Pillow Talk (1959)

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

best movie i've ever seen.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Movies that were controversial during the Hollywood Golden Age are rarely still controversial in the contemptuous decade of the 2010s; Pillow Talk is yet another reminder of this notion. Back in 1959, S-E-X was on the shitlist of every major movie studio, but audiences were sickening of perfumey, sanitized entertainment. Doris Day was the epitome of that cloying wholesomeness — to the world, she was the 40 year-old virgin, a woman carrying all the sexiness of your mom. So imagine. It's 1959. You're sitting in a theater, waiting for your movie to start. Then, a preview for Pillow Talk comes on. You see Doris Day, her buttery voice in the background, singing the title theme. You automatically roll your eyes. But then, Rock Hudson, playing a womanizing cad, blames Day's hygienic uptightness on her lack of action in the bedroom. You're taken aback. Since when have "bedroom problems" been discussed in a movie?Naturally, everyone saw the film when it was released; it made $19 million (which was considered to be a blockbuster in the penny-for-an- ice-cream decade), renewed Day's status as a bona fide movie queen, and reestablished Hudson's box-office appeal. It was the talk of the town, a "racy" romantic comedy that could be charming but also risky.But now, Pillow Talk is merely a charming romantic comedy without the racy riskiness it carried in 1959. Doris Day is still about as sexy as your mom and the film is still perfumey, even if it is a little less sanitized than other rom-coms of the decade. Yet, Day and Hudson are attractive. The CinemaScope makes even the gaudiest of colors feel chic and nostalgic. The exchanges between the characters are sitcomy in an I Love Lucy way. The ballsy courageousness of Pillow Talk has severely waned over the years, but its appeal hasn't.Day portrays Jan Morrow, an interior decorator, and Hudson plays Brad Allen, a playboy musician. They live in the same apartment building and are forced to share a telephone party line; naturally, Jan accidentally interrupts many of Brad's gooey conversations with various women. She scoffs. She needs to make calls too, after all. Jan goes to the telephone company to complain, but the employee they send to resolve the situation is seduced by Brad. Of course. Jan has never seen her enemy in person, but if she did, she'd surely sock him.Well, that's what'd you think. When the two bump elbows at a local restaurant one night, Jan, unaware of who Brad actually is, is instantly smitten. Brad, meanwhile, knows who she is as his best friend is taken with her himself. But the former is surprised to find how much he is attracted to Jan, even if she does have bedroom problems. In panic, he devises a Southern accent and a fake name to fool her. Brad finds himself in quite a pickle, however, when the romance begins to take a more serious turn.The chutzpah in Pillow Talk is not balls-to-the-wall daring, but rather, hesitant, somewhat unsure of its footing. If it makes a sex joke, a double-entendre of sorts, it covers it with a sheen of CinemaScope glamour. It's a precursor to the soon-to-be sexual revolution. But if the film's gutsy movements aren't as penetrative as they once were, then there should be a much bigger focus on its stars. Day has become the underdog when reflecting on vintage films, as more attention is turned towards the voluptuous Marilyn Monroe or the exotic Sophia Loren. But she is a true talent, effortlessly at ease in her performances and radiant when she sings. She is at her best in Pillow Talk, marking a new name for herself in bright red permanent marker and knowing it will stick. The chemistry between Hudson and Day is uncomplicated and natural, transitioning smoothly from comedy foils to love interests.These days, you can see Pillow Talk's influence. Some scenes have the pupil staining pigmentation of an Almodóvar film. Others contain the split screen camera-work that would plague mod '60s capers and various television shows. If it hasn't aged well in consideration to the new age, then Pillow Talk should be seen as a template, a quintessential romantic comedy.

Humming in her underwear, full-figured interior decorator Doris Day (as Jan Morrow) wants to make an important telephone call, but her New York City "party line" is occupied by playboy songwriter Rock Hudson (as Brad Allen). He uses the phone to romance various women, which Ms. Day finds boorish. Day takes her concerns to the phone company, where she calls Mr. Hudson a "sex maniac." The complaint ends when handsome Hudson arouses the female investigator. Although they agree to take half hour turns, Day and Hudson continue to bicker on the phone. The adversaries have never met - in person. This changes when Hudson hears Day, seated at the next table while they are out with dates. Immediately attracted, Hudson assumes a phony Texas accent and begins to court his attractive blonde phone-mate..."Pillow Talk" was the first Rock Hudson & Doris Day comedy. Their chemistry is obvious. The co-stars appeared in two additional 1960s comedies and are among filmdom's best-loved couples. Ahead of the curve, this film is a fine example of how the seemingly "innocent" 1960s sex comedies began to push mainstream films from innuendo to explicit. Most obvious is the successful use of "split-screen" to visually put the unmarried couple in bed together. Director Michael Gordon and his crew use the technique beautifully – which is rare for split-screen. At one point, the stars touch their feet while in (separate) bathtubs. Also artful are sexually subtle scenes, like Hudson squeezing into Day's car. This genre of film often flattens when overdone - but, herein, the sex talk and situations are playful and fun...In hindsight, it is perversely ironic to see Hudson's gentleman from Texas suggested as possibly homosexual because he adores his mother, exchanges recipes and enjoys gossip. The "gay jokes" often drag down these films (the next Hudson-Day outing, for example), but they are not fatal, here. It is amusing, for example, when Hudson is thought to be pregnant. A bigger problem is the light-hearted treatment given Thelma Ritter's character - a meaningless and hopeless alcoholic. Day should either fire or get help for her maid "Anna" - Ms. Ritter plays the part well, however. She and Tony Randall's millionaire pal "Jonathan Forbes" were acclaimed among the best supporting characterizations of the year. Frank DeVol's soundtrack music is perfect and Day's "Pillow Talk" title song is one of her best.******** Pillow Talk (10/6/59) Michael Gordon ~ Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Tony Randall, Thelma Ritter

The story goes like this. We begin the movie with Jan Morrow. She is a frustrated, rude woman that has no patients. She is also not in any kind of a relationship. I guess she's waiting for the right one to come along. She is sharing a party line with Brad Allen, played by Rock Hudson. He is the opposite of her because he is far from frustrated. He has relationships with the opposite sex every night. In the middle of these two is their friend Jonathan Forbes, played by Tony Randall. Jonathan also happens to want Jan and has no idea Brad even knows her. Jan and Brad have many arguments and they aren't exactly crazy about one another. That's until Brad sees her at a restaurant and overhears who she is. Being that Jan appeals to Brad and that he also feels like screwing with her head, he wins her over and begins a romantic relationship with her. Only she doesn't know who he is. He is Brad Allen on the phone, but with her in person, he is a Texan named Rex Stetson. His western accent hides his real voice that she hears on the phone. When watching the movie, you wonder if she'll find out who he really is. And if she does, what will happen.There are so many funny scenes in this movie that I don't even know where to begin. The three actors in this movie are great together. We have Rock Hudson, Doris Day and Tony Randall, a perfect trio for a romantic comedy. This movie is very funny and fun to watch. This is probably my favorite movie that Rock Hudson and Doris Day made together. See this classic. See this great romantic comedy and you won't be disappointed. Turn it on, get a bowl of popcorn and watch a great movie. It's great for a date night.

I love this movie because of its unique plot, but I love it more for the stunning opulence. When most of the world were still living in dreary shacks and gray concrete buildings, America was already modern as it is today. The buildings seen in this movie would be a good architecture of a brand new building even today.But some parts of the society seems like it wasn't keeping up with the rapid modernization. Who's ever heard of a "Party Line" ? I guess people had to share a phone number because the telephone companies (or company at the time - Bell Telephone) couldn't provide as many individual phone numbers. I sure didn't hear about anything like this until I saw this movie.When people around the world saw this movie, they thought American girls were like Doris Day. It's not true, but the image stuck. And what a hunk Rock Hudson was.Everything about this movie is just beautiful. What ever happened to this glamorous society ? We're certainly living at a lower point of the curve than what's shown in this movie.A beautiful movie, that I love every part of. I wish we can go back to those times again.