This film is the first of three films which teamed Doris Day and Rock Hudson. Day is serious, independent interior designer Jan Morrow, and Hudson is songwriter and playboy Brad Allen. They share a party line (readers under a certain age will not know what that is, but basically, they share the same telephone number although they live at different addresses, and when one is using the telephone, the other is unable to do so). Jan is annoyed because Brad is constantly using the phone to romance various women, which means that nobody can get through to her. They argue about it via telephone, but without actually meeting. When Brad sees Jan, he falls for her, but realises that if she discovers his identity, she won’t give him the time of day, so he pretends to be a Texan tourist named Rex Stinson, and their romance develops…
This film preceded 1961’s Lover Come Back – the second Day/Hudson film, and the two plot lines are basically the same – she is the strong career-minded woman, and he is the playboy who pretends to be someone else in order to romance her. I loved Lover Come Back, but I think I preferred Pillow Talk. The chemistry between the two leads is terrific, and Day in particular is extremely funny. It’s not particularly spoilerish to say that she does eventually discover his true identity, and the use of music and facial expressions in that scene genuinely made me laugh out loud.
Truly excellent support was provided by Tony Randall and Thelma Ritter – in fact these two almost stole the movie! Randall plays Jonathan Forbes, a client of Jan’s who has fallen in love with her – and he also happens to be friends with Brad! Ritter is Jan’s permanently sozzled maid Alma, and every scene that she was in was a gem.
Overall, this was a hugely enjoyable, light-hearted film, which is an absolute must for fans of old-fashioned romances.
Year of release: 1959
Director: Michael Gordon
Producers: Martin Melcher, Ross Hunter, Edward Muhl
Writers: Stanley Shapiro, Maurice Richlin, Russell Rouse, Clarence Greene
Main cast: Doris Day, Rock Hudson, Tony Randall, Thelma Ritter
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