Rock Hudson and Doris Day Make a Dream Team for Pillow Talk

Providing a surprise comedy smash at the close of the 1950’s, Universal-International’s saucy, snappy Pillow Talk helped usher in a new trend of light, slightly racy sex comedies that flourished well into the next decade, while also serving as the debut for one of the era’s top romantic teams, with the ingratiating chemistry of Rock Hudson and Doris Day playing a huge role in the film’s success. Talk would push Day into the stratosphere as the #1 box-office draw for four years during the early 1960’s, while Hudson would gain a new career impetus just as his ranking as Hollywood’s top, ever-stoic leading man was starting to lose a bit of momentum. Aided by first-rate Ross Hunter production values, an inventive script by Stanley Shapiro and Maurice Richlin (from a story by Clarence Green and Russell Rouse, which dated back to 1942 but had never been produced), fine direction by Michael Gordon that maintains an apt sense of playfulness, and truly stellar support by Tony Randall and Thelma Ritter, Talk maintains a carefree, sly tone throughout its fast-paced 102 minutes that stands up over repeated viewings, with the appeal of that killer Hudson-Day combination never growing stale regardless of number of screenings and the passing of decades, with the ace couple representing a battle of the sexes in Talk via party-line adversaries Jan Morrow and Brad Allen, alternately bickering and wooing (via Brad’s alter-ego, Rex Stetson) through the intricacies of the ingenious plot with great charm and magnetism. Although both stars would have substantial success before and afterwards, their iconic work as an onscreen team par excellence remains at the forefront of any discussion concerning Hudson and Day’s filmographies.

It’s clear onscreen how fond Hudson and Day are of each other, creating an incredible bond and likability factor between the two an audience can’t resist, even with romantic elements often held at bay as Jan contends with the ne'er-do-well she knows Brad to be, as opposed to the warmth she feels for the imposter Rex, whom Brad presents himself to Day as. This is critical, as Hudson’s characters in Talk and its equally-amusing follow-up, Lover Come Back, in real life would be deemed completely despicable, with both cads focused on compromising Day’s virtue by every trick of the trade they can think of. Fortunately, in the movies this simply can’t be allowed to happen (especially during the production code era), but the dynamic interplay among two stars representing a sterling example of the idealized American couple circa 1959 convinces one that, somehow, Day’s forthright, proper maiden could tame Hudson’s chauvinistic ways production code or no, leading to a happy fade-out with marriage and children in the works.

For Hudson, after rising to the summit of box-office stars via his 1954 breakthrough in Magnificent Obsession and, specifically, his Oscar-nominated work in one of the decade’s biggest smashes, 1956’s Giant, by 1959 he found himself facing a career crossroads, with his would-be epic follow up to Giant, 1957’s A Farewell to Arms, out-performed by films Hudson turned down, such as Sayonara, The Bridge on the River Kwai and Ben-Hur. Although still among Hollywood’s top leading men, something fresh was warranted. Fortunately, just prior to the release of Hur, Talk offered a terrific change-of-pace for Hudson, granting a perfect vehicle to showcase his trademark smooth, relaxed manner, as well as a sense of humor Hudson was well-known for possessing off-screen, but had seldom been given a chance to display in films prior to Talk. Hudson’s knack for easy-going comedy is given free range in Talk, and as songwriter playboy Brad Allen and Rex, he appears to be having a ball performing in a wily, mock-serious manner that never appears to be pushing too hard for laughs, no mean feat given Talk was Hudson’s first major try at comedy. In Hudson’s hands audiences can also sense that, for all of Brad’s brash behavior, there’s not a hateful bone in his body, allowing one to root for Brad to hook up with Jan, at least in the proper manner. Hudson would continue to adopt this carefree screen persona for many of his subsequent films, before using it to gain additional popularity on television in the 1970’s in McMillian and Wife, his last truly successful screen venture.

With the film a massive hit in the fall of 1959 and her star shooting up an extra galaxy or two in the process, Doris Day gained her sole Oscar nod for Talk, and although the honor might be more merited for her dedicated, all-out musical comedy performance in Calamity Jane or possibly her finest work in the little-seen but completely beguiling comedy/drama It Happened to Jane (also from 1959) in another ideal teaming, this time with Jack Lemmon, Talk showcases a well-cast Day to great advantage as smart, independent career woman Jan Morrow, who’s built a fulling life as a talented NYC interior decorator (and, clad in a terrific wardrobe by Jean Louis, Day looked sensational and became a fashion icon with Talk). Since her 1948 debut singing the unforgettably mellifluous “It’s Magic” in Romance on the High Seas, Day had honed her craft in a series of light musical-comedies and dramas (many Day fans believe she also deserved Oscar attention for her gritty work as Ruth Etting in Love Me or Leave Me), and in Talk she once again demonstrates her gift for nailing any clever line throw her way, and is fantastic in possibly her most challenging scene, wherein she goes off on a crying jag in a completely convincing and hilarious manner during a long ride back to the city with Jan’s other romantic interest, Jonathan Forbes (Tony Randall). Day has some moments wherein she does a bit of the simpering that would become more apparent in her later 1960’s film as her “Good Girl” screen image intensified, but in Talk she mainly portrays Jan utilizing the direct, focused and ingratiating approach that highlights her best work, and is allowed to showcase the glorious, pitch-perfect vocal prowess that initially made Day a star, most notably singing the title song over the opening and end credits, and beautifully warbling the ultra-romantic “Possess Me,” heard on the soundtrack as Jan rides to a cabin with Rex and considers what the night might bring.

                By the release of Talk, Randall had established himself as one of the screen’s most gifted comic actors, after a breakthrough as the title character in 1957’s Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? and terrific work opposite Debbie Reynolds in The Mating Season marked Randall as an exceptionally skilled and unique talent. In Talk, Randall firmly sets himself as an integral part of the Day-Hudson dynamic, playing the first of his neurotic best friend/sidekick roles, which became a staple of the Day-Hudson films (the trio’s final teaming came via 1964’s Send Me No Flowers, with Day and Hudson now playing a couple dealing martial harmony and dis-harmony, with Randall their devoted next-door-neighbor and Hudson’s confidant). As the affluent Jonathan Forbes in Talk, Randall brilliantly combines an ultra-serious, strait-laced demeanor with his crack comedy timing to steal many moments in a highly individual style. Among the highlights is Jonathan growing more impatient with Jan’s hysteria with each passing mile during that crying jag scene (Randall’s increasingly exasperated facial expressions after every Day sob serve as perfect silent punchlines, creating bigger and bigger laughs), or Randall pricelessly conveying Jonathan’s slow realization that his buddy Brad has pulled a fast one on him and taken off with Jan for a cozy weekend.

                Also pleasantly along for the ride, Thelma Ritter scores heavily as Jan’s alcoholic but sage housekeeper Alma, who frequently listens in on Brad’s phone rendezvouses with a bevy of beauties. Over the previous decade prior to Talk, Ritter had gained a reputation as many filmgoers' favorite supporting player, with four Oscar nominations and such classics under her belt as All About Eve, Pickup on South Street and Rear Window. Having played similar roles many times before, Ritter is so in sync with the knowing Alma and makes her work look so easy it may appear there’s not much of a challenging nature to the part; however, take away Ritter’s distinct manner of playing these types of roles in her no-nonsense, honest fashion and Alma could easily become an irritating and unbelievable character. In Ritter’s hands, the audience immediately connects with Alma, and want to witness much more of her acerbic remarks regarding Jan’s love life, or lack thereof. In addition, stalwart pros Marcel Dalio, Allen Jenkins, Lee Patrick, Nick Adams and Karen Norris all assume the right comic flair to make strong impressions and gain laughs, while Perry Blackwell also scores as the singer at the nightclub Brad and Jan visit.

                Pillow Talk brought $7,500,000 (according to Variety) from first-run rentals into Universal’s coffers and gained a largely enthusiastic reaction from critics, leading the studio to create a string of similarly themed light concoctions, including the re-teaming of Day-Hudson in 1961‘s Lover, which was equally embraced by audiences and critics. Day and Hudson also found themselves among the top of the Hollywood heap for the next several years as they continued to thrive in the genre, either together or in other romantic pairings, specifically Hudson with Gina Lollobrigida in Come September and Day with Cary Grant in That Touch of Mink, which is the comedy that really locks Day into her infamous “virgin” persona in a more overt fashion than Talk, wherein you have Alma discussing Jan’s lack of beaus, but also later witness Jan thinking to herself “You’ve been out with a lot of men in your time. . .” after meeting Rex, conveying the idea that the 35-ish Jan is more a top career woman choosing to currently live alone, rather than a doe-eyed innocent regarding relationships. Along with Day’s nod, Thelma Ritter’s fifth Supporting Actress nomination, Art Direction-Set Direction (Color) and Best Musical Scoring, the Academy saw fit to grant the Oscar to that inventive, sly screenplay, and the film, Day and Randall also received Golden Globe nods. Offering top production values and a sterling cast and screenplay, Talk has remained a fan favorite for those devoted to Day, Hudson and Rom-Coms, wherein Talk is considered a blueprint for the durable genre, while also providing an ideal example of what 1959 audiences sought when looking for a piece of diverting, slightly risqué entertainment to spend an evening with.

                I recently completed a video tribute to Rock Hudson using clips from signature films and roles in his career; Pillow Talk of course is included among them. The video can be viewed here on YouTube. I also have a tribute video for Doris Day, which can be viewed here.