The Mating Game

source: The Mating Game

Trailer—The Mating Game

The Mating Game

Disappointing Reynolds comedy, with a miscast Tony Randall as the potential romantic interest. The whole plot of the parents attempting to "rope in" a beau for daughter Reynolds would have been dated in 1959, and it certainly is cringe-worthy in 2004. However, the incident of having Randall think he has drunkenly slept with the young Reynolds does not gel with the rest of the film's innocence. The parent's decision to liquor up Randall in the first place is strange enough, especially when he starts "comically" running around the house in his underwear, with several of Reynold's young siblings present. Reynolds was wrapping up her divorce with Eddie Fisher during the filming of "The Mating Game," and her usual perkiness appears obviously forced in many scenes. WHY does my posting look like this????????

Ma & Pop Larkins daughter, Mariette (Debbie Reynolds) is now of age and can marry. But where oh where will they find a top of the tree branch man worthy of her? Cue Tony Curtis as Lorenzo and IRS agent visiting to find out why the Larkins have paid no income tax. What follows are several romps in the hay and a story that will leave you laughing. Not so sure the story would work in current times. But take it for what it is and you will enjoy.

A knockabout "comedy" with some too-very-much slapsticky antics from Tony Randall, which are so overdone that he outstays his initial welcome. Fred Clark and Philip Ober have some nice moments and the climax is reasonably entertaining, even if predictable once Debbie shows Tony that receipt which he tosses so casually aside (some bird- dog, he is!). Paul Douglas makes the mildly risqué jokes, Una Merkel stooges and Debbie Reynolds has the title song and a few bars of Cole Porter's "Under My Skin". Aside from some unflattering close-ups, Debbie looks grand. But George Marshall's direction is strictly routine even on just a low yoke-yoke level – as are other credits which waste Cinemascope on what is basically a minor, flat-footed domestic monkeyshine, a sort of very moderate "A" re-visit to a Ma and Pa Kettle "B". It's hard to believe this script was actually based on an H.E. Bates novel!

Mating Game is a charming, wonderful movie from an era gone by. Hollywood needs to consider a charming remake of this movie. My wife and I would go see it. It is an excellent romantic comedy that my wife and I watched on AMC. This movie has Tony Randall at his best. Debbie Reynolds is great, as always. Loved it. We plan on ordering on DVD to add to our growing collection of movies. Too bad Hollywood does not make movies like this anymore. Hey Hollywood....time to dig some of these type of scripts out of the old safe, update them a bit (without spoiling the original movie and script as you have done with other remakes), and hold a casting call. A remake would be a big hit on the silver screen, DVD, and on cable/SATTV. SN Austin, TX

The premise is funny where straight well-educated Tony Randall is sent to get Paul Douglas and family to pay up their taxers. Douglas is a nice rural type who has never bothered to file taxes in over 20 years! Una Merkel is his farm wife and Debbie Reynolds plays the eldest of his children. Naturally, Randall falls for Reynolds. A vicious neighbor played by Philip Ober wants the Douglas homestead. He sends the IRS after the family. With Fred Clark and Charles Lane at the head of the IRS, you'd think the family is in for lots of trouble. Reynolds musical ability is put to task briefly. The film falls apart in a rather lengthy drunken sequence when Lorenzo Charlton (Randall) gets bombed out and parades around singing a Cole Porter tune. Other silly scenes is a brawl between Randall and a jealous suitor of Reynolds with his friends. The ending is contrived. Get out your civil war documents and watch the interest build up. Mainly for the silly at heart.

If you watch this movie and then watch the first episode of the much later, and very beloved, British TV series "The Darling Buds of May" starring David Jason and Catherine Zeta-Jones, and which made her a star in the UK, you will be struck with a feeling of having seen this before. That wonderful series is about the Larkin family, as is this movie, taken from stories by British author H.E. Bates. I knew it as soon as I heard the name 'Larkin'. For those whose reviews center on the IRS and whether or not the movie is realistic versus American tax law, be aware it was originally written in relation to British law and may just suffer from poor translation. The author's works were also used for movies such as David Lean's "Summertime", 1955, with Katherine Hepburn; and "The Purple Plain", 1954, with Gregory Peck. At any rate this is still an enjoyable movie, and as it turns out, was Douglas' last movie.

Young mother Debbie Reynolds with 2 kids under 5 still looks plenty energetic to play the daughter of a farm couple in trouble with the IRS. While Tony Randall was already 39. 12 years older than Reynolds, the age difference does not look that great here. When you add veteran actor Paul Douglas, and character actors Fred Clark and Charles Lane to a good supporting cast you get a fun comedy. Randall is the evil IRS agent auditing the farm family because they have not filed taxes in 20 years and owe the IRS big time. The plot while a little thin holds enough to make it a decent picture. The happy ending is here, as the couple winds up 14 million ahead when all is set and done and gives it back to the Government. Somehow it works out quite well and Reynolds looks great.