Coffee, Tea or Me? (film)

Last updated
Coffee, Tea or Me?
GenreComedy
Written by Stanley Ralph Ross
Norman Panama
Albert E. Lewin
Story byStanley Ralph Ross
Directed byNorman Panama
Theme music composer Morton Stevens
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerMark Carliner
Production locations London
CBS Studio Center
CinematographyWilliam T. Cline
EditorBud S. Isaacs
Running time74 min.
Production company CBS Television Network
Original release
Network CBS
ReleaseSeptember 11, 1973 (1973-09-11)

Coffee, Tea or Me? is a 1973 American TV film based on the book of the same name. It was directed by Norman Panama.

Contents

Plot

An airline flight attendant juggles husbands in different cities.

Cast

Production

Film rights to the book were once owned by Robert Aldrich who bought them in 1968. [1]

Aldrich wanted to make it under a deal he had with ABC Pictures. He had a script done by Theodore Flicker which he described as "very funny, very dirty" about a stewardess who tries to lose her virginity. "We took the Doris Day formula of all those successful Pillow Talk comedies and inverted it", said Aldrich. [2] However ABC did not want to make it. "Nobody likes our script of it except me", said Aldrich. [3]

When Aldrich's option lapsed it was picked up by CBS who made it as a TV movie which used the plot of The Captain's Paradise (1953). "It's not all that naughty", said star Karen Valentine. "It's done in the best possible taste." [4]

Reception

The Los Angeles Times praised the acting but criticised the "creaky material". [5]

However the ratings "went through the roof" when the show aired. [6]

References

  1. "MOVIE CALL SHEET: Poll to Produce 'Garden'". Los Angeles Times. Dec 10, 1968. p. e27.
  2. Ringel, Harry. "Up to Date with Robert Aldrich". Sight and Sound. Vol. 43, no. 3 (Summer 1974). London. p. 166.
  3. Silver, Alain. "mr. film noir stays at the table". Film Comment. Vol. 8, no. 1 (Spring 1972). New York. pp. 14–23.
  4. Smith, Cecil (Aug 28, 1973). "Coffee, Tea or Karen Valentine?". Los Angeles Times. p. c13.
  5. Smith, Cecil (Sep 11, 1973). "Stumbling Out of the Starting Gate". Los Angeles Times. p. d17.
  6. Smith, Cecil (Sep 17, 1973). "Network Brasss Lands With Thud". Los Angeles Times. p. c23.