THAT TOUCH OF MINK (director: Delbert Mann; screenwriters: Stanley Shapiro/Nate Monaster; cinematographer: Russell Metty; editor: Ted J. Kent; music: George Duning; cast: (Cary Grant (Philip Shayne), Doris Day (Cathy Timberlake), Gig Young (Roger), Audrey Meadows (Connie), Alan Hewitt (Dr. Gruber), John Astin (Beasley), Richard Sargent (Harry Clark), Roger Maris (Himself), Mickey Mantle (Himself), Yogi Berra (Himself); Runtime: 99; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Martin Melcher/Stanley Shapiro; Universal-International; 1962)
“A cutesy boy meets girl romantic comedy flatly directed by Delbert Mann.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
A cutesy boy meets girl romantic comedy flatly directed by Delbert Mann (“Lover Come Back”) and thinly written by Stanley Shapiro and Nate Monaster. It has single Manhattanite Cathy Timberlake (Doris Day) while on the sidewalk get splashed with mud by the passing limousine belonging to bachelor tycoon Philip Shayne (Cary Grant). When from his office building Philip spots Cathy entering an Automat, he sends his ‘in therapy,’ guilt-ridden over giving up Princeton to become rich, financial adviser Roger (Gig Young) to apologize and pay for damages to her coat. Roger talks Cathy into demanding an apology in person from the tycoon. But her anger is soothed by the sight of the handsome Philip and he charms the unemployed computer operator gal to miss her job interview to go on his private jet to close a business deal in Baltimore, where he takes her along as a good luck charm. They then jet to a Philadelphia Italian restaurant for fettuccine, back to Manhattan where the globe-trotting businessman delivers a talk on economics and finally to Yankee Stadium to sit in the dugout with NY Yankee stars Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris and Yogi Berra. All the time Cathy keeps phoning her roommate Connie (Audrey Meadows) that the worldly sophisticate is not a wolf like the other men the country girl met while in the city shopping around for a hubby, but Connie is not convinced and thinks he might be more dangerous. Philip’s platonic attitude changes and he invites the marriage-minded gal to Bermuda, and hires a commercial plane just for them and provides her with a lavish new wardrobe that includes a mink coat. In Bermuda, Cathy has second thoughts and breaks out from nerves with a skin rash and cancels a date, leaving Philip to spend the night playing gin rummy with another frustrated male. When Cathy tries a second time the next evening and takes to drinking to get up enough courage, she falls from the balcony when tipsy. An upset Philip returns to New York and forgets about Cathy. But Roger plays cupid and arranges for her to go to a motel with the lecherous Mr. Beasley, an unemployment clerk who was after Cathy for some time. Roger then gets Philip to follow her knowing he will rescue the fair maiden from the lecher. After Philip rescues Cathy, on an impulse he proposes marriage. The couple honeymoon in Bermuda, but Philip breaks out in a skin rash when he suddenly realizes he’s married.
Day was thirty-eight years old at the time and her virgin act seemed disingenuous, at best. Also, there wasn’t a great chemistry between the two stars. At least, on Grant’s part; he seemed too distant to be attracted to Day. The sitcom routine was insipid and the comedy was hard to find despite a lot of effort by the thesps.
REVIEWED ON 12/30/2006 GRADE: C+
Dennis Schwartz: “Ozus’ World Movie Reviews”
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