Having just reviewed ?Irma La Douce? for this site, I can say that this film again features the versatile Lemmon in a lead role, is another in the 1960?s sex-comedy genre, and is the kind of film that is easily watchable for many reasons. I have to say that this style of film doesn?t grab me at the gut level, but I guess this is not the purpose of the film! It isn?t heavy fare. Light entertainment it is (all 113 minutes of it), and I definitely prefer it stylistically to the more modern attempts at romantic comedy. If it?s made pre-1990, and Jennifer Aniston and J-Lo aren?t involved in it, I?m more likely to enjoy it, I?ve learned! The sets are great, the NYC setting is a bonus, the plot is tinged with cynicism and the script is intelligent. Off to a great start. Attractive blonde Italian starlet Verna Lisi, who I have never heard of before, is well suited to the role, thankfully. The quality of the overall cast is worth a mention. Englishman Terry Thomas, whom many will have seen cropping up here and there, is a natural in the role of protective butler, and his classically cultured voice is liberally used as a narrator. In many ways the film revolves around Charles? perspective on the ?action? as the relationship between confirmed bachelor Stanley (Lemmon) and Charles (Thomas) becomes clear. It reminded me of Batman?s loyal butler, Alfred, in the famous 60?s TV series. Not that I know this series at all well, but that?s the impression I got from this film nonetheless.

The plot: A wealthy comic strip cartoonist, Stanley Ford (Lemmon) has the perfect set-up for leading the carefree, hedonistic life afforded only to white men of privilege in the Western, civilized world. His eagle-eyed live-in butler, Charles (Thomas) has an ordered and relatively easy life as Mr Ford?s right-hand man, who cooks, cleans and implicitly ?understands? the needs of his employer. In addition, Charles is privy to Mr Ford?s unique way of working ? all of Mr Ford?s heroic comic-strip plots are literally ?played out? in reality before they are committed to drawings, all in the name of realism, and thanks to a very healthy bank balance! The way in which the film reveals this research method is interesting, as it is only as the film progressed that I recognised this plot device, which is set up early in the piece, but is not placed in context until later revelations make you think back on what you have seen. The penny dropped a little later for me than others might find. Anyway, Charles? ordered world is quickly turned on it?s head when Stanley attends a friend?s bucks night and, in a drunken state, meets and proposes to a mystery woman who happens to emerge from a huge cake. Speaking English is a problem for her, which adds another dimension to the humour. Personally, I?d love to see a woman jump out of a cake, but I have not yet been privileged enough! Do males REALLY still do this?! Awesome if they do, but I ain?t ever heard of it! It?s always in film, never in reality! So ? when Stanley sobers up the next day, finding a gorgeous woman in his bed who has actually said YES to his proposal, his life is thrown into chaos, as is that of poor Charles, who never in his wildest dreams imagines that his boss would ever do such a stupid thing. Marriage? No way! There goes the status-quo.

There is a lot more I could reveal, but I?ll skim over the rest of the story in order to keep some of the mystery of the plot. I don?t want to ruin anything, as the cynicism of the plot deepens from here, but with comedic flair, of course! Let?s just say that Stanley?s work is affected in interesting ways as his new wife gets under his skin, and his best buddy Harold (Mayehoff) and his charming but meddlesome wife Edna (Trevor) add fuel to the brewing fire. Charles also gets his two-cents-worth in, but, feeling neglected (much as a partner might!) he delivers an ultimatum to his boss that drives a wedge into his already tenuous relationship with ?Mrs Ford?. As the film title clearly suggests, drastic measures are taken in an attempt to resolve fundamental conflicts in Stanley?s psyche. There is a courtroom scene towards the end of the film that is really well structured and scripted. It?s one of the best parts of the film for me, no denying. There are many good scenes overall, come to think of it.

I would recommend this film to anyone who wants to know more about Jack Lemmon?s film history, and that of Terry Thomas, for that matter. He?s good too. Well ? all are good, really! Also for those who want to see the kind of quirky romantic comedies that were being churned out by studios in the 60?s. They really are in a class of their own. A certain charming innocence prevails. It?s not a film filled with physical action, it?s another one of those films that rely on subtleties to convey an overall, uplifting, message. What?s this message, I hear you ask? I?m not really sure, but I?ll take a stab at it ? love conquers all, I guess! The more things change, the more they stay the same in the realm of romantic comedy ? no surprise there, really, but the way in which it is conveyed has definitely changed over the years, in my humble opinion!

THE EXTRAS

There are better than basic extras. Standard is a chapter select, beyond standard are the following audio languages: English (original), German, French, Italian and Spanish. Subtitle options: French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, Greek, Finnish and both English and German for the hearing impaired. Not too shabby in terms of broadening the market appeal.

CONCLUSION

Here is another reliable Jack Lemmon performance. In this 1965 romantic comedy (with a cynical twist) he plays a rich bachelor who creates comic-strips for a NYC paper, and gets embroiled in a marriage that he doesn?t want. The versatile Terry Thomas plays narrator here, and a very loyal butler/right hand man. Blonde Italian starlet Verna Lisi plays Lemmon?s ill-fated wife. The casting, sets, script and plot help make this film very entertaining. Whilst this is not the kind of light entertainment film that I would normally go for, the fact that it is in ?that certain style? of inimitable 60?s light entertainment makes it stand out from more modern attempts, and clearly fills a gap in my knowledge. It is a good example of the innocence of this period of comedy film-making. It?s very similar to my recently reviewed film for this site, ?Irma La Douce?. A touch of cynicism prevails again, and this comparatively bleak approach appeals greatly to me. Trust me, you could do much worse. Thank goodness J-Lo and Jennifer Aniston are nowhere to be seen. I?m over them - and the crappy plot devices they service. Recommended for those who know that decent romantic comedies actually existed pre-1980.