Sex and the Single Girl
1964 US
Dir:Richard Quine
Stars:Tony Curtis, Natalie Wood, Henry Fonda,
Lauren Bacall
Left:Tony Curtis, Right:Natalie Wood
"Sex and the Single Girl" is typically one of such movies that we can watch without thinking anything.
But it doesn't necessarily mean the movie isn't worth watching, for it has full of quirky styles. All lead characters
are very unique, and the interactions among these players are definitely fun to watch. Besides, the gorgeous casting
of this movie is not the one we usually expect for this kind of movies. Tony Curtis plays a person who claims himself
to be the dirtiest reporter in a magazine publisher who, in turn, boast themselves of being the filthiest publisher
among all over the world. They publish an article concerning a 23 years old psychotherapist Helen Gurley Brawn
(played by charming Natalie Wood) who wrote a book titled "Sex and the Single Girl". As Helen Gurley
Brown is a real person (chief editor of Cosmopolitan, or something like that), I sometimes wonder to what extent
the story is based upon this real person. But, probably that isn't an important issue at all here. Anyway, Tony
Curtis and Natalie Wood seem to be playing their respective roles really in pleasure. But, funnier than them is
Henry Fonda and Lauren Bacall who are playing an always bickering married couple who lives next to Tony Curtis's
house. It's truely delightful to watch these two eminent American players play comedy roles. Furthermore, it's
quite amusing that quirky Mel Ferror who plays a colleague of Natalie Wood confesses to the fact that he became
a psychotherapist because he wanted to hear dirty stories. As I think story is not so important in this kind of
movies, I am not going to explain the story in detail here. I can just say "please watch it and enjoy it".
Although there are many funny moments in this movie, the highlight comes in the last part where each main character
rides on either one of four vehicles to chase someone else, and they frequently change the cars they are riding
to such an extent that finally who chases whom becomes quite ambiguous. This rather blatant and unnatural slapstick
sequence is nevertheless fun to watch. Also, in this movie, Count Basie and his orchestra appear as themselves,
and play several tunes. Surely they are adding truely entertaining touch to this already entertaining movie, though
I am not so sure why all of the players in the wedding anniversary scene are weeping. There are other several elements
by which the movie has succeeded in avoiding winding up in just another silly slapstick comedy. But, main strength
of this movie resides in styles and characters. As for styles, Richard Quine surely had very peculiar styles, and
we can witness it more clearly in this movie than in any other his movies. For example, the yellow brownish tone
of color that permeates the whole movie gives us somewhat mesmerizing effect. As for characters, as I said before,
all the main characters have somehow peculiar personality, and it seems that they are playing those characters
delightfully. Tony Curtis is always amiable even if he plays the durtiest person all over the world. Natalie Wood
is strikingly charming. Henry Fonda and Lauren Bacall are really funny in this movie freeed from their usual serious
roles. Mel Ferrer is absolutely queer. And crazy policeman Larry Storch and Count Basie and his orchestra. With
all these ingredients, "Sex and the Single Girl" is really recommendable, if not educational, for every
one including even children despite the fact that this rather silly title contains the word "sex".
