Strange Bedfellows

Witless farce from the usually-estimable comedy writer Melvin Frank, who also produced and directed, stars Rock Hudson as an American oil company executive in London, married but estranged from fiery Gina Lollobrigida for the past seven years, who must present a happily-united front for the company's general (why? so it'll "look good"). When Rock first meets Gina, she's an artist painting protest slogans on signs and walls--but the movie is so bashful, her signs are always half-finished so we won't know what she's protesting against. They marry immediately (presumably so they can have sex without guilt), but the next morning find they have nothing in common. Frank, who co-authored the screenplay with Michael Pertwee from a rather old-fashioned story he originated with Norman Panama, substitutes shouting for snap--and Lollobrigida does must of the shouting. Hudson tries to keep up with her, but his colorless brand of acting assures that he'll blend in with the furniture and nothing more. Atrociously shot by cinematographer Leo Tover, with the phony backdrops and scrappy rear-projection upstaging even Gina Lollobrigida in a variety of 'kooky' outfits. * from ****

In 1961 Universal had a popular success, Golden Globe winner I believe, with pairing Rock Hudson and Gina Lollobrigida in the comedy "Come September". In 1965 they attempted to recreate the magic with "Strange Bedfellows". Unfortunately this failure just goes to prove that scripts and characters are just as important as actors. Rock Hudson plays a conservative oil executive who impetuously weds bohemian artist Gina Lollabrigida. Given their incompatible natures they separate after a short marriage. Seven years later Lollobrigida wants a divorce to wed newspaper editor Edward Judd while public relations man Gig Young encourages Hudson to portray himself as a happily married man in order to get a big promotion. Hudson proceeds to re-kindle the flame with Lollobrigida, while Judd tries to disrupt the relationship by encouraging Lollobrigida's bohemian causes and thus embarrassing Hudson. The outcome of all this is Lollobrigida riding through London as Lady Godiva as a protest for one of her causes. The movie fails for a variety of reasons. Hudson's scene in bed with Judd might have some "camp" value but, although ungallant of me to say so, I've seen Lollobrigida look better. The character development is limited, with fundamentally incompatible pair coming together apparently without any change in character. None of the supporting players has any personality in the script. Gig Young does many scenes solo, supposedly on the telephone to Hudson's character, and could probably been written out of the entire movie. Judd's acting is unfortunately limited to putting a pipe in and out of his mouth. The producers obviously recognized these problems and brought in British character comedians (i.e. undertaker Terry Thomas and several taxi drivers) for cameos. Much of the Lady Godiva scene requires physical comedy which is not Hudson's and Lollobrigida's forte. As commented on by others the Hollywood backlog substituted for London is cheesy. By way of comparison I would note that Come September had strong support from old pro Walter Slezak, energy from a young Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee, beautiful Italian scenery and a coherent plot. Suffice it to say that "Strange Bedfellows" at 98 minutes seemed dreadfully long while "Come September" at 112 minutes whizzed by.

The Strange Bedfellows are Rock Hudson and Gina Lollabrigida, a married but separated couple, separated now for seven years. Gina would like a divorce because she wants to marry her new boss Edward Judd. But Rock has reasons to want to patch things up. He's in line for a big promotion on his job and the old money in the person of Howard St. John that runs the company likes the stability of a family man in his top executives.

Rock and Gina had a lot of passion in their relationship. Great for sex, but they brought into other things and didn't agree on anything. Gina is a bohemian free spirit and Rock is a conservative oil executive and is that ever a redundancy.

Gig Young is in a typical Gig Young part and I did love seeing the way Edward Judd got over him pretending to be a British secret agent. Paul Lynde did a fabulous job in Rock's Send Me No Flowers as a funeral director and since the film is set in London, Terry-Thomas steps in and does a fine job as a British funeral director.

Strange Bedfellows is not as good as Rock's films with Doris Day, not quite as good as his previous film with Lollabrigida, Come September. Still I think it will please audiences today.

If you're looking for a funny romantic comedy where Rock Hudson lies to get a woman into bed, you've got plenty to choose from: Pillow Talk, Lover Come Back, A Very Special Favor, and as a last resort Strange Bedfellows. I love Gina Lollobrigida, and she gets to wear some pretty clothes in this movie, but it's not one I'd want to rent again.

Rock and Gina have a whirlwind romance and get married after spending a great weekend in bed. Come Monday morning, they discover they not only have nothing in common but their beliefs and opinions are polar opposites. Rock leaves during a fight and never comes back. Seven years later, neither one has gotten a divorce-for a reason never explained-and Rock is a successful businessman who needs to promote his family image in order to get a promotion. Gina is still an uncontrollable, protesting wild child, but rather than rent a respectable wife for the weekend his boss is in town, he attempts to tame her.

This movie has some funny moments, but the main story just isn't great. I wasn't rooting for the couple to fall back in love with each other. Rock is a pathological liar and a first-class jerk, and Gina's temper is childish. Why can't these people cut their losses and get divorced? If you love the two leads, you can give it a shot. There's a clever sequence at a funeral parlor run by Terry-Thomas, and a funny bed shortage when Gina invites all her friends over and Rock ends up in bed with her new boyfriend. Besides that, you're better off renting Come September.

Staid businessman Rock Hudson meets Bohemian artist Gina Lollobrigida and 24 hours later they're married. When they get out of bed, they quarrel about everything, so they separate. Seven years pass, and Hudson is up for a huge promotion, but his boss likes happily married executives, while Miss Lollobrigida wants to get divorced so she can marry Edward Judd. They meet to discuss the divorce, and they wind up back in bed, but soon begin quarreling over her latest cause.

It's one of the many romantic comedies that Hudson starred in the period, all of which had at their serious core the question of how marriage can survive with the growing power of women in the workplace. As such, it's hardly surprising that Gig Young shows up at the publicity man who tries to argue Hudson in a show of normal domesticity. Despite this being a Panama & Frank production (with Michael Pertwee helping out with the script), there's an aura of hysteria in the matter that makes it seem a trifle mechanical.