The Mating Game

The film itself was not particular memorable but you have to watch it for Debbie Reynolds alone. In this comedy/romance film Debbie Reynolds plays a young, and very pretty farm girl tomboy with more spunk than tough guy James Cagney or Clint Eastwood could ever display. The picture quality is from an era (1950's - 1960's) that I wish film producers would bring back as the color is most brilliant, clear, crisp, and the landscape scenes picturesque.

Debbie Reynolds was a perky and beautiful 27 years old when she filmed this comedy/romance, and even after most recently being cheated on by her then famous husband Eddie Fisher who she had two (2) children with, her on screen presence hid her personal relationship issues she was then struggling with addressing.

There is a great list of supporting actors such as Paul Douglas, Tony Randall and Fred Clark. It is a simple plot and the comedy is not than funny, but what makes this film so special is how director George Marshall brings this quaint picture to life with a memorable performance by both Debbie Reynolds and Tony Randall.

I can watch this film over and over just for Debbie Reynolds alone, but also as this era of film making and the picture quality is from a forgotten era but deserving of a more memorable one. I give the film a 7 out of 10 IMDB rating.

Holy cow! Could there be a cuter woman than Debbie Reynolds is in this movie? I think not.

It's a fresh movie whose unlikely plot calls forth Tony Randall, an IRS auditor, to investigate possible unreported income by the Larkins, our stars. Problem is, the Larkins deal in trading only, no cash.

So the hokey antics revolve around the goofy, yet budding relationship between Reynolds & Felix Unger (if you will.)

Farm owners, Mom & Dad, portrayed by Paul Douglass & Una Merkel are great as the happy go lucky folks who must endure the intrusion & threats levied by Tony & the IRS.

But it is Reynolds that shines here. Kind of an Annie Oakley daughter, she's truly delightful.

Finally, the climax is pretty cool, that's for sure (as it pertains to the ultimate findings of the audit.)

A fun, inconsequential fare I recommend for a viewing.

Bob R.

I saw this together with "Every Girl Should get Married." Each is an example of a very large collection of movies about a charming girl plotting to get an innocent and succeeding. The game in this movie is to entice the audience into falling in love with the girl, thereby setting templates and expectations in so-called real life.

The filmmaker has to make a decision: will she place the audience within the movie or outside? "Every Girl" placed the viewer in the movie. The tone of the thing is earnest and the girl's appeal is earnest. She is so natural and appealing one really does fall in love with her. Her costar did as well and married her.

This is different. The whole thing is cast as a show, with some musical numbers. The situation is stagy: the city gent and the country lass. Debbie Reynolds does a stereotype rather than a real person. We don't fall for her in this movie because it lacks charm. But there are many examples of this approach where we do, or rather we fall in love with the stereotype.

If you are a serious movie watcher, you too need to make a choice. We cannot escape falling in love or otherwise getting engaged with what we experience on screen. But we can decide which to approach seriously. You probably want to avoid these "outside" movies that play with love.

Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.

I saw this movie in 1959 when I was 11 years old at a drive-in theater with my family.

Way back then, I thought it was very funny . . . even though I was too young to understand 90% of what makes this marvelous movie such a delight! I saw it again this morning on "Turner South". As I watched it, I was absolutely convulsed with laughter! "The Mating Game" is a unique classic from a by-gone age. If you're too young to have experienced the enchanting period in history that produced this film, I feel very sorry for you. There's no way you can watch movies like this and understand how they can (even today) deliver such a delightful slice of heaven to "old timers" like me.

Having said that, all I can do is respectfully request that younger people refrain from commenting on films like "The Mating Game".

Movies like this were made for the generation that preceded the current group of your people. And as such, these films speak a very different language than any of you can understand.

In other words – if you don't understand the issues the film is addressing, please don't embarrass yourself by offering comments which – frankly – make no sense.

The premise is funny where straight well-educated Tony Randall is sent to get Paul Douglas and family to pay up their taxers. Douglas is a nice rural type who has never bothered to file taxes in over 20 years! Una Merkel is his farm wife and Debbie Reynolds plays the eldest of his children. Naturally, Randall falls for Reynolds.

A vicious neighbor played by Philip Ober wants the Douglas homestead. He sends the IRS after the family. With Fred Clark and Charles Lane at the head of the IRS, you'd think the family is in for lots of trouble.

Reynolds musical ability is put to task briefly.

The film falls apart in a rather lengthy drunken sequence when Lorenzo Charlton (Randall) gets bombed out and parades around singing a Cole Porter tune. Other silly scenes is a brawl between Randall and a jealous suitor of Reynolds with his friends.

The ending is contrived. Get out your civil war documents and watch the interest build up. Mainly for the silly at heart.