The Thrill of It All
Theatrical release poster
Directed byNorman Jewison
Written byLarry Gelbart (story)
Carl Reiner
Produced byRoss Hunter
Martin Melcher
StarringDoris Day
James Garner
Arlene Francis
CinematographyRussell Metty
Edited byMilton Carruth
Music byFrank De Vol
Distributed byUniversal-International
Release date
  • July 17, 1963 (1963-07-17)
Running time
108 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$11,779,093[1]

The Thrill of It All is a 1963 American romantic comedy film directed by Norman Jewison and starring Doris Day and James Garner, with a supporting cast featuring Carl Reiner, Arlene Francis, Reginald Owen and ZaSu Pitts. The screenplay was written by Carl Reiner from a story by Larry Gelbart.

Reiner had originally conceived the project for Judy Holliday, who developed cancer and had to bow out of the project, according to Reiner's reminiscence during his videotaped "Archive of American Television" interview.

Plot

The story centers around suburban housewife Beverly Boyer and her husband, a successful obstetrician and devoted family man, Gerald. Beverly is offered the opportunity to star in a television commercial advertising Happy Soap. After a shaky start, she gets a contract for nearly $80,000 per year (about $760,000 in 2022) to appear in weekly TV commercials.

Soon the soap company places greater and greater demands on the unlikely TV star. Gerald resents the fact that the appearances are taking up an increasing amount of her time, and that his position as breadwinner of the family is becoming threatened by Beverly's wealth. He also becomes jealous of the level of attention that Beverly's new-found stardom has brought her. Their relationship slowly deteriorates, but Gerald's patience finally snaps when the soap company gifts Beverly a swimming pool which is secretly built on the site of the family garage, and he accidentally drives and sinks his car into it later that evening. After an angry confrontation between the pair, he walks out with an ultimatum that she must choose either her career or their marriage. Gerald later returns, employing psychological warfare to make Beverly jealous by pretending that he is drinking and carousing with multiple women. After a harrowing, bonding experience involving an expectant couple with whom they have become friendly, Beverly decides to give up her lucrative career and return to her "philandering" husband and her life as a housewife and mother.

Cast

Carl Reiner, one of the two screenwriters of the film, makes brief appearances as a character actor appearing on TV in various nasty roles (World War II German Officer / Cad / Western Gunslinger).

Production

The film was announced in 1962. Hunter wanted to reunite Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald by having them play support parts.[2]

Doris Day and James Garner played the leads as a married couple in another theatrical film later that same year titled Move Over, Darling, a remake of the Irene Dunne/Cary Grant movie My Favorite Wife (1940). The Thrill of It All and Move Over, Darling were almost equally huge box office hits, with the first film released in July and the second opening on Christmas Day.

Reception

The Thrill of It All was the 16th biggest hit of the year, grossing $11,779,093 domestically.[1] It earned $6 million in US theatrical rentals.[3]

Garner wrote the film was "better than it should have been... because of Doris."[4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Box Office Information for The Thrill of It All. The Numbers. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
  2. ↑ FILMMAKER TALKS ABOUT 5 PROJECTS: Hunter, Here in Visit, Tells of MacDonald-Eddy Plan 'Tammy Takes Over' Is Next Joanne Woodward to Star British Film Opens Today 7 Vie for Golden Laurel Albert Lamorisse Visits By HOWARD THOMPSON. New York Times 16 May 1962: 33.
  3. ↑ "All-Time Top Grossers", Variety, 8 January 1964 p 69
  4. ↑ Garner, James; Winokur, Jon (2011). The Garner Files: A Memoir. Simon & Schuster. p. 254.


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