Never Too Late

Before Bud Yorkin and Norman Leer shot to fame for films such as "Start the Revolution Without Me" or TV shows like "All in the Family", they had a big stage success with "Never Too Late". And, unlike most Broadway shows that make it to the big screen, the starts of the play, Paul Ford and Maureen O'Sullivan, starred in BOTH!

The story is very simple. Edith is in her 50s and finds herself pregnant. However, oddly, her husband just seems to be in a very foul mood throughout the film...complaining about pretty much everything! You'd think he'd be happy and initially shocked...but his reaction just seemed bizarre and inappropriate. And, speaking of inappropriate, when the daughter and her husband hear about it, suddenly the daughter (Connie Stevens) insists she also wants a baby and her husband (Jim Hutton) also then spends the rest of the film complaining! And, after a while, I just got tired of it!

While the story is fun, at least initially, it just didn't seem the least bit realistic nor enjoyable. Yelling isn't comedy...and this is pretty much yelling from start to finish. It has some good moments here and there...but overall it left me flat.

By the way, if you watch the film, notice that they never use the word 'toilet' in the scene with the toilet. They also act as if it's something unmentionable. Too weird.

Crotchety Harry Lambert (Paul Ford) owns a small lumber yard. He is not happy with his new-thinking employee son-in-law Charlie Clinton (Jim Hutton). He is pushing his daughter Kate (Connie Stevens) to start a family. His wife Edith (Maureen O'Sullivan) receives surprising news. She's pregnant.

It's a fun concept especially for the older couple. It's based on a 1962 play. The younger couple is a little off. They are playing more immature especially Connie Stevens. She's in her late twenties. The character plays more early twenties. Charlie shows that he's forward thinking early on, but he retreats back to the 50's. The younger couple is more annoying than funny. The two couples are far too similar. I kept thinking of Norman Lear doing All in the Family. I like the first half a lot. The second half takes a couple of awkward turns where it could funny but somehow it's not that funny. It becomes a bit too angry without the humor.

Since this film followed a successful Broadway play, I can only conclude that the play must have been funnier. I found Paul Ford's character completely repugnant. He is a blowhard who has no appreciation for anyone around him. This is supposed to be hilarious but I just found it irritating and sad. The idea that a lovely, charming woman like Maureen O'Sullivan would be married to the crude, unattractive Paul Ford strains credulity. Not the fault of the actor - he is very funny in other movies - it is instead the result of the hostile screenplay.

Warner Bros. Business plans seem to go like this produce a Frank Sinatra movie (with Sinatra having his own building on the lot, a Troy Donahue movie, and having the movie version of a hit play: My Fair Lady, Camelot, Music Man, A Majority Of One, Gypsy etc.

Jack Warner bought the movie rights to this play and Never Too Late WB wanted Spencer Tracy and Kate Hepburn to star but Tracy declined to to health and Kate wanted to be with Tracy. Other actresses such as Roz Russell, Susan Hayward,were considered for the role Maureen O Sullivan played.on the stag. The film was produced with Paul Ford and Maureen O' Sullivan with Connie Stevens getting 2md billing behind Ford. The Film was produced starring Paul Ford, and Connie Stevens and Jim Hutton and two lovely professional actresses Maureen O Sullivan and Jane Wyatt. Ms. Stevens worked her way up the ladder at WB first being Cricket Blake on Hawaiian Eye and then a series of WB movies with Troy Donahue: Parrish, Susan Slade and Palm Sprigs Weekend. This film brought Connie over the title star billing. She is gorgeous in this movie and was cast because she was lovely to look at and a fine actress. And because Ford and O Sullivan had no pull with teenage audiences. This comedy is enjoyable but not laugh out loud funny.

Jim Hutton free of his MGM contract worked steadily around town and was fine in this film. I can't say Jim Hutton ever gave a bad performance. Hutton worked with the best: Cary Grant, John Wayne, Steve McQueen, Burt Lancaster, Charlton Heston, Bob Hope, Roz Russell, George Peppard Lana Turner. Jane Fonda Yvette Mimieux, and most successfully Paula Prentiss.

This film was the subject of a lawsuit as the creators of this film objected to All In The Family as a riff off this storyline; they lost.

PS. This has nothing to do with Never Too Late but both Hutton and Stevens wanted to play they young couple in Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf at WB. Jack Warner gave no encouragement to Hutton but told Stevens to talk to Mike Nichols to no avail.

I thought this movie was GREAT! And I also thought Jim Hutton & Connie Stevens were great as well...I was sorry to see it end! Very enjoyable.....