Prudence and the Pill

In the 1960's films often had opening credits where the painters type/artists could present an attractive package(Intolerable Cruelty{2003} reminded me of this).This was one and with good set designs this film gave a picture of background colour and warmth. This film is unreasonably remembered as poor but golden moments are Edith Evans walking across a motor racing track during a race.Then there was David Niven purchasing Aspirin at Timothy Whites as if purchasing something evil.The number of couples at the end gave the story depth only Deborah Kerr is disappointing but her part is not sympathetic.A welcome increase in the birth rate ended the film.

This movie is a lot of fun and is about the best movie about sex that didnt show any sex. All the acting is superb and you will definitely laugh.This movie slightly predated the "real" sexual revolution and those of you that like your sex comedies a little more "bare" may be a bit disappointed for its lack of nudity, but not for its wit and humor!

The main idea behind "Prudence and the Pill" is one that doesn't make sense to me. While birth control pills might have looked VERY different in the UK in the 1960s, all the ones I've seen look absolutely nothing like aspirins or vitamins--which are much, much larger. So how could people be replacing another person's birth control pills with aspirins without anyone realizing it?

This 1960s sex comedy stars Deborah Kerr and David Niven...both of which made quite a few sophisticated sex comedies in the 1950s and 60s (such as the horrible CASINO ROYALE, BEDTIME STORY and THE GRASS IS GREENER). In this film, Mr. and Mrs. Hardcastle have an open marriage and both have their lovers. In addition, Mrs. Hardcastle's niece (Judy Geeson) is sleeping with her boyfriend. However, someone is messing with these ladies' birth control pills and soon complications ensue.

Like most of the sex comedies of the era, this film talks a lot about sex (or, more rightly, INSINUATING a lot about sex) without really showing or saying much at all. Racy stuff for the time...very tame stuff when seen today. So, while it portrays folks who have affairs and premarital sex, it's done with 60s sensibilities--being both extremely broad-minded AND old fashioned at the same time.

So is this any good and is it worth seeing? Well, at least for me, no especially. I might have enjoyed it had it just been more interesting, made more sense or made me laugh. Plus, and I guess this makes me sound very prudish, but I thought the Hardcastles were a pathetic couple...and I really didn't care one bit about what happened with them. What was a kooky sex romp back in the day now just seems dated and sub-par despite the big-name stars in it.

The sexually-estranged wife of a London banker (named Hardcastle!) is suspected of infidelity by her hypocrite husband, who is cheating himself with a French lass. He replaces his spouse's contraceptive pills ("Thenol") with aspirin--to catch her in the act, I guess--an idea he gets after his sister-in-law tells of a scheme by her teenage daughter to avoid pregnancy before marriage by swapping out her own mother's pills in the same fashion. Hugh Mills adapted his smirking play for the screen, and might have been astonished to find most of the female roles filled by matronly women (married to very mature men). This is a blue-haired attempt at keeping up with the youth explosion in cinema circa 1968, but the material is highly unsuitable for its stars. Deborah Kerr, David Niven, Robert Coote (awful!) and Joyce Redman look embarrassed to be involved; Edith Evans, as the potential mother-in-law for sexually-active Judy Geeson, is the only cast member to rise above the juvenile plotting. Director Fielder Cook left the project midway after a disagreement with the producers, to be replaced by Ronald Neame. * from ****

In case you have any doubt as to the meaning of the title, I'll put you out of your misery: Prudence and the Pill is about the birth control pill. It's a hilarious British comedy starring David Niven and Deborah Kerr that proves you can get pregnant even if you think you're too old, and even if you think you're on the pill.

In the 60s, it wasn't as commonplace for women to be on the birth control pill as it is today-or was it? As David Niven's maid's boyfriend hides birth control pills in her vitamin bottle-so as to not insult her by suggesting she prevent a pregnancy-the maid switches her vitamins, which are really birth control pills, with Deborah Kerr's birth control pills, which are really just vitamins. Why are they vitamins? Because David and Deborah have a marriage in name only; they each have extramarital affairs, and in order to get a divorce and marry his mistress, David wants to prove his wife's infidelity. He switches her pills with vitamins-what's a better proof of infidelity than a pregnancy?

The plot is fast-paced and a little complicated, but if I didn't get confused, you won't either. The humor is very British, but I found it absolutely hilarious. If you like British comedies, you'll absolutely love this one. It's a sex comedy with references rather than raunchiness, so it's classy and funny and sexy all at the same time-just like David Niven! I love him anyway, so I was a little predisposed to like this movie, and it shows off his comedic talents wonderfully. Also, I know Deborah Kerr was more famous for her meaty dramatic roles, I actually like her better when she's being funny! Give this one a try and see which side of her you prefer.