Strange Bedfellows

That's an actual quote in this screwball romantic comedy (spoken by Gig Young) starring Rock Hudson and Gina Lollabrigida as extreme opposites who marry over a mad impetuous weekend and discover that they hate each other, and that's even before the opening credits. Seven years later, they're in the process of getting a divorce, the sparks are reunited and they end up back together in spite of the fact that she wants to marry fellow artist Edward Judd. Hudson's the typical bachelor playboy (even though he's still legally married), and Lollabrigida is a stereotypical hot tempered Italian, throwing things viciously without thinking. In fact, the two don't even speak before the credits roll, so it's unbelievable to the audience immediately that they would meet, marry and divorce that quickly. Glamorous location footage and beautiful costumes for Lollabrigida doesn't hide the fact that this is on the absolutely phony story with little to believe in its ridiculous elements. Yes, the pairing is attractive, but there's little character development, and eventually it just seems forced and absurd. Hudson obviously isn't the marrying kind, and being forced by Young to win his wife back for business reasons is a very misogynistic situation, even though Lollabrigida's violent tendencies doesn't make her appealing either. Great comic actors like Terry-Thomas, Howard St. John and Nancy Kulp add a few laughs, but they get little to do, and after a while, the bad outweighs the good and this quickly loses appeal.

Witless farce from the usually-estimable comedy writer Melvin Frank, who also produced and directed, stars Rock Hudson as an American oil company executive in London, married but estranged from fiery Gina Lollobrigida for the past seven years, who must present a happily-united front for the company's general (why? so it'll "look good"). When Rock first meets Gina, she's an artist painting protest slogans on signs and walls--but the movie is so bashful, her signs are always half-finished so we won't know what she's protesting against. They marry immediately (presumably so they can have sex without guilt), but the next morning find they have nothing in common. Frank, who co-authored the screenplay with Michael Pertwee from a rather old-fashioned story he originated with Norman Panama, substitutes shouting for snap--and Lollobrigida does must of the shouting. Hudson tries to keep up with her, but his colorless brand of acting assures that he'll blend in with the furniture and nothing more. Atrociously shot by cinematographer Leo Tover, with the phony backdrops and scrappy rear-projection upstaging even Gina Lollobrigida in a variety of 'kooky' outfits. * from ****

The Strange Bedfellows are Rock Hudson and Gina Lollabrigida, a married but separated couple, separated now for seven years. Gina would like a divorce because she wants to marry her new boss Edward Judd. But Rock has reasons to want to patch things up. He's in line for a big promotion on his job and the old money in the person of Howard St. John that runs the company likes the stability of a family man in his top executives. Rock and Gina had a lot of passion in their relationship. Great for sex, but they brought into other things and didn't agree on anything. Gina is a bohemian free spirit and Rock is a conservative oil executive and is that ever a redundancy. Gig Young is in a typical Gig Young part and I did love seeing the way Edward Judd got over him pretending to be a British secret agent. Paul Lynde did a fabulous job in Rock's Send Me No Flowers as a funeral director and since the film is set in London, Terry-Thomas steps in and does a fine job as a British funeral director. Strange Bedfellows is not as good as Rock's films with Doris Day, not quite as good as his previous film with Lollabrigida, Come September. Still I think it will please audiences today.

In 1961 Universal had a popular success, Golden Globe winner I believe, with pairing Rock Hudson and Gina Lollobrigida in the comedy "Come September". In 1965 they attempted to recreate the magic with "Strange Bedfellows". Unfortunately this failure just goes to prove that scripts and characters are just as important as actors. Rock Hudson plays a conservative oil executive who impetuously weds bohemian artist Gina Lollabrigida. Given their incompatible natures they separate after a short marriage. Seven years later Lollobrigida wants a divorce to wed newspaper editor Edward Judd while public relations man Gig Young encourages Hudson to portray himself as a happily married man in order to get a big promotion. Hudson proceeds to re-kindle the flame with Lollobrigida, while Judd tries to disrupt the relationship by encouraging Lollobrigida's bohemian causes and thus embarrassing Hudson. The outcome of all this is Lollobrigida riding through London as Lady Godiva as a protest for one of her causes. The movie fails for a variety of reasons. Hudson's scene in bed with Judd might have some "camp" value but, although ungallant of me to say so, I've seen Lollobrigida look better. The character development is limited, with fundamentally incompatible pair coming together apparently without any change in character. None of the supporting players has any personality in the script. Gig Young does many scenes solo, supposedly on the telephone to Hudson's character, and could probably been written out of the entire movie. Judd's acting is unfortunately limited to putting a pipe in and out of his mouth. The producers obviously recognized these problems and brought in British character comedians (i.e. undertaker Terry Thomas and several taxi drivers) for cameos. Much of the Lady Godiva scene requires physical comedy which is not Hudson's and Lollobrigida's forte. As commented on by others the Hollywood backlog substituted for London is cheesy. By way of comparison I would note that Come September had strong support from old pro Walter Slezak, energy from a young Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee, beautiful Italian scenery and a coherent plot. Suffice it to say that "Strange Bedfellows" at 98 minutes seemed dreadfully long while "Come September" at 112 minutes whizzed by.

Rock Hudson had a few laughs at our expense, and noticing them is the best part of "Strange Bedfellows," a 1965 film directed by Melvin Frank and also starring Gina Lollabrigida and Gig Young. Hudson plays Carter Hansen, an executive about to move up in his company. He's been separated from his wife Toni (Lollabrigida) for seven years, and he's warned by Young that he has to be a family man if he wants the promotion. However, Toni has just asked for a divorce so she can marry Harry Jones (Edward Judd). Carter refuses to do anything about it; he can't tolerate Toni's activism for every cause. But when they see each other at the divorce lawyer's office, neither can resist the other. This film is just okay - it kind of drags, though the end is quite funny. Someone on this board didn't think Gina Lollabrigida looked good - I thought she was gorgeous here. What's interesting is all the gay innuendo; at one point, Carter and Harry wake up in bed together. This isn't the only film Hudson appeared in with this kind of thing -- I think he and his various directors got a kick out of it. All of it would have been much funnier with a better script. Unfortunately Hudson and Lollabrigida don't have any chemistry here, and this movie just doesn't have the wonderful spark of the Hudson-Day films or the personality and beauty of "Come September" since this movie was filmed at Universal and looks it. It comes off as kind of blah.

If you're looking for a funny romantic comedy where Rock Hudson lies to get a woman into bed, you've got plenty to choose from: Pillow Talk, Lover Come Back, A Very Special Favor, and as a last resort Strange Bedfellows. I love Gina Lollobrigida, and she gets to wear some pretty clothes in this movie, but it's not one I'd want to rent again. Rock and Gina have a whirlwind romance and get married after spending a great weekend in bed. Come Monday morning, they discover they not only have nothing in common but their beliefs and opinions are polar opposites. Rock leaves during a fight and never comes back. Seven years later, neither one has gotten a divorce-for a reason never explained-and Rock is a successful businessman who needs to promote his family image in order to get a promotion. Gina is still an uncontrollable, protesting wild child, but rather than rent a respectable wife for the weekend his boss is in town, he attempts to tame her. This movie has some funny moments, but the main story just isn't great. I wasn't rooting for the couple to fall back in love with each other. Rock is a pathological liar and a first-class jerk, and Gina's temper is childish. Why can't these people cut their losses and get divorced? If you love the two leads, you can give it a shot. There's a clever sequence at a funeral parlor run by Terry-Thomas, and a funny bed shortage when Gina invites all her friends over and Rock ends up in bed with her new boyfriend. Besides that, you're better off renting Come September.

This absurd comedy conceived by Melvin Frank and Norman Panama, a successful team that were pretty active in the Hollywood of the 40s and 50s, was an uninspired project to begin with. The film that was trying to capitalize on the stars because the screenplay does not present any surprises, or breaks any new ground. Michael Pertwee is also given credit for helping with the writing. Rock Hudson and Gina Lollobrigida had appeared together in the light comedy "Come September", directed by Robert Mulligan. Rock Hudson was at a high point of his movie career. His character, Carter Harrison, is the same role he repeated from film to film, with the exception, perhaps, of "Pillow Talk". Gina Lollobrigida's American career had its moment, but she never big in this country. The best thing, and unfortunately it comes at the end, is the sequence in which Terry-Thomas appears as the befuddled undertaker that has no clue as to what is really going on in his work area. Gig Young did what he could with the thin material he was given. Nancy Kulp shows in a couple of scenes also.

This film will make you appreciate how well written and well directed the Rock Hudson/Doris Day romantic comedies were. Hudson has a tendency to be stiff, but here it is worse than I've ever seen it. Gina Lollobrigida was 38 and possibly because her character is supposed to be a political activist, she doesn't wear much make-up. She looks rather plain and not glamorous, so it is a mystery why Hudson falls for her. If you're expecting the Italian sex symbol, Gina Lollobrigida, this is not the film. Gig Young plays the Tony Randal sidekick part to Hudson. Young is a good actor, but really is too handsome for the sidekick role. There is no reason I can think of to watch this film, except for perhaps a short scene where Rock Hudson wakes up in bed with another man. Hudson is quite calm about it. Lollobrigida explains that he had no other place to sleep, so she put him in bed with Hudson. She asks Hudson if he minds. He answers that he doesn't mind. It is only because of what we know now about Hudson's sexuality that the scene is funny and sticks out. I an pretty sure that this is the only film where Hudson is in bed with another man. The movie's 1950's puritanical tone destroys the sex comedy aspect. Since this was made in 1965, when censorship was ending, it is unfortunate that the producers didn't seek to take advantage of the new freedom. For example. Gina is a member of a group that supposedly supports artist's freedom of expression. The group has Gina ride * on a horse like Lady Godiva to protest an artist's censorship. However Gina doesn't really go *, but wears a flesh colored body stocking. This destroys the whole point of the protest and destroys any hope of the viewer seeing Gina looking sexy. So, in summation, if you want to see Rock Hudson's dullest performance, Gina Lollobrigida's least sexy performance, and Gig Young as a bumbling sidekick, this is the movie for you.

Moviecut—Strange Bedfellows

Witless farce from the usually-estimable comedy writer Melvin Frank, who also produced and directed, stars Rock Hudson as an American oil company executive in London, married but estranged from fiery Gina Lollobrigida for the past seven years, who must present a happily-united front for the company's general (why? so it'll "look good"). When Rock first meets Gina, she's an artist painting protest slogans on signs and walls--but the movie is so bashful, her signs are always half-finished so we won't know what she's protesting against. They marry immediately (presumably so they can have sex without guilt), but the next morning find they have nothing in common. Frank, who co-authored the screenplay with Michael Pertwee from a rather old-fashioned story he originated with Norman Panama, substitutes shouting for snap--and Lollobrigida does must of the shouting. Hudson tries to keep up with her, but his colorless brand of acting assures that he'll blend in with the furniture and nothing more. Atrociously shot by cinematographer Leo Tover, with the phony backdrops and scrappy rear-projection upstaging even Gina Lollobrigida in a variety of 'kooky' outfits. * from ****