If a Man Answers (1962)

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Unknown Micheline Presle has a central role in this ensemble comedy playing five established stars - Bobby Darin, Sandra Dee, John Lund, Cesar Romero and Stefanie powers. The color print and the decor indicates this was filmed in New York in the 1960's making it a period piece The morality of th sixties dates this comedy about two couples trying to keep their relationship fresh only to be sucked into madcap slapstick in which the tables are turned. This was the first post code Hollywood era when male and female leads regularly did scenes in underwear but in this film only Sandra Dee and some small part ladies are photographed in lingerie. Brilliant and unpredictable it is fascinating except for those who find sixties movie morality dated.

Okay, before I review this movie, I have to complain about some of the pixelating messiness of some of the scenes. While I managed to rewind some scenes I had to skip because of this, I still wish I could have seen the whole movie proper. Even without those technical problems, I don't think I was too enamored of the story with Sandra Dee as a daughter of a French mother and a Boston-bred father having to get married soon so she can give up her gallivantin' ways. Then after she moves to New York, she meets Bobby Darin as a model photographer who wants her in his pictures. She'll only agree to them if he marries her. He does but doesn't want her in them anymore! The rest of the picture has Dee trying to get her husband to pay more attention to her instead of new model-and former friend-Stephanie Powers by using a dog manual to treat him like a pet and then using a "made up" former lover of her mom to get Darin jealous. The performances, from Sandra and Bobby-who's quite hilarious in the beginning-to Powers, John Lund and Micheline Presle as the parents, and Cesar Romero as the guy portraying Dee's "paramour" aren't bad but the whole thing just fell apart after the marriage. I think I would've preferred to see the real-life married couple at the time try to balance their careers with him trying to please both Dee and Powers in whatever demands they give him. As it is, I think I'd only recommend If a Man Answers if you want to see Dee and Darin on-screen together. P.S. The animation at the beginning was probably the best part of the picture. P.P.S. I've now seen the whole movie after wiping the back of the disc. While a little better and I'm upping my rating from 3 to 4, some of my material objections still stand.

It has been long in coming but the movie is now out on DVD. I had found it before on VHS on ebay but it was going for $15 +. It looks like it's about $12 on DVD! I was lucky enough to have this recommended by a friend and watched her copy. I have looked through movie stores and even had one of the video rental stores order something with a similar title that turned out to be a B horror flick. Luckily they just put it on the shelf and didn't make me buy it. I can't wait to get the DVD and watch it again. I'm sure I've forgotten just how funny it is since I haven't seen it in about 8 years. They just don't make movies like this anymore. Sweet, wholesome fun.

If you love the lighthearted, romantic comedies of the 1960s, then you'll consider this one of the all time classics. In the same genre as the wonderful Doris Day movies of the same era, this will provide fun, wholesome viewing. A must-have for movie collectors of this time period!