That Touch of Mink--*why?*

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sugarpuss
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That Touch of Mink--*why?*

Post by sugarpuss »

Don't get me wrong--I LOVE Doris Day movies. I love Cary Grant movies. And yet, this has to be one of the worst Doris Day performances I've seen. Her actions are questionable and the situations they put her in are completely ridiculous for a woman in her mid-30's.

The only bright spots in the movie are provided by Gig Young, playing the role of Cary Grant's neurotic assistant. Everytime he came on screen, I was rolling with laughter: "You've given me a raise! You've given me stock in the company!" The scenes where he's harrassed and beaten up by Audrey Meadows are hilarious, and his next-to-last scene where he's in the motel and tells the mistaken groom, "You're even more repulsive than she described" is great. I couldn't wait for him to show back up on screen. And yet, he didn't even get a mention in the intro/outro! (He's also great in Teacher's Pet, another Doris Day movie that's much better than this one)

I guess, if I'm to believe from the Robert Osbourne/Carrie Fisher interviews, it was chosen because of the Cary Grant/Doris Day pairing. But really, shouldn't a movie that's chosen as an "Essential" be chosen more on the basis of the material, than the pairing? For instance, I think The Thrill of it All! has a much, much better script and pairing of Doris Day with James Garner. It's witty and funny and the two of them have real chemistry with each other. I felt nothing at all with the Doris/Cary pairing. Frankly, their scenes bored me.

I know I'm ranting about this, but it's bothered me ever since I've watched it. I don't consider this movie to be an Essential at all. Maybe Essential if you're a fan of any of the characters or if you're in the mood for something light and fluffy, but an Essential for serious movie viewing? Nah.
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Post by Ayres »

I'm in complete agreement--I think The Thrill of it All is a far superior movie. I love Arlene Francis and Edward Andrews in that, too.

And I have to say, Osborne and Fisher don't seem terribly prepared to talk about the movies they are chatting about. Sometimes it even seems like the somewhat maddening conversations you hear at parties from people who don't know all that much about movies. I think they could still be conversational after checking up on some facts before their sessions.
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A Doris Day Essential?

Post by moira finnie »

Couldn't agree more about the poor choice of That Touch of Mink as one of The Essentials. Good Lord, an essential piece of cultural kitsch, maybe--but if I really wanted to pick an essential Doris Day movie it might be On Moonlight Bay (1951), Love Me or Leave Me (1956) or even better, Young Man With a Horn (1950). In all three she really shows off her main talents: singing, coming across as a decent person, (even when she's playing a gangster's honey opposite a great partner for Doris, James Cagney), and occasionally being a good female role model, (not just a manipulative gal out to hang on to her virginity until she's married). Don't get me wrong, I like Doris alot, but this wasn't her finest moment on film, nor was it Cary Grant's or even Mickey Mantle's best work!

I've avoided listening to the commentaries prior to the alleged Essentials since Molly Haskell repeatedly embarassed herself last season by exposing her profound ignorance of classic cinema, (i'll never get over the fact that a nationally known film critic had never seen Gunga Din until TCM trotted it out for her!). Now that I've read your comments about the conversations that Mr. Osborne and Carrie Fisher are having, I don't think I'll be going out of my way to hear it this season either. Hey, at least they don't run The (non)Essentials two days in a row anymore.
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Questionable Choices For the Essentials

Post by Sue Sue Applegate »

I still don't understand it. I'd like to see Carrie do some serious interviewing, but I don't think that's her niche.

That Touch of Mink - I love Cary and Doris, and Audrey, and Gig, and
even John Astin in that movie, but essential? C'mon!

We all here on these boards could think of 50 other choices they could've made.

I am still perplexed.
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That Touch of Mink

Post by ken123 »

I am waiting for Plane 9 From Outer Space to be on " The Essentials ". :wink:
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Post by Kyle In Hollywood »

I am not advocating That Touch Of Mink as an Essential selection, but I do think the film is unique in the Doris Day canon for one BIG reason.

For once, the film is explicitly all about the sex. Unlike the other Day/Hudson, Day/Garner, Day/Taylor films where the sex is barely hinted at, this film is about Doris "putting out", if I may be so crude.

That makes it "exceptional", as in noteworthy, at least. Whether the film is "exceptional", as in rare quality, I can't say. But I have enjoyed watching it.

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Reply to KYLE

Post by Sue Sue Applegate »

Excellent point, Kyle. I have to concede to your argument.

I have always enjoyed watching that Touch of Mink, and I think it does qualify for an "essential" as far as surrendering to the inevitable is concerned. Who else but Doris could have persuaded America of something so radical near the dawn of the sexual revolution?

It was obvious from the script that Audrey's character had already won and lost that round. Why else would you spray several strands of hair silver just to arouse a little "sympathy" unless you had an upcoming court date?

It was an essential, after all. Wish I had realized the crux of the matter before I was so quick to judge.
Shame on me. I'm a major Doris fan. :cry:
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Re: Reply to KYLE

Post by Kyle In Hollywood »

Sue Sue Applegate wrote:Excellent point, Kyle. I have to concede to your argument.
[snip]
It was an essential, after all. Wish I had realized the crux of the matter before I was so quick to judge.
Shame on me. I'm a major Doris fan. :cry:
Good Morning Sue Sue -
I apologise if I came across like Clarence Darrow. That wasn't my intention in pointing out the uniqueness of That Touch Of Mink.

I certainly didn't wish anyone to feel ashamed for their judgement of the film. I try to not use "Tsk, tsk." as part of my vocabulary. But an occasional "Oh dear" will slip out now and then.

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Flip-Flopper

Post by Sue Sue Applegate »

Kyle, no problem. I like to check out all the angles and you brought up a goodie. :lol:

I think the reason for the confusion is that Bob and Carrie didn't do a very good job of explaining why it was chosen as an "Essential" in the first place. They should have talked to you! :idea: = Kyle :lol:
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Post by Kyle In Hollywood »

Hi Christy -

If I was to guess why That Touch Of Mink was an Essential, that is reason I would give. It is probably the only reason I could come up with to designate the film a must-see film. But I don't know if that is a valid reason.

I think you are correct that Osborne And Fisher were a bit lacking in their assesment of the film in the opening segment. I have yet to see an opening segment this season that attempted to place the evening's film in the correct context of being selected as an Essential. And that is too bad. They seem to have forgotten that they are introducing An Essential, and not just hosting another evening on TCM.
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Post by bobhopefan1940 »

Ayres wrote: And I have to say, Osborne and Fisher don't seem terribly prepared to talk about the movies they are chatting about. Sometimes it even seems like the somewhat maddening conversations you hear at parties from people who don't know all that much about movies. I think they could still be conversational after checking up on some facts before their sessions.
Wow, you took the words right out of my mouth... It doesn't sound like the most knowledgeable of conversations. I cannot stand to see these two go at it, almost like they are squirmishing for the most speaking time. The whole "conversation" almost sounds more like an argument to me, IMO. I know RO is very knowledgeable (I don't know alot about Ms. Fisher) and I love the man, that's why I hate to see him battle it out like that.

As for the subject at hand, That Touch Of Mink, I never liked this film. The chemistry between Grant and Day is absolutely flat if not non-existent. But I have heard people rave about Doris Day, I wish this had not been the first film I saw her in... It left a bad taste in my mouth :?
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Que Sera, Sera

Post by Sue Sue Applegate »

Hope you will find a Doris Day film you enjoy. Love Me or Leave Me with James Cagney about the life of Ruth Etting is good, and I always recommend Calamity Jane for the sheer spunk of it all, plus it has
some great songs. "Once I Had Secret Love" won the AA.

Glad you're here, bobhopefan!
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Post by bobhopefan1940 »

Yes, I'm sure she had alot of wonderful movies, or she would not have such a faithful following. Thank you for the suggestions, I'll most certainly look out for them. :D
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Post by mrsl »

It's odd that this particular topic is here today. I wrote about it earlier over at TCM city.

In the first place Doris was 38 in 1962 when this film was made. I recall some critics stating "if you can accept a 38 year old virgin, you may like this movie". Doris is a 'cute' actress, not an elegant one. By that I mean she in not in a league with Rita, Ingrid, or Sophia, or even Her Highness, Princess Grace. Cary was suave and debonair, and those women I listed were his female counterparts. They mesmerized their leading men whether they started out as enemies or friends, so they 'clicked' with Cary. The director had Doris acting like a teenager with her gawking and eye rolling. Shirley Temple was more mature in 'The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer'.

Now, I'm not knocking Doris, she's great with Rod Taylor, Jim Garner, and even David Niven when she finally got around to playing her age. I disliked Debbie Reynolds in the beginning also for the same reason. She was still playing teeny boppers when she was a mother of two. Aging in a movie is one thing, but going backwards is silly.

Bob Hope Fan: I hope you rent or netflix 'Calamity Jane' and 'Love Me or Leave Me', sometime to see the range Doris really has. I'm not a big fan of hers, but I do respect her in many of the parts she has played. One other one is "Young At Heart' where she is rejoined with Gig Young, the end is a little much, but on the whole, the movie is pretty enjoyable.

Anne
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Post by sugarpuss »

Kyle, with your reasoning, TCM should certainly look into hiring you as a Co-host for The Essentials. It would certainly be better than listening to Osborne and Fisher giving their somewhat lacking explanations! They don't seem to actually enjoy the movies they're telling us to watch. Weird.

Bob Hope Fan, I'm sorry this was the first Doris movie you've seen. I was thinking about this the other day (after I started this post), that it would be a shame if this was the first Doris movie that someone saw and there you go, proving my thoughts! The first movie I saw her in was Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much. She's really excellent in that, holding her own with Jimmy Stewart. My other favorites are her two pairings with James Garner (The Thrill of it All and the remake of My Favorite Wife, Move Over, Darling. Yes, she's goofy in those, but age appropriately goofy, I think.
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