Confidences sur l'oreiller

In spite of what we know now, Rock Hudson still convinces as a woman-chaser!! He was never considered to be a great actor but he convinced the public for years- so what dom the critics know? This movie is brilliant in every respect-script, plot , performances and the look of the whole thing. How can Doris Day be so sexy and virginal at the same time? Rock Hudson showed a real flair for comedy in this film and it is no wonder that every romantic comedy has been judged against the "Rock Hudson/Doris Day" movies. Even the Doris Day movies NOT starring Rock Hudson were called "Rock Hudson/Doris Day" !!! Doris Day was/is one of the most underrated actresses of the last 50 years. She could play comedy with perfect timing, but convince totally in dramas (check out "Love Me or Leave Me"-fantastic performance.) I must have watched this movie dozens of times and it is still true entertainment. If you have never watched one of her movies then make a point of doing so-yes they have dated, but what has not? Real talent not hype is what true stars have. By the way the 9/10 is because of the dated plot.

This smart and sassy sex comedy was made in 1959 but it could just as easily have been made in 1939 and the roles played here by Doris Day and Rock Hudson could have been played by Irene Dunne and Cary Grant. Michael Gordon's direction is serviceable at best but it has a likable Oscar-winning script by Russell Rouse, Maurice Richlin, Stanley Shapiro and Clarence Greene that makes the most of it's premise of the mismatched couple who find romance in the most unlikely of farcial situations.

Day is starchy and frigid but Hudson is immensely likable and displays a real comic flair. There is a gay joke at the expense of the Hudson character and knowing what we know now we might well ask how much of an 'in-joke' this really was and just who was in on the joke. The film was a huge success and re-vitalized Day's career in non-musical roles. Tony Randall's character of the slightly effete millionaire who is in love with Day is not unlike David Hyde Pierce's Niles in "Frasier" and you can see some of the best "Frasier" scripts in some of the situations here. Influential or what?

Favorite Movie Quote: "At least my problems can be solved in one bedroom. You couldn't solve yours in a thousand!"

With Westerns, War-Dramas, and Sci-Fi dominating the movie-fare of the 1950s, producer Ross Hunter was aptly warned that Screwball Comedy like Pillow Talk would never, ever be a success at the box-office.

Even though Screwball Comedy had long been pronounced "dead" at the end of the 1940s, Pillow Talk turned out to be one of the most successful films of the 1950s. It proved just how starved movie-audiences were for pure escapist fluff, such as it was. Pillow Talk went on to be nominated for 5 Academy Awards. It won an Oscar for "Best Screen-writing".

Pillow Talk starred Doris Day and Rock Hudson. Pairing these 2 stars together proved to be such a success that they eventually went on to make 2 other Romantic Comedies together, but neither of which turned out to be as magical as Pillow Talk.

Featuring some pretty snappy dialogue, energetic performances, lush photography, and high production values, Pillow Talk is certainly an all-round fun and very enjoyable 1950s Comedy.

One of the first (and certainly the most popular) of the early-'60s bedroom comedies--movies about sex that never use the word, relying instead on double entendres, implications and innuendo. A New York City party-line connects a single working girl--a somewhat rigid and humorless interior decorator with a shapely figure--and a bachelor songwriter and ladies' man who has one tune for every new gal. They're enemies on the phone-line only; once he gets a good look at her (or rather, her shimmying behind on the dancefloor of a nightclub), he decides to woo her using the alias of a shy Texas cowboy. In their first of three pictures together, Rock Hudson and Doris Day share fresh, happy chemistry; their love scenes are convincing--Hudson is a great kisser--and soon Day is singing "Possess Me" to herself on the car-ride with Hudson to his pal's country hideaway. Tony Randall (who also appeared with Hudson and Day in both 1961's "Lover Come Back" and 1964's "Send Me No Flowers") and Thelma Ritter are equally terrific, and the picture has a lovely, cocktail lounge-styled plastic-perkiness which is very winning. With the advent of '60s permissiveness on the screen, "Pillow Talk" (with it's winking, nudge-nudge 'naughtiness') soon looked coy and antiquated; however, it holds up nicely today. Five Oscar nominations--including Day as Best Actress (her only such nomination!)--with one win: for Stanley Shapiro and Maurice Richlin's original screenplay from an initial treatment by Russell Rouse and Clarence Greene. *** from ****

How can you critique something you are just meant to enjoy? There will never be another combination like Doris and Rock, both giving everything to their roles. And you can tell they are having fun doing them. I especially enjoyed Rock's bit of physical comedy trying to squeeze himself into a very low sports car!