes dramatizes a number of issues raised in Kinsey's conclusions. Five segments appear in the following order. First, the 'Honeymoon' segment focuses on a young newlywed couple's pre-marital relationship and what lies ahead for them. Second, the glum 'Homecoming' explores a couple's extra-marital relationships. Third, the 'Divorcée' depicts promiscuity among divorcees. The funniest of the five is the 'Average Guy.' This story involves an older couple. Finally, the fifth story is about the 'Baby.' A wife refuses to pay $400 for an abortion despite the pessimism of her callous husband. He insists humanity is doomed to destroy itself. According to him, the dinosaurs were lucky.
By far the most important, the Baby segment chronicles the predicament of an 18-year-old wife, Peggy Cannon (Rita Gardner of "A Thousand Clowns"), after she learns she is pregnant. Sadly, her humorless husband (future Spaghetti western star Jack Betts of "Coffin Full of Dollars") has no use for children. Once her kindly doctor has informed her about her pregnancy, Peggy wanders aimlessly through New York's cold city streets and ends up at a dismal abortionist clinic that would scare the daylights out of anybody. This segment is the most serious of the five.
Meantime, an earlier segment deals with an irate older woman, Mrs. Kingsley (Jane Rose of "Summertime"), who discovers her husband, Mr. Kingsley (Truman Smith of "The Phenix City Story") may be embarking on an extramarital affair with his old high school sweetheart Gertrude (Winifred Dennis of "Die! Die! My Darling!") at a night club. Mrs. Kingsley fumes at the prospect of her husband's machination as well as the Kinsey books. Mr. Kingsley juggles statistics, and his employer loaned him a copy of the Kinsey book. The Kinsey book captivates Mr. Kingsley. He cannot set this page turner aside. He regrets that, according to Kinsey, he is not an average man. The average man orchestrates at least one extramarital affair. Mr. Kingsley has remained steadfast and faithful to Mrs. Kingsley. His wife uncovers his private diary in his work shop. She learns he is going to a rendezvous with Gertrude. However, these two are so intent on talking about themselves that neither hear a word the other utters during their overlapping banter. They ignore the cocktails Mr. Kingsley had ordered. Instead, they drink three milkshakes a piece. Meanwhile, Rose has penned a critical but corrosive letter to the Kinsey researchers because she believes they have turned her meek husband into a sex freak! Imagine her relief when her husband comes home and complains about a stomach ache.
Naturally, except for the 'Homecoming' and 'Divorcée' segments, these stories feature happy endings. Professor Logan concludes the town hall meeting after some Biblical scriptures are cited, goes home, and caps off the story. He appears to be recounting the night's activities to no one but himself. As he finishes what appears to be a contrived soliloquy, he sits on his bed and gazes with longing as his wife who is no longer alive. The entire time he has been reminiscing about the forum, he has been speaking to his dead wife as if she were still alive!
Sometimes amusing as well as sad, "One Plus One" emerges as a blast from the past that still has some relevance.
