Wordiezett So much average

Vashirdfel Simply A Masterpiece

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Jonah Abbott There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

johnpelaro Some reviewers here take themselves much too seriously ! While not on a par with other romantic comedies like the Carole Lombard classic "My Man Godfrey" or "Call Me Madame" with Vera Ellen and Ethel Merman , THIS IS AN EASY GOING , SEXY , LIGHT HEARTED treatment of romantic relations and perceptions of them . It does not pretend to be something out of Jane Austin . That being said , the chemistry between Fonda and Bacall is delightful ; never have I enjoyed Bacall more . Wood's versatility shines here as well , her chemistry with Curtis being on a par with Monroe's . My one criticism is the over long chase scene at the end , but that has nothing to do with the quality of acting or dialogue . Remember , this is 1964 , before the trauma of Vietnam really took hold . Enjoy the lightheartedness for what it is , and let the professional reviewers bask in their PC fantasies .

tavm When Lauren Bacall died a couple of weeks ago-on the day after Robin Williams passed away-I immediately moved this title to the top of the Netflix order list. So it's now been a few hours ago that I managed to watch this with Mom. We both chuckled at a few places here and there. Overall though, I recognized this as mostly fluff that really didn't say anything about adult relationships and the complications of feelings concerning the opposite sex, just made various silly lines and scenes as distractions meant to simply entertain. It certainly was interesting seeing leads Tony Curtis and Natalie Wood flirting with each other in a farcical way like Doris Day and Rock Hudson did in their comedies. Second leads Henry Fonda and Ms. Bacall also provide some amusements. I also liked some of the sexiness of Fran Jeffries and Leslie Parish characters when they're involved with Curtis. And it was also nice seeing an old pro like Edward Everett Horton and an up-and-comer like Larry Storch in the same movie, although separately. And I'll always like the hilarious ways Curtis is always mistaken for his Some Like It Hot co-star Jack Lemmon here. The car chase was possibly too silly, though even then, there were some moments. In summary, Sex and the Single Girl wasn't great or even very good but was passably entertaining, just the same.

bababear The first two acts of SEX AND THE SINGLE GIRL set up and develop the basic situation. Helen(Natalie Wood) has written a best selling book called, well, you know that. She's being pursued by Rudy (Mel Ferrer), a fellow psychiatrist, but won't give him the time of day. Bob Weston (Tony Curtis) works for a tabloid and is obsessed with exposing Ms. Brown as a "23 year old virgin" and he does indeed used the previously forbidden word "virgin" more than once.Frank (Henry Fonda) is Bob's neighbor. Frank is married to Sylvia (Lauren Bacall) and their numerous loud arguments keep Bob from getting to first base with Gretchen (Fran Jeffries), a singer with Count Basie's Orchestra.Finally, in the long second act, Bob finds a way to get to know Helen up close and personal. He'll pretend to be Frank and go to her for therapy. This is complicated by the fact that as soon as these two incredibly good looking people are within physical proximity of each other they fall head over heels in love.Of course, they have previously spoken with each other on the phone and shared a mutual loathing. I would point out how similar this is to the premise of PILLOW TALK five years earlier, but I've got better manners than that. The lovely Leslie Parrish is a secretary casually involved with Bob. Edward Everett Horton is Bob's boss. Otto Kruger plays Helen's boss.The plot thickens. Complications ensue.Although this isn't billed as a musical, Ms. Jeffries sings three songs. Two of the three are fine material- "The Anniversary Song" and Cole Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love?"- and a novelty title song. During "The Anniversary Song" Frank and Sylvia "dance" something resembling The Twist. Their dance moves are totally unrelated to the song itself, and I was unsure whether the songs were to extend the film to feature length or to provide three opportunities for audiences to run out for popcorn and Cokes.The disappointing thing about the film is that, for much of its running time, it just isn't all that funny. The only laugh out loud moment in the first two acts was at the anniversary party for Frank and Sylvia: the cake is, in honor of their constant arguing, decorated with a boxing ring motif.There are wonderful actors at work here. Richard Quine is a solid director. Joseph Heller was the primary writer credited. Edith Head did the costumes. Neal Hefti wrote the original score. Charles Lang photographed the film. But too much of the film just lies there limp and pale.It's strange to see a film in wide screen and color (and thanks, Turner Classic Movies, for getting such a great print) where scene after scene involves people indoors talking. There's a brief scene where Bob and Frank go golfing, with some business with golf carts that foreshadows the third act, but it's mostly set up like a TV sitcom.Then, in the third act, Quine and company throw caution to the wind and have all the primary characters racing to the airport so that at least one pair of lovers will go to the Fiji Islands.This gets the characters literally in motion, adds three points to my score, and introduces new characters such as a cab driver (Stubby Kaye!), an increasingly frustrated motorcycle cop (Larry Storch), and an elderly couple (Burt Mustin and the wonderfully named Cheerio Meredith) out for a drive in their antique car.At the end of the story Bob and Helen are together, Frank and Sylvia are lovebirds, and, Gretchen and Rudy find happiness.The film pretends to be very daring in its sexual attitudes, but I was literally horrified when Bob proposes marriage to Helen, and one of her first reactions is "But I'll have to quit my job!" It was like watching a Friday the 13th movie, except instead of "Don't go upstairs!" I was shouting "Queen Victoria died at the beginning of the century!" As the son of a career woman (college professor) and grandson of a career woman (newspaper editor) I found the idea that a woman couldn't have a successful career and a great marriage repulsive. Of course, that line could have been thrown in to appease the censors for having suggested that Bob and Helen might possibly have had a honeymoon night before the wedding day.Interestingly, Henry Fonda worked with far more sophisticated material relevant to sexual politics twenty some years before this film in Elliot Nugent's hilarious adaptation of Nugent's and James Thurber's THE MALE ANIMAL in which Fonda played a professor who fears losing his strong- willed and independent wife to his old friend who's an athlete.Still, SEX AND THE SINGLE GIRL was ultimately fun and gave me a chance to watch some of my favorite actors wear good clothes in nice settings. And Mom needn't have worried:Parents' note: As racy as a Doris Day movie or an episode of The Love Boat. Hipsters will be distressed by the fact that a couple of characters are seen smoking.

wes-connors After publishing her "Sex and the Single Girl" self-help book, "twenty-three year old virgin" Natalie Wood (as Helen Gurley Brown) becomes the subject of probing investigation by arrogant "STOP" magazine editor Tony Curtis (as Bob Weston). Pretending he's in ladies hosiery, Mr. Curtis finds himself falling in love with his subject, and Ms. Wood is similarly misty-eyed. Embarrassingly, the two stars don't catch on very fast. Battling, red-faced supporting actors Henry Fonda and Lauren Bacall (as Frank and Sylvia Broderick) are around to show the "young" lovers the ups and downs of married life. If only "Beavis and Butt-Head" were around to elevate the level of sneering sexual sophistication.*** Sex and the Single Girl (12/25/64) Richard Quine ~ Natalie Wood, Tony Curtis, Henry Fonda, Lauren Bacall