Send Me No Flowers

Another self-opinionated reviewer bites the dust. Having blithely pronounced "Lover Come Back" to be the best of the three Day-Hudson comedies without even having seen this one, I now willingly eat crow and and say I was wrong. "Send Me No Flowers" is the best. "It's a honey!"

This is a wonderful suburban world of lawns and yards, bridge games and country clubs, commuter trains and divorce rumours. George Kimball (Rock) is a malade imaginaire, and Judy (Doris)is ... well, blonde. Tony Randall is at his considerable best as the nerdy neighbour Arnold who gets entangled in the Kimballs' misunderstandings, with delicious comic consequences. Paul Lynde turns in a marvellous cameo as Mister Akins of the funeral parlour, and the annoyingly perfect Bert Power is played with breezy confidence by Clint Walker, TV's Cheyenne (the incidental music gives him a witty little cowboy theme).

"My hypochondria has finally paid off," announces George after hearing (and misconstruing) his doctor's talk of impending mortality. Arnold prepares a eulogy which mentions George's 'unfailing good humour', a phrase which could stand as the movie's subtitle. Hudson is masterly as the doom-laden George, showing how assured he can be when the material is strong. This well-crafted script is derived from a Broadway play, and its quality shines through. Doris wears a very prominent wig and, in true Doris style, keeps her bra on under her negligee.

Made in 1962 when television had clearly won the battle against the cinema, the film uses TV's ascendancy in a very knowing way in the opening gag.

Verdict - Near-faultless domestic comedy with great work by Hudson, Day, Randall and Lynde.

I stumbled across this movie one morning. I don't usually like comedies from this era, but I really liked this one. It is very cute and funny and just perfect. The three are a great team and Tony Randall is especially funny. I recommend it to all.

Very good screenwriting here and a very good example of early sixties suburban lifestyle.Very funny and this movie is one of the best comedies of all time.The cinematography was splendid as well.Comedy fans please watch this one!

The main character is dying, but not the movie! It shall live forever. This is one of five golden, grown-up comedy classics Doris Day starred in, the others being "Teacher's Pet", "Pillow Talk", "That Touch of Mink" and "Lover Come Back". Of course, Hollywood never gives an Oscar for comedy. Drama is deemed deep! Nothing is deeper than comedy. Actually, drama is often unintentional comedy.

The critics disliked the movie because the subject is grim: terminal illness, or fear thereof. But if you take that attitude, nothing at all is funny. Actually, death is just the theme around which a lot of variations about modern life are spun. This film is masterful in every respect, a real treat. Paul Lynde is priceless as the effeminate undertaker. Doris Day is a miracle. Even the theme song is a thrill. Oh, why did we stop making these clean, domestic movies dealing with practical issues and everyday life?

Different from their previous two film teamings, Doris Day and Rock Hudson are actually husband and wife throughout instead of just getting married by the end of their other ones. And third co-star from those same two movies-Tony Randall-is also married this time though we never see his wife or offspring here! Anyway, Hudson mistakenly thinks he's about to die due to some selective overhearing of his doctor when he's in the rest room and only Randall knows initially. That premise drives much of the plot with Randall, especially, getting some good laughs from his behavior from that point on. Ms. Day, herself, has some amusing moments at the beginning and some good slapstick scenes though one sequence involving an out-of-control golf cart was, perhaps, a little too much. Hudson, well, he seems even more comfortable doing comedy scenes than his previous two films with Day and Randall and partly seemed to really have a ball here, that's for sure! There's also good supporting turns from Edward Andrews as Hudson's doctor and Paul Lynde as a funeral director who seems too enthusiastic for his job! My mom and I really enjoyed this one so that's a recommendation for Send Me No Flowers.