Lover Come Back

and with a lavender floor joke!... among an avalanche of gay jokes, a marijuana joke, and plenty of virgin cracking gags. ...LOVER COME BACK is - in widescreen - an hilarious all star advertising comedy with a gorgeous Doris Day (in a million spectacular outfits) and a very he-man Hudson poking fun at his image. If you have seen the 1957 sex farce WILL SUCCESS SPOIL ROCK HUNTER also with Tony Randall and also spoofing the advertising industry, this sparkling 1961 comedy is a worthy chaser.. as well as fleshing out the PILLOW TALK imagery and settings. I found this film to be really funny, and in superb colour art direction and photography that just made it a treat to watch. it does not matter that it is dated by our clever new standards, or that Hudson really did turn out to be gay, because this film is already having fun with itself... and recalls how witty and delightful these pix were designed to be. The recent DOWN WITH LOVE attempt with Ewan Macgregor and Renee Zellweger miscast completely only shows how these 60s pix got it right the first time and should be left alone and not 'spoofed' as they already were satires and ideal as they prove in this DVD. Randall as usual is hilarious.

Even though it seems like Doris Day and Rock Hudson made as many films as Tracy and Hepburn, they actually made just three for Universal between 1959 and 1964. The trio of films Day and Hudson made hardly reflects pinnacles in cinema history, but they show what deft writing, nimble direction and expert farceurs can do to make these soufflé-light romantic comedies thoroughly enjoyable. As my favorite of the three, this frenetic 1961 farce evolves from a familiar act of deception initiated by Hudson's character, at which point it becomes a series of humiliations and comeuppances for both principals before the inevitable happy ending.

Directed by Delbert Mann and written by Stanley Shapiro and Paul Henning, the movie works the exact same plot devices as 1959's "Pillow Talk", even the split-screen confrontations, but converts the pair into highly competitive advertising account executives at separate agencies. This time, Day is even more priggish as Carol Templeton, who loathes Hudson's Jerry Webster, as he manages to steal accounts under her and everybody else's nose by holding wild parties for the prospective clients. In an effort to pacify an ambitious model who wants to become a TV star, he shoots her in commercials for VIP, a product that doesn't exist.

Through the incompetence of his nominal boss Pete Ramsey, the commercials hit the airwaves, which force Jerry to recruit reclusive scientist Linus Tyler to invent a product for VIP. In her effort to steal the VIP account from Jerry, Carol mistakes Jerry for Linus, and the rest becomes inevitable. Since Shapiro also co-wrote "Pillow Talk", this one gets even more far-fetched, but its lightning-quick pace, plethora of sexual double-entendres, constant tweaking of Madison Avenue ad agencies and a wildly improbable ending make it a funnier movie. Both Day and Hudson show themselves to be expert at this type of formulaic romantic comedy, and perennial third-wheel Tony Randall plays Ramsey with his trademark boastful befuddlement. The 2004 DVD contains only the original theatrical trailer as an extra.

LOVER, COME BACK is a stylish and sophisticated sex comedy that reunited Doris Day, Rock Hudson, and Tony Randall in this story of rival advertising executives (Day, Hudson) who, though they've never met, can't stand each other and are always competing for the same clients which once again sets up a clever mistaken identity scenario that allows Rock to pretend to be someone else in order to woo an unsuspecting Doris. This is Doris and Rock's best film, IMO...a sparkling romantic comedy with a strong screenplay and once again, Doris again exemplifies the 60's working woman....one of the few actresses during this time in Hollywood consistently playing working women competing in a man's world. Doris and Rock get strong support from Randall, Jack Kruschen, Ann B. Davis, and especially Edie Adams. Doris' "virginity" never had more sex appeal than it did here.

This Doris Day/Rock Hudson comedy is a vast improvement over their previous one, "Pillow Talk". At least, both stars seem to be having a relaxed time with one another, under the direction of Delbert Mann. It helps a lot that the tremendously talented writing team of Stanley Shapiro and Paul Henning are around to give the movie lots of laughs with what they created.

The idea of warring advertising executives works well. Doris Day plays the uptight Carol Templeton, a girl from the provinces that manages to land a plum job in a Madison Avenue firm and lives in a fantastic Manhattan apartment that was only to be found in the movies. Carol dresses with style, but one wonders whose idea was to have her wear those hideous hats she constantly sports.

Carol's enemy turns out to be Jerry Webster, the playboy adman who steals everything from Carol's reach. As played by Rock Hudson, this is one of his best roles in comedy. Somehow he made us believe he was that man who has a knack to get what he wants, especially from the adoring women he charms.

The basic premise of the film is the constant battle between Carol and Jerry. Both stars do some of their best work as they clash over the new product that suddenly appears in ads all over the place. VIP is something nobody knows about, yet Carol wants to get the account. VIP turns out to be a product that gives its user a great feeling for only 10 cents. Sampling the product at the Ad Council, where Carol takes Jerry to be tried for his unprofessional conduct, turns out to be one of the best things that ever happened to Carol and Jerry and all the ones that have a taste of the product.

Doris Day was a beautiful comedienne. Her wholesome figure and natural charm is one of the best things this film has going for it. Rock Hudson also is excellent with his take of the lecherous Jerry. Tony Randall plays another of his neurotic characters. Edie Adams is only seen shortly, but in her few scenes, she is wonderful. Jack Oakie makes a great appearance as the Virginian with a taste for girls and booze on a business trip in Manhattan.

This is a comedy for Doris Day and Rock Hudson fans.

Of the three Rock Hudson-Doris Day films my absolute favorite is Lover Come Back. It's not only a good sex comedy for Doris and Rock, but it's also a very funny satire on the advertising business of Madison Avenue.

In Pillow Talk Doris was an interior decorator and Rock a songwriter. They haven't changed their characters at all, but now are both in the advertising business.

Through an incredible combination of circumstances I couldn't possibly write Rock has created commercials for a product that doesn't exist and the doofus son of the agency he works for, Tony Randall, has ordered them given full blown airing. With Doris nipping at his heels for unethical practices, Rock and Tony hire a nutty scientist played by Jack Kruschen to come up with some kind of product for the commercials.

In the meantime Doris mistakes Rock for the scientist and now we're back to the plot of Pillow Talk as Rock decides to make some time with Doris. It gets pretty wild and wacky, especially after Kruschen invents something that has some very unforeseen consequences.

All the cast members do just fine in this very bright comedy that has me splitting a gut with laughter every time I see it. In addition to the cast members mentioned, I should also single out Edie Adams as the southern model who Hudson makes the commercials with.

Also to be singled out in what turned out to be his farewell screen performance is Jack Oakie who plays the southern client who Rock steals from Doris and gets all the wacky nonsense started.

Even given the changing mores, Lover Come Back holds up quite well and today's audience will love it as I do.