Adorablement vôtre

From a time in which movies were much more innocent, 'How Sweet It Is' is one of many comedies from the sixties that had to rely on script, timing, and facial expression instead of today's toilet humor to make audiences laugh. Not the funniest of the lot, but far from the worst.

James Garner and Debbie Reynolds are a married couple accompanying their teenage son as chaperones on a trip to Europe. Aboard the ocean liner, they are constantly trying to rekindle their romance by interludes in various cubbyholes of the ship. It's worth watching just to see the look of disgust on Paul Lynde's face and hear him sneer "Animals!" when he discovers them hiding in a lifeboat. Misunderstandings, jealousy, a rogue Frenchman, and a close encounter with divorce are in store before their European trip is over.

James Garner displays a knack for comedy, which he will later refine in his "Support Your Local Sheriff/Gunfighter" movies.

Good, clean fun if anyone is interested in that sort of thing nowadays. Kind of like a Rock Hudson/Doris Day movie. (Those were great, too!)

For the most part this is your standard 60's romance/comedy romp. However there are a few moments which (unless your wrapped pretty tight) will set you laughing. They involve Vito Scotti who played Nazorine the baker in the Godfather films. He has a small part as a cook onboard a cruise liner and even though his scene is small it's highly memorable.

In his recent memoir James Garner said he hated this film. But he and Debbie Reynolds were enough professional to keep How Sweet It Is at least tolerably amusing for their fans. A nice supporting cast certainly helps in that cause.

Garner is a professional photographer whose job keeps him globe-trotting and both wife Reynolds and son Donald Losby get to trot the globe with him when his boss prevails on him to be the photographer on his daughter's European tour with her student group. Losby goes along as his assistant to spend time with Hilary Thompson who is the boss's daughter whom he's going out with. Reynolds makes it three, but even that doesn't quite work out as they are assigned bachelor quarters with the chaperons and not a married suite on the boat. Now that was a bit too much to swallow.

Even worse Reynolds gets taken by conman Terry-Thomas for a $1000.00 dollars when he rents her a house on the Riviera which is just slightly already owned by French lawyer Maurice Ronet. Debbie gets Ronet's hormones into overdrive especially seeing her in a bikini. Looking real good for the mother of a teenage son.

Garner also has tour guide Mary Michael interested in him. And Losby who Thompson takes for granted perks up when blond bombshell Alexandra Hay shows him some interest and some body.

But as good as this cast is and it also includes Paul Lynde as an officious purser on the ship it's all rehashed and recycled stuff from other and better films.

Debbie Reynolds and James Garner star as a couple that L-O-V-E each other passionately but maybe don't trust each other as much as they say they do. Both get propositioned while in Europe and jealousy takes hold. What follows is hilarity and sexual tension that oozes off the screen. Bonus points if you can spot the cameo by Penny Marshall!

Action photographer Grif Henderson (James Garner) is not so concerned about his hippie son Davey but his wife Jenny (Debbie Reynolds) is a different story. Davey wants to go to Europe with his girlfriend Bootsie Wax but Jenny rejects it out of hand. Grif gets an assignment following Bootsie and a bunch of school girls in Europe making it a trip for the whole family. Jenny makes her travel arrangements with a con man which sets her up on an outrageous adventure.

This is writing partners Jerry Belson and Garry Marshall. For any Happy Days fans, there is a tiny little Erin Moran in a Garry Marshall movie. I don't really understand why the couple would split up on an European trip. Grif may be fine to send Davey alone on a trip but he would be a fool to send away his wife. The premise needs something more to explain itself. I actually had a bit of fun with these comedic acting veterans like the lifeboat scene. The whole thing is twisted into a contrived sitcom premise which is understandable for a couple of sitcom writers. The split story telling stalls out the pacing for those sections. The movie seems intent on separating the couple for as long as possible. As for the kids, there is a large drop off in skill level and their part of the movie suffers. I was expecting more for the cat-house although it does get in some good slapstick. In the end, the marital conflict isn't fun when it could have been. I like some of Debbie Reynolds' work but the movie is always a little awkward.