Il mondo è pieno... di papà

A very pregnant Heather Halloran (Sandra Dee) is rushed to the hospital. She is accompanied by her stage mom Louise Halloran (Celeste Holm), two cops, and three guys eager to marry her; next door neighbor ladies man Dick Bender (Bill Bixby), shoe salesman Hank Judson (Dwayne Hickman), and entertainment manager Pat Murad (Dick Kallman). The movie recounts how they got there. Louise has always pushed Heather to be a star. Heather is constantly pushing away the advances of lascivious men. She gets hired as a secretary to wealthy businessman Harlan Wycliff (George Hamilton) who warns her against flirting with him.

It's a single gal sex comedy. The morality is 50's. It's trying to push the envelope by having a pregnant single girl start the movie. It's a lot of grabby guys chasing Sandra Dee and she pushes them off. It's funnier to have a flustered guy failing to get into a girl's pants than to have a girl struggling against pawing lascivious guys. The point of view makes it less funny. Heather does try to be a party girl and that's a little off brand for Sandra Dee. It's all a little off.

I grew up with these shows...Doris Day, Debbie Reynolds, Sandra Dee... And, no, they didn't earn kudos from critics. As John Wayne was to the Western, these ladies were to the romantic comedy. My wife and daughter love this movie -- not for the fact this girl got herself in 'trouble', but for the three lovable guys who want to rescue her from the shame (remember the time period) of having a baby out of wedlock. The people who are knocking this movie are probably not on Social Security and probably enjoy the trashy R rated movies or crass television shows that pass themselves off as Romantic comedies. This was a time when morality was embraced, not made fun of. If you enjoy the old fashion era, this won't disappoint.

"Doctor, You've Got to Be Kidding" is a sex comedy starring America's sweetheart, Sandra Dee. She's a talentless lady whose mother insists she'll be a singing star...but all she wants is a normal life. However, somewhere along the line she gets pregnant and a whole pack of guys are vying to marry her and care for the baby.

The big problem with this film is that it is a comedy and most of its 'laughs' consists of people yelling or behaving weirdly and loudly. In a word, the film is shrill. But, sadly, rarely is it actually funny...and I think the biggest laugh is supposed to see sweet, ever-virginal Dee playing spoiled goods. A waste of talent and a rather unfunny and loud film with little to recommend it.

By the way, if you do watch (and I don't recommend it), look for Nichelle Nichols in a tiny part as a secretary.

Zany. Antic. Silly. That's what many comedies of the sixties were striving for, apparently. Unfortunately, many of them were not that funny. This film has the comedic subtlety of a Three Stooges film. Andrew Sarris in his June 1967 review for "The Village Voice" called Peter Tewksbury's direction "graceful" and said it contains "lovely things". Clearly he considered this film head and shoulders above "Barefoot in the Park", which he also reviewed that day. No wonder film makers were confused about what makes for good comedy.

Sandra Dee stars as Heather Halloran, a wannabe singer who becomes a secretary to the most intelligent man in the world, Harlan Wycliff (George Hamilton). Heather spends her off-time fighting off the advances of young men. Dwayne Hickman is a shoe salesman, and would-be actor, who specializes in hammy death scenes. Bill Bixby is the bachelor next door whose life is a turnstile for sexy women. Dick Kallman is a musical coach who hones Heather's vocal stylings.

Miss Dee is the only one who (somehow) emerges from this unfunny farce unscathed. Even amid the carnage that is "Doctor, You've Got to Be Kidding!" she remains likable and even somewhat believable. Otherwise, four stars would be too too generous.

Also starring with Sandra are George Hamilton, Celeste Holm, Bill Bixby, Dick Kallman, Mort Sahl & Dwayne Hickman. In this comedy, Sandra Dee is an unwed, pregnant, would-be singer. The film starts out with Dee being rushed to the hospital to have her baby. Accompanying her are three men who want to marry her. The rest of the film is a flashback dealing with Dee's rise to stardom and the pregnancy. Hamilton is Dee's stuffy boss who tries to discourage her from singing.