Looking for Love

I think this is a Great movie! Most of this cast was also in the movie Where The Boys ARe & their chemisty together is nothing less than great! I LOVE Jim Hutton & think (as always) that he is wonderful! A fun movie......

Then again, it's not that great either. Connie Francis stars as a girl whose main desire in life is to get married and have kids, thus setting feminism back 10,000 years. She becomes infatuated with Jim Hutton, who likes tall women with big breasts. Hutton shows no interest, until Connie sings a sultry song. Then he decides there may be something to short women with big breasts. Joby Baker and Susan Oliver complete the quartet of who-is-going-to-end-up-with-whom. Numerous "guest stars" appear, including Danny Thomas, George Hamilton, and Johnny Carson, all playing themselves. Carson used to diss this film on his show; in actuality, he should have dissed his performance, since he is terrible in this (I say this as a big Carson fan). Connie sings a boatload of songs. I've always enjoyed her singing, so a few of these were at least tolerable.

After a great opening credits sequence, our story begins. Attractive telephone operator Connie Francis (as Libby Caruso) wants to make it big in show business, get married and have babies. With her figure and singing voice, this shouldn't take too long. To prevent clothing from wrinkling overnight, Ms. Francis invents the "Lady Valet" which garners her an appearance on "The Tonight Show" starring Johnny Carson. He thinks her invention looks like a "blind date for a Martian," and invites Francis to sing. She's another Caruso, but goes unnoticed by tall Jim Hutton (as Paul Davis)...

"Looking for Love" finds Francis in good voice, and improved as a comedy star. She's not paired well with Mr. Hutton, which was the story's point, but still… Best friend Susan Oliver (as Jan McNair) and bass player Joby Baker (as Cuz Rickover) round out a romantic quartet. The title track reached #34 on the "Cash Box" pop chart and the soundtrack LP sold moderately during The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" onslaught. MGM and Francis continued the formula for one more film, with decreasing returns. They really should have been producing a TV variety series, with singing and skits.

**** Looking for Love (8/5/64) Don Weis ~ Connie Francis, Jim Hutton, Susan Oliver, Joby Baker

As I've gotten older, I've begun to realize that the saying, 'not like it used to be' is a fallacy with regard to music and visual media. The truth is there has always been a ton of bad work, it's just that the lens of history whittles out the chaff. What's left? The great, the good, and at times the really really bad. One has to really look for the average to just below average films - generally to fill out some niche of fanaticism regarding an actor or director.

Why watch this movie? The Jonny Carson scene is amazing. First, he plays himself, but actually acts and performs - and that youthful look! This scene should be a clinic on how you direct a talk show host. This scene is generally butchered in more recent films.

The film stock - my goodness these colors! I will never understand why this saturated film look is lost. The astonishing primary colors and shining eyes of the performers - this movie has a absolute visual glow.

Acting is awful. And some of the casting - listening to these shrieking voices will make you scramble for the volume remote just to end the pain. And yet...

The numbers (music performances) are pretty good, certainly entertaining - and back to my original point; this isn't a good movie, but it so much better than contemporary bad films. Films that actually bring nothing to the table.

Wow, maybe they don't make them like they used to?

intentionally over rated 6/10

After a month in Hollywood, Libby Caruso (Connie Francis) abandons her singing aspirations to go look for a husband. She is taken with Paul Davis (Jim Hutton) at first sight. He works with her roommate Jan McNair (Susan Oliver) and they hate each other. Libby has a great unusual idea and Paul puts her on The Tonight Show.

The premise is dated, but it is interesting for that reason. Connie Francis may be a great singer, but I don't see her as a rom-com gal. She powers through her comedy work, but it only makes it less funny. One of the other interesting premise is the use of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. It's fun to see this version of Johnny. Connie Francis does some good singing and that's it.