Not with My Wife, You Don't!

Saw 'Not With My Wife, You Don't!' as part of my Tony Curtis completest quest after being recommended many of his films here in the recommended for you section. It was not something that was intended initially but actually it has proven to be a generally worthwhile experience, even with a couple of missteps.

While there were and are better actors about and he didn't always look comfortable in his early films, Curtis was always immensely likeable and had a charming charisma with many good and more performances under his belt. The cover was also appetising, George C Scott was one fine actor and the story, while unoriginal, seemed really interesting. So there were all the ingredients here for it to work and really wanted to like it.

Unfortunately, 'Not With My Wife, You Don't!' didn't do anything for me. A few good things but what had the potential to fly high doesn't properly leave the ground. As said Curtis had missteps in his career, 'Not With My Wife, You Don't!' is one of them.

'Not With My Wife, You Don't!' as aforementioned has good points. It's a great-looking film and beautifully filmed in quite ravishing but never too glossy Technicolor. There are a few good scenes, with a colourful opening sequence, the temporarily gone blind one and especially the Italian film spoof (do agree that it is the highlight of the film).

Virna Lisi, sensuous and charming, gives the best performance. The music score is pleasant enough if not exactly memorable.

However, was disappointed in the big names. Curtis is in a role that on paper was in his comfort zone and one he should have been perfect for, his performance here felt stale, with a surprising lack of zest in his comic timing and the charm being missing, and like he was struggling to properly keep up. Was more let down by Scott, here cast in an atypical role and badly out of his depth with him trying far too hard and being too intense. Have absolutely nothing against actors being cast against type, there have been some great examples but Scott's very vast experience in intense heavyweight roles feels ill-suited for a lightweight film. The chemistry between the actors lacks sparkle.

The lack of sparkle is also present in the script. apart from the odd amusing line there is a lack of zest and wit and what might have been racy at the time comes over as tame and bland. It may not be as fluffy and smutty as one would fear, but it's nowhere near saucy enough and gets silly and limp. The direction is hardly inept, but it's not particularly distinguished or inspired, almost too safe. The story can be sluggish and content-wise it's far too slight, it needed a much lighter touch in a film that should be lightweight fluff but played and taken too seriously and it's pretty contrived.

In conclusion, lacklustre and a disappointment while with its moments. 4/10 Bethany Cox

Air Force colonel Tom Ferris (Tony Curtis) is busy climbing the military ladder to the frustration of his wife Julie. Their marriage is in trouble. 14 years earlier during the Korean War, American flyboy buddies Tom Ferris and Tank Martin (George C. Scott) both fall for Italian nurse Julie. The two friends are willing to lie, cheat, and steal to get the girl.

I'm surprised with George C. Scott doing a light screwball comedy. There is a bit joy in the shock. This is perfectly harmless. The love triangle is actually compelling mostly due to the two leads. The girl is easy on the eyes. The quiet fight is probably the most fun. Otherwise, this is a minor comedy with minor laughs.

Virna Lisi plays "Julietta", the femme fatale here, who is chased after by soldiers Tank Martin (George Scott) and Tom Ferris, (Tony Curtis). Scott and Curtis had appeared together in "The List of Adrian Messenger" back in 1963. Carroll O'Connor (Oh Archie!) in supporting role, as the big shot General. The "other" big Hollywood role for which V. Lisi is known is "How to Murder your Wife", a similar farce, with Jack Lemmon, in 1965. Julietta flirts with both men, as they get sent to various places around the world, even after she gets married. You need to have a lot of patience for the many physical and sight gags here, much like a slow moving "Pink Panther" movie. Another little weird connection here - Note actor Robert Cleaves, the reporter Chandler McVey, from Time Magazine -- he will appear with Carroll O'Connor in "Archie Bunker's Place" in the late 1970s; Cleaves has quite the interesting bio on IMDb for those interested. Directed by Norman Panama, who had directed Bob Hope in "Road to Hong Kong", "That Certain Feeling" and "How to Commit Marriage". That may explain why we see footage of Bob Hope in this film.... "Not with my Wife" is okay... nothing earth shattering, just one of the romps from the free-loving 1960s, after being stifled so long under the film production code.

"Not With My Wife, You Don't" is the sort of film that probably played much better back in the day. Today, it just seems tiresome and boorish.

The film finds Tony Curtis in the Air Force. He's apparently very good at protocol and is a bit of a star within the service. But because he's so efficient, he pays very little attention to his lovely wife (Virna Lisi). Then, in a lengthy flashback, you see how he and an Air Force buddy (George C. Scott) fought over her during the Korean War. And, eventually, Curtis' character tricks his friend out of the girl and marries her. Now, his old buddy is returning for a visit and Curtis is worried the guy will make the moves on his wife.

Seeing two rutting pigs chasing after a lady--lying, cheating and being disingenuous jerks all the while--is NOT my idea of a fun film. It's downright tedious. I didn't care about the characters....and I just felt very bored by the whole thing. A huge misfire.

I've watched this film a few times over the past few years because the it does my head in. In the Tony Curtis autobiography he said he wanted to play the George C Scott role. He should have. Other reviews make a comparison to Hope and Crosby films and rightfully so, this is more Bob and Bing than Tony and George.

So here's the problem. George and Tony are both in the military and George is Tony's superior. Both are in love with Virna. Virna marries Tony. That makes sense.

However Tony is sent away and George uses this time to romance Virna and she is okay with this and Tony is the "sort of" jealous husband. It may happen in real life but in a Hollywood film, it's the craggy faced George who should be married to Virna worried about what the handsome and charming Tony is up to, that may make for fun comedy, maybe.

In a Bing and Bob movie it's obvious, Bob marries Verna and is worried what the sneaky Bing would be getting up to.

Here's a thought Robert Downey Jnr remakes this movie (plot) with say Russell Crowe for example. However Downey plays the charmer. It could work, however it may not be worth the effort.