The Glass Bottom Boat

source: The Glass Bottom Boat

"The Glass Bottom Boat" is one of my favorite Doris Day movies. It is totally silly and really pretty stupid. But it is hilarious, sexy, and innocent. It could be a G rated sex comedy. The supporting cast is really funny, but the thing that makes this film great is Doris Day. She is so cute, so beautiful, and so funny. Whenever she is on screen, you can't help but smile. There is nobody around today that can compare with Doris Day. She is a national treasure and a one of a kind. Through the technology of the DVD, you can experience her gift and spread it to a new generation. If you are in the mood for a silly, innocent, sex comedy; you should give "The Glass Bottom Boat" a try.

This fast and wild James Bond spoof is not the usual Doris Day bedroom comedy of the 60s. It's different in that it has a bevy of talented comic actors in supporting roles, who all have their moments to shine. Paul Lynde in drag is sublime. He looks spectacular in a red bouffant wig and aqua satin gown, and looks even more glamorous than Doris. They have a "powder room" scene together that is hilarious slapstick. Alice Pearce recreates her Gladys Kravitz-type character from "Bewitched" and is wonderful as usual. It's her last movie role, unfortunately, as she died too young. A young Dom DeLuise has a couple of funny scenes that he does mostly in pantomime. Dick Martin shows up with good reaction takes, and the great character actor Edward Andrews is in fine blustering form. The stars, Doris and Rod Taylor, are quite appealing, although looking a bit too mature for their fluffy romance.

What a warm, wonderful actress Doris Day is, what a knockout, what a screen presence. And just think, at the age of 42 (ancient by Hollywood standards in 1966) she was playing a desirable woman lusted after by several men. Glass Bottom Boat is a very '60s comedy in look and subject matter - the space age and spies. Taylor has invented a gizmo and when there's a leak from his project team, suspicion falls on Day, who works for the company and calls someone named Vladimir several times a day. Vladimir, however, is her dog, and she's calling him so he'll run around while the phone is ringing and get some exercise. The film is loaded with space-age gadgets. Taylor's computerized, motorized kitchen is great, complete with a floor-cleaning robot - wonder if the inventors of today's robot vacuum saw this movie. He also pilots his boat via a remote - but as he points out during a scene where the boat runs amok with Day inside, that needs further work. There's lots of slapstick and comedy support from Dom Deluise, Dick Martin, and Paul Lynde. Lynde, by the way, looked great in drag, and has some great delivery in his scenes. Some of the scenes, especially those of Deluise, had an improv feel. The late Eric Fleming, Clint Eastwood's boss on "Rawhide," plays a CIA man. This was his last film; he drowned shortly afterwards. Rod Taylor, who, by the way, is younger than Doris Day, is effective as Day's romantic interest. Of note, radio personality Arthur Godfrey plays Day's father. There's also an appearance by Robert Vaughan as an homage to his "Man from UNCLE" character. Frothy fun, and Doris Day is always a delight.

Simply the best of the Doris Day comedies of the 60s. Rod Taylor is handsome and romantic, Paul Lynde and Dom DeLuise are riotously funny as spies gone goofy. Lynde is especially effective in "in satin". Doris Day is, well, on top of her game as the charming, virtuous, innocent and freckle-faced heroine--but lookout when she gets her revenge! The finale is hilarious and even more risqué than was usual for the sex farces of the sixties. Probably my favourite DD movie! I know the pairing with Rock Hudson is better known from the period, (Pillow Talk) but this one with Rod Taylor as her leading man has an extra edge of spoofy comedy that makes it stand out among the rest.

The Glass Bottom Boat is a delightful movie. Of course, I am a big Doris Day and Rod Taylor fan. Doris Day is in my opinion one of the most natural actresses ever to grace Hollywood. She is real and unpretentious. I consider Glass Bottom Boat one of her best movies because her style, innocence, wit and charm are infectious. She carries Rod Taylor right along with her. This is really the first movie in which I noticed Rod Taylor as having a real comedic flair, and I think he comes across as quite charming, not to mention sexy. This movie has some memorable characters and actors we grow to love on television. Firstly, this is the only movie I've ever seen with Arthur Godfrey, who plays Doris Day's father. Next is Dick Martin, later to be a star on "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In." One of my favorite character actors is Paul Lynde--I've never seen him perform without laughing right out loud at his characters. In this movie he is hilarious as he dons a taffeta dress and wig to try to catch Doris as a Russian spy. Dom Deluise, John McGiver, Ellen Corby & Edward Andrews are also on hand to add to the laughs. And lastly, Alice Pearce, plays her Gladys Kravitz-type character from the TV show "Bewitched" to perfection. If you like this one, you should also see "Do Not Disturb", also with Doris Day and Rod Taylor. Happy watching!

This film has its moments of great screwball comedy, and Tashlin seems to keep alive the finesse and sophistication of a Hawks, McCarey or LaCava. The story built around the attraction between two opposite individuals never reach the sublime heights of `Bringing up Baby' –needles to say, Taylor and Day aren't Grant and Hepburn-, and it seems that this film greatest problem is not to dare going too far in its craze, as other Tashlin's films like `Rock Hunter' or `Artists and Models' did. Probably the cause is the plot dealing with the cold war, a subject pretty much on the focus at the time. Now and them you feel that the director is doing a sort of journalism through a territory that doesn't suit him as good as Hollywood and its superficiality, for example. But Tashlin always manages to insert his comments about the decadence of American life, a circumstance that not even the fanciest of technology can hide. In his anarchic fashion, Tashlin's films counterpart Douglas Sirk's melodramas. Both are about the same, but the path chosen to express its vision are opposite. This film has a wonderful use of color, an admirable pacing and a freshness rarely seen in the studio comedies of the time (the singing scene in the boat looks totally improvised). But if Tashlin's background as a cartoonist often contributes to his creative ability to take situations beyond the edge, and to destroy a stiff established order, very seldom this very quality can work against him. And this is what happens with all the bad guys in this film. They are a mere caricature, and one can never feel them as a serious threat. The theme demanded something more serious, and these clumsy amateurs certainly fail. Anyway, watch the film and sing the title's tune; it'll remain with you for ages.

What fun in the sun, at the space research plant, at the party and under the stars! Each setting has its own cluster of comedic slips, falls, gag-lines or situations, and this large cast of laugh-getters churns out the funny by the barrel. For a comedy, the plot is anything but predictable, and a major subplot about spying is the source of most of the hilarious antics, trip-ups and sight gags involving various members of the cast. The scenic shots around Catalina Island are a plus, and the gadgets and gizmos invented by Rod Taylor's character add to the laughs. Doris Day is at her funny best in Glass Bottom Boat. Her foibles and antics bring hearty laughs at times, grins and chuckles at others. Rod Taylor is the epitome of a male lead – looks, intelligence, wit, charm, kindness and easy-going calm. And what a great supporting cast with several top comedians, including Paul Lynde, Dom DeLuise, Dick Martin and Edward Andrews. For those of us who grew up with or watched the early years of TV, this movie holds something special in the appearances of Arthur Godfrey and Dick Martin. I remember catching the Arthur Godfrey show (I think it was on Saturday mornings then) when my folks watched it (from 1949 to 1959 – we got our first TV in 1949). I think some of his later shows were broadcast from Hawaii. Godfrey had a friendly personality and was one of the first TV hosts who had a general talk and variety show. His ukulele was always at hand. Dick Martin and partner Dan Rowan had an early comedy variety show on TV. "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" ran from 1968 to 1973. The show "discovered" or helped launch some of the best comedians of the last half of the 20th century – well before Saturday Night Live came on the scene. Henry Gibson, Ruth Buzzi, Flip Wilson, Goldie Hawn, Arte Johnson, Jo Anne Worley and Lily Tomlin were among the early stars to rise from Laugh-In. As a full comedy and light romance, Glass Bottom Boat holds up well at the top of the genre. But the extensive comedic cast, including the two early TV icons of entertainment, makes this a special film worth note for its historical value as well. I don't think Godfrey or Martin appeared in any other movie of consequence. The DVD with this film also has some notable extras. One is a featurette with spectacular scenery of Catalina Island. Another is an interesting historical capsule about NASA. The U.S. space program still was in its infancy, and returning spacecraft dropped into the sea where they were recovered by ships. And, anyone who enjoys cartoons will like the excellent educational cartoon: "The Dot and the Line." "The Glass Bottom Boat" is top drawer entertainment fit for the whole family. It's sure to make even the most dour face laugh, grin and smile at various moments.

This film is classic late 50's 60's mainstream humor. I happened to be in Catalina during part of the filming, and Arthur Godfrey, always gregarious, commented, barring cameos, it was his first full film role. I don't know if correct, but it was his comment. Great Paul Linde and other comedic talent here.

Rod Taylor and Doris Day team up again after Do Not Disturb in another sixties, silly, stupid comedy. She made some very dated movies towards the end of her career, but this one might take the cake. Both Doris and Rod play scientists, and about half of the gags include futuristic gags that malfunction or seem to be outrageously riské. The twist that drives the plot is the is-she-or-isn't-she question Rod faces: Doris might be a Russian spy. No, you're not the only one who thinks the idea that Doris Day might be a scientist-and a spy-is ridiculous. Using every trick in the book from pie-throwing to scantily-clad costumes, The Glass Bottom Boat tries very hard to entertain the audience, but unfortunately it fails miserably. It's the type of movie that someone who hates old movies will cite as his reason for despising the sixties and everything it stood for. Thankfully, there were actually some good movies to come out of the decade, but The Glass Bottom Boat isn't one of them.