The Thrill of It All | |
---|---|
Directed by | Norman Jewison |
Written by | Larry Gelbart (story) Carl Reiner |
Produced by | Ross Hunter Martin Melcher |
Starring | Doris Day James Garner Arlene Francis |
Cinematography | Russell Metty |
Edited by | Milton Carruth |
Music by | Frank De Vol |
Distributed by | Universal-International |
Release date |
|
Running time | 108 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $11,779,093 [1] |
The Thrill of It All is a 1963 American romantic comedy film directed by Norman Jewison and starring Doris Day and James Garner, with a supporting cast featuring Carl Reiner, Arlene Francis, Reginald Owen and ZaSu Pitts. The screenplay was written by Carl Reiner from a story by Larry Gelbart.
Reiner had originally conceived the project for Judy Holliday, who developed cancer and had to bow out of the project, according to Reiner's reminiscence during his videotaped "Archive of American Television" interview.
The story centers around suburban housewife Beverly Boyer and her husband, a successful obstetrician and devoted family man, Gerald. Beverly is offered the opportunity to star in a television commercial advertising Happy Soap. After a shaky start, she gets a contract for nearly $80,000 per year (about $760,000 in 2022) to appear in weekly TV commercials.
Soon the soap company places greater and greater demands on the unlikely TV star. Gerald resents the fact that the appearances are taking up an increasing amount of her time, and that his position as breadwinner of the family is becoming threatened by Beverly's wealth. He also becomes jealous of the level of attention that Beverly's new-found stardom has brought her. Their relationship slowly deteriorates, but Gerald's patience finally snaps when the soap company gifts Beverly a swimming pool which is secretly built on the site of the family garage, and he accidentally drives and sinks his car into it later that evening. After an angry confrontation between the pair, he walks out with an ultimatum that she must choose either her career or their marriage. Gerald later returns, employing psychological warfare to make Beverly jealous by pretending that he is drinking and carousing with multiple women. After a harrowing, bonding experience involving an expectant couple with whom they have become friendly, Beverly decides to give up her lucrative career and return to her "philandering" husband and her life as a housewife and mother.
Carl Reiner, one of the two screenwriters of the film, makes brief appearances as a character actor appearing on TV in various nasty roles (World War II German Officer / Cad / Western Gunslinger).
The film was announced in 1962. Hunter wanted to reunite Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald by having them play support parts. [2]
Doris Day and James Garner played the leads as a married couple in another theatrical film later that same year titled Move Over, Darling , a remake of the Irene Dunne/Cary Grant movie My Favorite Wife (1940). The Thrill of It All and Move Over, Darling were almost equally huge box office hits, with the first film released in July and the second opening on Christmas Day.
The Thrill of It All was the 16th biggest hit of the year, grossing $11,779,093 domestically. [1] It earned $6 million in US theatrical rentals. [3]
Garner wrote the film was "better than it should have been... because of Doris." [4]
Doris Day was an American actress and singer. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, "Sentimental Journey" and "My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time" with Les Brown and His Band of Renown. She left Brown to embark on a solo career and recorded more than 650 songs from 1947 to 1967.
Carl Reiner was an American actor, stand-up comedian, director, screenwriter, and author whose career spanned seven decades. He was the recipient of many awards and honors, including 11 Primetime Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. He was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1999.
Edward Bryan Andrews Jr. was an American stage, film and television actor. Andrews was one of the most recognizable character actors on television and in films from the 1950s through the 1980s. His stark white hair, imposing build and horn-rimmed glasses influenced the roles he received, as he was often cast as an ornery boss, a cagey businessman or other officious types.
Arlene Francis was an American actress of Armenian descent, radio and television talk show host, and game show panelist. She is known for her long-running role as a panelist on the television game show What's My Line?, on which she regularly appeared for 25 years, from 1950 to 1975, on both the network and syndicated versions of the show.
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Something's Got to Give is an unfinished American feature film shot in 1962, directed by George Cukor for 20th Century Fox and starring Marilyn Monroe, Dean Martin and Cyd Charisse. A remake of My Favorite Wife (1940), a screwball comedy starring Irene Dunne and Cary Grant, it was Monroe's last work, but from the beginning of its production it was disrupted by her personal troubles, and after her death on August 4, 1962, the film was abandoned. Most of its completed footage remained unseen for many years.
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Move Over, Darling is a 1963 American comedy film starring Doris Day, James Garner, and Polly Bergen and directed by Michael Gordon filmed in DeLuxe Color and CinemaScope released by 20th Century Fox.
John Reginald Owen was a British actor, known for his many roles in British and American films and television programs.
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The Children's Hour is a 1961 American drama film produced and directed by William Wyler from a screenplay by John Michael Hayes, based on the 1934 play of the same title by Lillian Hellman. The film stars Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, and James Garner, with Miriam Hopkins, Fay Bainter, and Karen Balkin.
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Twice-Told Tales is a 1963 American horror anthology film directed by Sidney Salkow and starring Vincent Price. It consists of three segments, all loosely adapted by producer/screenwriter Robert E. Kent from works by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
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American actress Doris Day appeared in 39 feature films released between 1948 and 1968. Day began her career as a band singer and eventually won the female lead in the Warner Bros. film Romance on the High Seas (1948), for which she was selected by Michael Curtiz to replace Betty Hutton. She starred in several minor musicals for Warner Bros., including Tea for Two (1950), Lullaby of Broadway (1951), April in Paris (1952), By the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953) and the hit musical Calamity Jane, in which she performed the Academy Award-winning song "Secret Love" (1953). She ended her contract with Warner Bros. after filming Young at Heart (1954) with Frank Sinatra.
Make Me a Star is a 1932 American pre-Code romantic comedy film starring Stuart Erwin, Joan Blondell, and ZaSu Pitts. Directed by William Beaudine, the film is a remake of the 1924 silent film Merton of the Movies, based upon the 1922 novel of that name, and the 1923 play adapted from the novel by George S. Kaufman, and Marc Connelly. It was remade again as Merton of the Movies in 1947.
The Hit Parade is a 1937 American musical film directed by Gus Meins and written by Bradford Ropes, Samuel Ornitz and Harry Ruskin. The film stars Frances Langford, Phil Regan, Max Terhune, Edward Brophy, Louise Henry and Pert Kelton. The film was released on April 26, 1937, by Republic Pictures. Republic later reissued the film in 67 minute length as I'll Reach for a Star.
"Move Over Darling" is a song originally recorded by Doris Day, which was the theme from the 1963 movie Move Over, Darling, starring Doris Day, James Garner and Polly Bergen, and was released as a single the same year. The song was written by Doris Day's son, Terry Melcher, along with Hal Kanter and Joe Lubin.
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