Movie Reviews by Edwin Jahiel

PILLOW TALK (1959)

A Ross Hunter production directed by Miachel Gordon. Songwriter Brad (Rock Hudson), irresistible to women, shares a party line with decorator Jan (Doris Day), hogs the phone. They get on each other's nerves, sight unseen. When Hudson realizes that Day is the woman that his millionaire friend Jonathan (Tony Randall) pursues, he goes after her as "Rex Stetson" from Texas, winning Day with his courtly manners, simplicity, virginal hands-off rapport and speech. (" Ma'am, I get a nice feelin' bein' 'round ya. It's like being near a pot-bellied stove on a frosty mo'ning."). Many clever quid pro quos, embarrassing moments and complications, funny bits and scenes make this a delightful film. It may be a bit too slow, cute, pat and middle-roadish to be a genuine screwball comedy, but it comes close. Day is matronly, to say the least, even with makeup, camera and lighting working hard, but she fits her persona. Hudson and Randall are tops . Hudson, among his many ploys, hints to Day that her Texan is gay. In retrospect this becomes poignant. The Rex Stetson character probably parodies the Oklahoman played by Ralph Bellamy in "His Girl Friday" (1940). Oscar for script ( Stanley Shapiro, Maurice Richlin), nominations for music (Frank de Vol), Doris Day and Thelma Ritter, the latter one of this critic's big loves in cinema. Successful first teaming of Rock Hudson and Doris Day led to other comedies with that couple. NOTE: AMC has been showing it twice a night, the second showing in wide screen and infinitely preferable to the first. (Edwin Jahiel)