Lover Come Back
Encyclopedia
Lover Come Back is a 1961
Eastmancolor romantic comedy
released by Universal Pictures
. The film stars Doris Day
and Rock Hudson
in their second film together. The supporting cast includes Tony Randall
, Edie Adams
, Ann B. Davis
, and Donna Douglas
.
This movie directed by Delbert Mann
features one of the most iconic comic trios in the American cinema: Day/Hudson/Randall. Although not as well known as Pillow Talk (1959), the script by Stanley Shapiro and Paul Henning earned an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay.
(1959), revolving around mistaken identity, with a man trying to seduce a woman who hates his real identity, by feigning lack of experience with women.
In a New York advertising agency
, Jerry Webster (Rock Hudson
), a Madison Avenue ad executive, has achieved success not through hard work or intelligence but by wining and dining his clients, even setting them up on dates with attractive girls.
Jerry's equal and sworn enemy at a rival agency is Carol Templeton (Doris Day
). Although she has never met him, Carol is disgusted by Jerry's unethical tactics and reports him to the Ad Council
. Jerry avoids trouble with his usual aplomb
, sending a comely chorus girl, Rebel Davis (Edie Adams
), to seduce the council members.
Jerry then promises Rebel a spot in commercial
s, so he shoots some featuring her for “VIP,” a non-existent product. The commercials accidentally are broadcast on TV, thanks to the perplexed company president, Pete Ramsey (Tony Randall
).
Jerry needs to come up with a product quickly. He bribes a chemist, Dr. Linus Tyler (Jack Kruschen
), to come up with a “VIP” that could be marketed. Jerry pretends to be the inventor to Carol, while she is attempting to steal the account from him by wining, dining, golfing, and frolicking at the beach with him.
Carol learns the truth. Appalled, she once more reports him to the Advertising Council, this time for promoting a product that doesn't exist. Jerry, however, arrives at the hearing with VIP, a mint-flavored candy Dr. Tyler has created. He provides a free sample to everyone there, including Carol.
“VIP” turns out to be an intoxicating
candy, having the same effect as a triple martini. Its extreme effects lead to a one-night stand
between Carol (who has a low tolerance for alcohol) and her bitter rival, Jerry, complete with marriage license
.
Carol has the marriage annulled, but Jerry convinces the liquor industry
to give Carol a quarter of its advertising. Jerry leaves New York to work in the company's California branch — only to be called back nine months later to remarry Carol in a hospital maternity ward, just before she gives birth to their child.
, and "Should I Surrender" as she contemplates what to do with her feelings for Jerry.
1961 in film
The year 1961 in film involved some significant events, with West Side Story winning 10 Academy Awards.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:* Atlantis, the Lost ContinentB...
Eastmancolor romantic comedy
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
released by Universal Pictures
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
. The film stars Doris Day
Doris Day
Doris Day is an American actress, singer and, since her retirement from show business, an animal rights activist. With an entertainment career that spanned through almost 50 years, Day started her career as a big band singer in 1939, but only began to be noticed after her first hit recording,...
and Rock Hudson
Rock Hudson
Roy Harold Scherer, Jr., later Roy Harold Fitzgerald , known professionally as Rock Hudson, was an American film and television actor, recognized as a romantic leading man during the 1950s and 1960s, most notably in several romantic comedies with Doris Day.Hudson was voted "Star of the Year",...
in their second film together. The supporting cast includes Tony Randall
Tony Randall
Tony Randall was a U.S. actor, comic, producer and director.-Early years:Randall was born Arthur Leonard Rosenberg to a Jewish family in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the son of Julia and Mogscha Rosenberg, an art and antiques dealer...
, Edie Adams
Edie Adams
Edie Adams was an American singer, Broadway, television and film actress and comedienne. Adams, a Tony Award winner, "both embodied and winked at the stereotypes of fetching chanteuse and sexpot blonde." She was well-known for her impersonations of female stars on stage and television, most...
, Ann B. Davis
Ann B. Davis
Ann Bradford Davis is an American television actress.Davis achieved prominence for her role in The Bob Cummings Show for which she twice won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series...
, and Donna Douglas
Donna Douglas
Donna Douglas is an American actress best known for her role as Elly May Clampett, in the long-running television series The Beverly Hillbillies.-Early life:...
.
This movie directed by Delbert Mann
Delbert Mann
Delbert Martin Mann, Jr. was an American television and film director. He won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and the Academy Award for Best Director for the film Marty...
features one of the most iconic comic trios in the American cinema: Day/Hudson/Randall. Although not as well known as Pillow Talk (1959), the script by Stanley Shapiro and Paul Henning earned an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay.
Plot
The story is similar to the earlier Hudson-Day Pillow TalkPillow Talk
Pillow Talk is a 1959 romantic comedy film directed by Michael Gordon. It features Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Tony Randall, Thelma Ritter and Nick Adams...
(1959), revolving around mistaken identity, with a man trying to seduce a woman who hates his real identity, by feigning lack of experience with women.
In a New York advertising agency
Advertising agency
An advertising agency or ad agency is a service business dedicated to creating, planning and handling advertising for its clients. An ad agency is independent from the client and provides an outside point of view to the effort of selling the client's products or services...
, Jerry Webster (Rock Hudson
Rock Hudson
Roy Harold Scherer, Jr., later Roy Harold Fitzgerald , known professionally as Rock Hudson, was an American film and television actor, recognized as a romantic leading man during the 1950s and 1960s, most notably in several romantic comedies with Doris Day.Hudson was voted "Star of the Year",...
), a Madison Avenue ad executive, has achieved success not through hard work or intelligence but by wining and dining his clients, even setting them up on dates with attractive girls.
Jerry's equal and sworn enemy at a rival agency is Carol Templeton (Doris Day
Doris Day
Doris Day is an American actress, singer and, since her retirement from show business, an animal rights activist. With an entertainment career that spanned through almost 50 years, Day started her career as a big band singer in 1939, but only began to be noticed after her first hit recording,...
). Although she has never met him, Carol is disgusted by Jerry's unethical tactics and reports him to the Ad Council
Ad Council
The Advertising Council, commonly known as the Ad Council, is an American non-profit organization that distributes public service announcements on behalf of various sponsors, including non-profit organizations and agencies of the United States government....
. Jerry avoids trouble with his usual aplomb
Aplomb
In classical ballet, aplomb refers to the basic law of ballet - stability.The French ballet master Jean-Étienne Despréaux defined it in 1806 as a specific kind of dynamic balance fundamental to all positions and movements of ballet....
, sending a comely chorus girl, Rebel Davis (Edie Adams
Edie Adams
Edie Adams was an American singer, Broadway, television and film actress and comedienne. Adams, a Tony Award winner, "both embodied and winked at the stereotypes of fetching chanteuse and sexpot blonde." She was well-known for her impersonations of female stars on stage and television, most...
), to seduce the council members.
Jerry then promises Rebel a spot in commercial
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
s, so he shoots some featuring her for “VIP,” a non-existent product. The commercials accidentally are broadcast on TV, thanks to the perplexed company president, Pete Ramsey (Tony Randall
Tony Randall
Tony Randall was a U.S. actor, comic, producer and director.-Early years:Randall was born Arthur Leonard Rosenberg to a Jewish family in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the son of Julia and Mogscha Rosenberg, an art and antiques dealer...
).
Jerry needs to come up with a product quickly. He bribes a chemist, Dr. Linus Tyler (Jack Kruschen
Jack Kruschen
Jack Kruschen was a Canadian-born character actor who worked primarily in American film, television and radio.-Radio:...
), to come up with a “VIP” that could be marketed. Jerry pretends to be the inventor to Carol, while she is attempting to steal the account from him by wining, dining, golfing, and frolicking at the beach with him.
Carol learns the truth. Appalled, she once more reports him to the Advertising Council, this time for promoting a product that doesn't exist. Jerry, however, arrives at the hearing with VIP, a mint-flavored candy Dr. Tyler has created. He provides a free sample to everyone there, including Carol.
“VIP” turns out to be an intoxicating
Drunkenness
Alcohol intoxication is a physiological state that occurs when a person has a high level of ethanol in his or her blood....
candy, having the same effect as a triple martini. Its extreme effects lead to a one-night stand
One-night stand
Originally, a one-night stand was a single theatre performance, usually by a guest performer on tour, as opposed to an ongoing engagement. Today, however, the term is more commonly defined as a single sexual encounter, in which neither participant has any intention or expectation of a relationship...
between Carol (who has a low tolerance for alcohol) and her bitter rival, Jerry, complete with marriage license
Marriage license
A marriage license is a document issued, either by a church or state authority, authorizing a couple to marry. The procedure for obtaining a license varies between countries and has changed over time...
.
Carol has the marriage annulled, but Jerry convinces the liquor industry
Distilled beverage
A distilled beverage, liquor, or spirit is an alcoholic beverage containing ethanol that is produced by distilling ethanol produced by means of fermenting grain, fruit, or vegetables...
to give Carol a quarter of its advertising. Jerry leaves New York to work in the company's California branch — only to be called back nine months later to remarry Carol in a hospital maternity ward, just before she gives birth to their child.
Cast
- Rock HudsonRock HudsonRoy Harold Scherer, Jr., later Roy Harold Fitzgerald , known professionally as Rock Hudson, was an American film and television actor, recognized as a romantic leading man during the 1950s and 1960s, most notably in several romantic comedies with Doris Day.Hudson was voted "Star of the Year",...
as Jerry Webster - Doris DayDoris DayDoris Day is an American actress, singer and, since her retirement from show business, an animal rights activist. With an entertainment career that spanned through almost 50 years, Day started her career as a big band singer in 1939, but only began to be noticed after her first hit recording,...
as Carol Templeton - Tony RandallTony RandallTony Randall was a U.S. actor, comic, producer and director.-Early years:Randall was born Arthur Leonard Rosenberg to a Jewish family in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the son of Julia and Mogscha Rosenberg, an art and antiques dealer...
as Peter 'Pete' Ramsey - Edie AdamsEdie AdamsEdie Adams was an American singer, Broadway, television and film actress and comedienne. Adams, a Tony Award winner, "both embodied and winked at the stereotypes of fetching chanteuse and sexpot blonde." She was well-known for her impersonations of female stars on stage and television, most...
as Rebel Davis - Jack OakieJack OakieJack Oakie was an American actor, starring mostly in films, but also working on stage, radio and television.-Early life:...
as J. Paxton Miller - Jack KruschenJack KruschenJack Kruschen was a Canadian-born character actor who worked primarily in American film, television and radio.-Radio:...
as Doctor Linus Tyler - Ann B. DavisAnn B. DavisAnn Bradford Davis is an American television actress.Davis achieved prominence for her role in The Bob Cummings Show for which she twice won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series...
as Millie, Carol's Secretary - Joe FlynnJoe Flynn (US actor)Joseph A. Flynn was an American character actor. He was best known for his role in the 1960s ABC television situation comedy, McHale's Navy. He was also a frequent guest star on 1960s TV shows such as Batman and appeared in several Walt Disney film comedies...
as Hadley - Howard St. JohnHoward St. JohnHoward St. John was a Chicago-born character actor who specialized in unsympathetic roles. His work spanned Broadway, film and television...
as Mr. John Brackett - Karen Norris as Kelly, Jerry's Secretary
- Jack AlbertsonJack AlbertsonJack Albertson was an American character actor dating to vaudeville. A comedian, dancer, singer, and musician, Albertson is perhaps best known for his roles as Manny Rosen in The Poseidon Adventure , Grandpa Joe in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Amos Slade in the 1981 animated film The Fox...
as Fred - Charles Watts as Charlie
- Donna DouglasDonna DouglasDonna Douglas is an American actress best known for her role as Elly May Clampett, in the long-running television series The Beverly Hillbillies.-Early life:...
Deborah, Peter's Secretary - Ward Ramsey as Hodges
- John LitelJohn LitelJohn Litel was an American film actor. During World War I, Litel enlisted in the French Army and was twice decorated for bravery....
as Board member
Quotes
- Doctor Linus Tyler: Just what the world needs, a good 10-cent drunk!
- Carol Templeton: You kissed me and I was thrilled!
- Jerry Webster: Life is like outer space. Explore it today, for tomorrow you may not be able to get it off the launching pad.
- Jerry Webster: A kiss? What does that prove? It's like finding out you can light a stoveStoveA stove is an enclosed heated space. The term is commonly taken to mean an enclosed space in which fuel is burned to provide heating, either to heat the space in which the stove is situated or to heat the stove itself, and items placed on it...
. It doesn't make you a cook. - Doctor (after seeing Carol & Jerry on their way to the materity ward): That's what I call close.
Songs
Doris Day sings two songs in the film: "Lover Come Back" during the opening creditsOpening credits
In a motion picture, television program, or video game, the opening credits are shown at the very beginning and list the most important members of the production. They are now usually shown as text superimposed on a blank screen or static pictures, or sometimes on top of action in the show. There...
, and "Should I Surrender" as she contemplates what to do with her feelings for Jerry.