Bundle of Joy

The movie is a fluff piece, but I enjoyed watching Debbie and Eddie when they were America's sweethearts in a more innocent time, pre-scandals and pre-drug problems. Unlike many, I find Eddie Fisher to be a beautiful singer. He really can hit those high notes, and his voice has a particularly angelic quality in the higher range.

I didn't see a lot of chemisty between the leads; maybe it's hard to project chemisty when you're going home to your marital abode after the shoot. But the studio wanted to cash in on their status as everyone's cutest couple at the time.

I thought the supporting cast was fine too, and the comic subplots worked.

How did they get those babies (twins) to act so beautifully. They were charming.

Many times have I wondered what Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher were like in their careers (I'm a Star Wars buff). I finally sat down and saw this film. I must say that after watching, I just loved it and wanted more. Since then Debbie Reynolds has become my favorite actress ever. After seeing this I raced to my mother for more info. and she told me of the trouble that followed. I was severely disappointed, because the chemistry in this film was superb. Among the highlights is Debbie's ability to use her magnificent talent to use subtle face gestures to get across the idea of what she is thinking. Eddie was less so, but did an average job. But after hearing the truth, everytime I re-watch this film, I can't help but imagine Eddie with horns on his head or a dunce cap a mile tall. Debbie's charm is the main reason to see this film. She steals the show, the script, the clothes, and anything else she touches. The back-up roles are performed well. This is a remake of the earlier film, "Bachelor Mother." If anyone but Debbie were in the lead, this movie would stink, but it gets a solid 3 stars from me (out of 4).

During the merry Christmas season, perky department store salesgirl Debbie Reynolds (as Polly Parish) is fired because so many of her customers return their ware. She passes an orphanage and picks up a cute baby. Everyone assumes Ms. Reynolds is the baby's mother. This helps Reynolds get her job back, from singing store owner's son Eddie Fisher (as Dan Merlin), who also gives Reynolds a raise. Soon, the handsome crooner is harmonizing with the cute clerk. This musical re-make of "Bachelor Mother" (1939) is fairly well-suited to the real-life married couple, who simultaneously produced their own "Bundle of Joy" (Carrie Fisher)...

A major recording star upon the film's release, Mr. Fisher was so popular he survived the initial onslaught of "rock and roll" - but was about to fall. Fisher last hit the "Top Ten" in 1956. It didn't help that "Bundle of Joy" was lacking in hit single material, with Fisher's "Some Day Soon" barely cracking the record charts in early 1957. Reynolds was a much better actress, and reached her greatest popularity after she and Fisher divorced. Unfortunately, this is it for the popular twosome's musical comedy film career. They look good and sing sweetly together - their "Lullaby in Blue" sung to their "Pretty Baby" was brimming with potential.

******** Bundle of Joy (12/12/56) Norman Taurog ~ Eddie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds, Tommy Noonan, Adolphe Menjou

This film is and will always be one of the unsung classics of the RKO Studio. A musical remake of "Bachelor Mother", "Bundle of Joy" is a funny, heartwarming tale of mistaken identity and blossoming love.

The only downside of this movie is the fact that it has Eddie Fisher in it. He should have stuck to singing as he is the most excruciatingly bad actor I have ever seen.

Overall, I give this movie 41/2 out of five stars.

I might be considered biased in my view because my twin brother Don and I played the baby in Bundle of Joy. We were only a year old, and lived in the San Fernando Valley area of L.A. when we were picked out of approximately 200 sets of twin boys to be the baby in the movie. Over the years, I have heard my mom and other relatives tell many stories of the filming of this movie, and being VIP guests at the premier movie opening in Hollywood. I have, of course, seen the movie countless times over the years, and still like to watch it and laugh at the cute smiling babies we once were. My mom had to be on the set with us whenever we were filming, by state law. She has told us that Debbie Reynolds was a truely remarkable actress and treated us extremely well. Adolphe Menjou treated us like his own grand kids. Unfortunately, she also said that not everyone in the movie industry was so nice, and our parents decided not to sign a contract with RKO Pictures which would have allowed us to be in more films. Oh well, our short movie career aside, we both have grown up and are very happy in our own careers. I would recommend this movie to anyone who likes light-hearted films with happy endings!