Ten Thousand Bedrooms (1957)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

The Age of Commercialism

Simply Perfect

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

Copyright 1956 by Loew's Inc. A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture. New York opening at Loew's State: 3 April 1957. U.S. release: 29 March 1957. U.K. release: 13 May 1957. Australian release: 11 May 1957. Sydney opening at the St James. 10,269 feet. 114 minutes.SYNOPSIS: An American hotel magnate journeys to Rome to survey his new purchase.NOTES: Dean Martin's first film without his former partner, Jerry Lewis.COMMENT: A harmless, blandly innocuous little musical batted out by M-G-M's quickie director, Dick "Print It" Thorpe. The title may mean one thing to the innocent man-in-the-street. To the seasoned movie- goer, however, it signifies nothing more spicy than that Dean Martin owns a chain of luxury hotels. He's not a modern-day Casanova at all.Still, the film was lensed in Rome, and we do see all the sights in CinemaScope. Even a reprise of "Three Coins in the Fountain". For all that location filming, production values are very moderate. Lots of process screen work, for instance.Some of the songs are medium bright, but the staging is strictly minor. The best is Munshin's one number, "Money Is a Problem", which he shares with Dino virtually right at the end.Anna Maria looks absolutely smashing, but for all the efforts of the players, "Ten Thousand Bedrooms" tends to outstay its welcome. Trimming would definitely help. Lisa Gaye's songs — "We're Gonna Rock Around the Clock" by Max C. Freedman and Jimmy De Knight; and "No-One But You" by Jack Lawrence and Nicholas Brodszky — could go for a start. (And go they did. Reports suggest they're missing from the current TV print — not that anyone would be masochistic enough to watch this movie on TV — though they were definitely heard in the 117 first-release minutes). Martin and Alberghetti's "You I Love" and "Only Trust Your Heart" are strictly for rabid fans.I wasn't completely sold on Robert Bronner's lighting either. I thought it just a little too dark. Doubtless the lab has corrected present prints.Although it out-rated many far bigger theatrical hits when initially presented on American television — oddly it rated even more on its second network showing than on its first — "Ten Thousand Bedrooms" promises much but actually delivers precious little.

Millionaire businessman Dean Martin (as Ray Hunter) buys a ritzy hotel in Rome, where he sings a few songs and attracts beautiful Italian women. The first is lady reporter Eva Bartok (as Maria Martelli), but Mr. Martin arouses her teenage sister Anna Maria Alberghetti (as Nina) much a-more. She proposes and he agrees, but they are told that family tradition dictates young Alberghetti's three older sisters must marry first. So, the plan is to get everyone hitched. "I have to marry four girls," says Martin. His pilot is around to help, but Dewey Martin (as Mike Clark) may want the same girl as his boss...This film opens with a sexy blonde, in bed, inviting us to see, "Dean Martin in Ten Thousand Bedrooms." Later, we later learn the elicited promiscuous thoughts are wrong - the title actually refers to Martin's character being in the hotel business. This was Martin's first film without former partner Jerry Lewis. Everyone expected the funny half of the comic team to do well, and Martin to fail. Of course, Martin had something Jerry did not have - a successful recording career. That, too, seemed in jeopardy with the advent of rock 'n' roll. Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" is heard herein, although not sung by Martin...Surprisingly, Martin did very well in the movies and exceptionally well on television. Not only did he survive Elvis Presley and the early rockers, Martin continued to sell millions of records throughout The Beatles' era. His career was in better shape than anyone thought, especially after this film. In "Ten Thousand Bedrooms", Martin seems awkward. It doesn't make sense, because he had a affable screen presence - maybe it was just the pressure of having to carry a film on his own. No matter, Martin honed his style - act like you just drank a martini and are looking forward to sex and a big plate of spaghetti.**** Ten Thousand Bedrooms (4/3/57) Richard Thorpe ~ Dean Martin, Anna Maria Alberghetti, Dewey Martin, Eva Bartok

As a Dean Martin fan, I can forgive his lack of characteristic charm and charisma in this movie. The plot is really the movie's worst failure because the locale and other production values are good. All the movie really needed was a completely different script. In spite of all that, it's still fun to watch.

This was Dean Martin's first solo movie after his split with Jerry Lewis and a pretty dire one it is too. He plays "Hunter" a millionaire hotelier who flies to Rome to oversee the latest addition to his empire-a traditional old Roman hotel acquired from its aristocratic patron.While there he becomes engaged to the youngest of the four daughters of a musician (played winningly by Walter Slezak in the best performance in the movie).He refuses permission for the marriage until the other (elder)daughters are wed .So ,Martin sets out to locate husbands for them .Further complicating matters is the growing affection between his bride to be and his pilot ,as played by Dewey Martin. It helps if you are writing a comedy to include some funny lines or scenes but -some 48 hours after watching the picture not one line or scene stays in my mind as even mildly amusing .Nor are the regular musical interludes in which Martin breaks into song memorable in any way . Martin is woeful -in a role calling for charm he merely appears smug and self satisfied .Thankfully he was to get better at light comedy but this performance is a total misfire . Some nice travelogue shots of Rome compensate but for the most part this is trite and derisory.