Come Blow Your Horn (1963)

A Masterpiece!

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Directed by Bud Yorkin, who co-produced this slightly above average light comedy with Norman Lear, who wrote the screenplay adapting a play by Neil Simon, who earned his first motion picture screen credit, it stars 47 year old Frank Sinatra playing a 39 year old older brother to a 21 year old character, played by Tony Bill, and the son of Lee J. Cobb's (though Cobb himself was only 51 at the time) and Molly Picon's (65 at the time) characters, who'd been married for 43 years.If you can get past all these improbable numbers (and aren't offended by its shallow female, and other stereotypical characterizations), it's actually (still) a pretty entertaining film today. Barbara Rush, Jill St. John, TV Bonanza's Dan Blocker, and Phyllis McGuire round out the primary cast; Dean Martin, Mary Grace Canfield who plays a woman hypnotized into thinking that Sinatra is JFK (an "inside" joke), and Grady Sutton (who can be glimpsed while Sinatra sings the film's title song) are among those who also appear uncredited.Sinatra plays Alan Baker, a playboy whose refuses to "grow up" and get married, per his father Harry's (Cobb) wishes. Harry blames his wife Sophie (Picon) for being too soft on Alan as a child, hence their "boy's" situation. Both are pleased that Alan's (much) younger brother Buddy (Bill), who still lives at home with them, is more responsible. Of course Buddy's had enough of being treated like a child, and leaves their suburban home to live with Alan in his extravagant bachelor pad in New York (how he affords it is a loose end until the film's end), though only about an hour's drive away, on his 21st birthday. Both sons work in their father's decorative artificial fruit business, Alan as a salesman and Buddy in design (?).Once Buddy lives with Alan, and with his older brother's encouragement (at least initially), he undergoes a transformation into a younger version of Alan. Buddy learns by example, having seen Alan successfully juggle an attractive air-headed wannabe actress who lives in his building, Peggy John (St. John), a beautiful singer named Connie (Rush) who's conveniently on tour a lot of the time, and even a would-be, though married, client of their father's company Mrs. Eckman (McGuire), a buyer for Neiman Marcus, whose husband's discovery of Alan's swinging sales technique finally gets him in trouble with Mr. Eckman (Blocker), and fired by Harry. Naturally, Buddy's "corruption" is upsetting to their parents as well.Not only are the characterizations humorous, for example Cobb's Harry is evidently a self-made immigrant who loudly calls his son a 'bum' (though Martin, in a cameo, is the film's only real bum) and Picon plays a long-suffering "Jewish" mother, but the tried and true (silent film) technique of never knowing who's on the other side of Alan's apartment door when the doorbell (or the phone) rings is effectively utilized with comic results. Rush plays a woman whose biological clock is ticking such that she's hoping Alan will settle down with her after only six months of dating. John plays a bubble- headed neighbor who helps Buddy begin his "fling". The film's final third is not as good as the first two thirds, and it does end rather predictably - with Alan seeing the error of his ways through Buddy and deciding to marry Connie. However, that doesn't keep it from being a good ride while it lasts.The film's Color Art Direction-Set Decoration was nominated for an Academy Award.

Well, let me see. This is a comedy without any comedy. This is one of the worst movies had (Neil Simon)'s name on it ever. And this is the 1960s' most theatrical cinema I've seen.Come to think of it, the conversations are too long and not even droll or try to be. (Bud Yorkin)'s direction is anything but cinematic. Moreover, (Lee J. Cobb) was four years older than (Frank Sinatra), and he played his father !. Not to mention that (Sinatra) himself as the bachelor playboy was 48 years old while his brother, Tony Bill, was 23 (Yes, 25 years between them !). I believe that Jill St. John is fiery sexy, though here she was boring !. (Sinatra) does an imitation of President Kennedy, and Dean Martin appears in dull cameo; they seem like inside jokes for Sinatra so his fellows ! And the title? Sorry, but I have to suspect a double meaning where the other one is lewd; as it's harmonizing with the 1960s' free swinging spirit, and the era's boldness's limits. And even if, the movie as a whole fails on the level of being a sex comedy, or sexy, or comic ! This is a memory from what looks now as a far faraway galaxy. It was lovely age, but (Come Blow Your Horn) is not its best, or an example for its entertaining works. Seeing it in the 2000s is a history lesson more than a nostalgic installment. To assure how even at those classic days, there were weak movies and with big names. Yet at least they were making them that polished (the movie had nominated for the Oscar of the Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color). Anyway thanks to the TV that keeps transforming the "forgettable" into "unforgettable".So what's here to love? The title's song, it's clever and I loved it, so the music.

Those words were uttered by Molly Picon in this hilarious film. "Come Blow Your Horn" deals with a swinging bachelor Frank Sinatra and his kid brother, Tony Bill, who is trying to follow in his footsteps.Lee J. Cobb proved his adeptness at comedy in this one by his constant making reference to Sinatra as a bum for not being married. Note the surprise in his face when Sinatra ultimately says yes when Cobb again confronts him. He and Picon are the absolute best senior citizen couple in this hysterical film. The chemistry between these 2 characters, both of whom appeared on the Yiddish stage during their respective careers, is great. Absolutely amazing to me that Picon and especially Cobb were not nominated in the supporting category. Their portrayals of the typical Jewish couple dealing with their sons is hilarious. Sinatra, as the swinging bachelor, is great. The part was made for him. He is very well matched by Tony Bill, his kid brother, who is emulating his brother and getting into the latter's lifestyle very quickly. Picon is very funny in the scenes answering the telephones. No wonder she was the perfect Yenta in "Fiddler on the Roof" 8 years later. Lee J. Cobb produces a miracle here. Long regarded as an outstanding dramatic actor, he turns in an incredibly outrageous performance as the beleaguered father.Bill later went on to direct films. Look for Phyllis McGuire in a brief appearance as a buyer for Neiman-Marcus.

"Come blow your horn" marks the start of Mr Sinatra's descent into self-parody .He was at least ten years too old for the part of a perennial bachelor grooming his younger brother into a carbon-copy of himself.Even in 1955 for "The Tender Trap" he looked vaguely disturbing as he pursued the much younger Debbie Reynolds.You almost expected him to break into "Have some Madeira m'dear" and twirl the ends of his metaphorical moustache.By 1963 his style of ageing hipster,tight trousered Italian shod charm was wearing a bit thin.All the women in his movie world were large-breasted bouffant-haired long-legged airheads,the men cool wise-cracking "in with the in-crowd" kind of guys,but not quite as cool and wise-cracking as Mr Sinatra himself of course. Neil Simon's plays have a peculiarly American popularity in much the same way that the late Terence Rattigan's had an appeal for a mainly British audiences.The arcane social practices of his middle class characters are often as mysterious to us as Mr Rattigan's must be to a U.S. audience. "Come blow your horn" features Miss Molly Picon and Mr Lee J.Cobb as a bickering angst ridden Jewish couple(is there any other kind on Broadway ?)with Mr Sinatra and Mr Tony Bill as their two sons.A harsh critic might rail at the casting of Mr Sinatra as a middle-aged single Jew,but hey,this is Broadway,right? Mr Bill is fine in a small furry animal kind of way,perhaps a marmoset or lemur,unused to appearing in daylight.Mr Sinatra is Las Vegas smart,like a third-rate lounge act,existing in a state of permanent priapism,no wonder his mother worries about him.An assortment of "broads" move to and fro within their orbit,the less fortunate ones catching their eye.Mr Dan Blocker,lately "Hoss" in "Bonanza",steals the movie by being the only recognisably human character.He is far better than the film deserves as a cuckolded husband. When I saw this film at the "Carlton" cinema in Forest Gate,East London over 40 years ago,the world was much more easily amused.When the opening shot of Mr Sinatra's parents' house came up on the screen,the appearance of the word "Yonkers" was greeted with gales of laughter.In order to achieve the same effect today Mr Sinatra would have to blow away several " 'ho's" with a large calibre shotgun,whilst chomping on a cigar and screaming "Die Motherfxxxxxxx" before soaking their still twitching bodies in petrol and setting fire to them.They could call it "Come blow up the 'hood"