Adorablement vôtre

For the most part this is your standard 60's romance/comedy romp. However there are a few moments which (unless your wrapped pretty tight) will set you laughing. They involve Vito Scotti who played Nazorine the baker in the Godfather films. He has a small part as a cook onboard a cruise liner and even though his scene is small it's highly memorable.

I had many laughs watching this film, however I had a valid reason for that. A great part of the shooting took place on board the cruise-ship s.s. Statendam of the Holland-America Lines. Actually I was a steward on this ship in real life but I also played a very tiny role in this movie. The only thing I had to do was running down the stairs with a life-vest on. It was really a thrill to observe world famous actors like Debby Reynolds and James Garner that close. Shooting took place in 1967 while cruising between Los Angeles and Acapulco(Mexico)I earned US$ 80,- for my (very small)part.I since then followed the career of James Garner, especially the TV-series like the mini-series "Space"(Michener) and Space Cowboys (2000) and the series of Jim Rockford, the P.I.starting in the seventies.

"Swinging" comedy has family from the suburbs getting duped by a low-rent travel agent into taking a cut-rate European vacation. James Garner and Debbie Reynolds would seem to be an ideal screen match, but this leaden script never gives their union a chance (and both are saddled with deadening lines like, "Stop fiddling with your necklace and act like a man!"). Garry Marshall and crack comedy writer Jerry Belson adapted the screenplay from Muriel Resnick's book "The Girl in the Turquoise Bikini", and veteran comedy director Jerry Paris helmed the proceedings, but the results are bathetic; comic support from old pros Paul Lynde, Marcel Dalio, Terry-Thomas and Vitto Scotti doesn't help much. These are not the "Happy Days", although there are fun bits by Erin Moran and Penny Marshall. *1/2 from ****

Action photographer Grif Henderson (James Garner) is not so concerned about his hippie son Davey but his wife Jenny (Debbie Reynolds) is a different story. Davey wants to go to Europe with his girlfriend Bootsie Wax but Jenny rejects it out of hand. Grif gets an assignment following Bootsie and a bunch of school girls in Europe making it a trip for the whole family. Jenny makes her travel arrangements with a con man which sets her up on an outrageous adventure.

This is writing partners Jerry Belson and Garry Marshall. For any Happy Days fans, there is a tiny little Erin Moran in a Garry Marshall movie. I don't really understand why the couple would split up on an European trip. Grif may be fine to send Davey alone on a trip but he would be a fool to send away his wife. The premise needs something more to explain itself. I actually had a bit of fun with these comedic acting veterans like the lifeboat scene. The whole thing is twisted into a contrived sitcom premise which is understandable for a couple of sitcom writers. The split story telling stalls out the pacing for those sections. The movie seems intent on separating the couple for as long as possible. As for the kids, there is a large drop off in skill level and their part of the movie suffers. I was expecting more for the cat-house although it does get in some good slapstick. In the end, the marital conflict isn't fun when it could have been. I like some of Debbie Reynolds' work but the movie is always a little awkward.

Debbie Reynolds and James Garner star as a couple that L-O-V-E each other passionately but maybe don't trust each other as much as they say they do. Both get propositioned while in Europe and jealousy takes hold. What follows is hilarity and sexual tension that oozes off the screen. Bonus points if you can spot the cameo by Penny Marshall!