This Happy Feeling
| This Happy Feeling | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Blake Edwards |
| Written by | Blake Edwards F. Hugh Herbert |
| Produced by | Ross Hunter |
| Starring | Debbie Reynolds Curt Jürgens John Saxon |
| Cinematography | Arthur E. Arling |
| Music by | Frank Skinner |
| Distributed by | Universal-International |
Release date |
|
Running time | 92 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
This Happy Feeling is a 1958 film by Blake Edwards adapted from the F. Hugh Herbert play For Love or Money.[1][2]
Edwards regretted Universal-International's eleventh hour decision of a name change, but the studio was hoping to trade off another pop hit by Debbie Reynolds as they had with Tammy and the Bachelor. Reynolds stars, along with John Saxon, Curt Jurgens and veteran Hollywood actresses Alexis Smith and Mary Astor.[3][4]
Plot
Nita Holloway, a woman romantically involved with veteran actor Preston "Mitch" Mitchell, tries to persuade him to come out of retirement to appear in a Broadway play as the father of a character played by a new teen idol, Tony Manza. At his Connecticut farm, next-door neighbor Bill Tremayne asks to borrow Mitch's car. He goes to a party and meets secretary Janet Blake, who is trying to escape the clutches of her drunken boss, a dentist. Bill offers her a ride home in a rainstorm, but is a little too attentive to her liking.
Soaked to the skin, Janet ends up knocking on Mitch's door. He permits her to spend the night while her dress dries. Nita arrives in the morning and mistakenly concludes an affair is taking place, and soon others assume the same. Mitch puts her on a train but also offers Janet a job as his own secretary. As the train leaves, he stumbles, injuring his back.
Bill isn't worried at first because Mitch is obviously too old for Janet, but he comes to realize that she is indeed falling for Mitch a little more every day. Scheduled to ride Mitch's star horse in an equine contest, Bill jealously decides to ride another entry instead. Mitch must compete against him, bad back and all.
Although he feels great affection toward her, Mitch ultimately realizes that Bill and Janet were meant for each other. He happily goes back to Nita, and is last seen on stage in the new Broadway play.
Cast
- Debbie Reynolds: Janet Blake
- Curd Jürgens: Preston Mitchell
- John Saxon: Bill Tremaine
- Alexis Smith: Nita Hollaway
- Mary Astor: Miss Tremaine
- Estelle Winwood: Miss Early
- Troy Donahue: Tony Manza
- Hayden Rorke: Mister Booth
- Gloria Holden: Miss Dover
- Alex Gerry: Mister Dover
- Joe Flynn: Doctor McCafferty
See also
References
- ^ Prelude to Marriage' to Star Ann Sothern; Dress Nominees Voted Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 03 Oct 1957: B9.
- ^ "THIS HAPPY FEELING (1958), ALSO KNOWN AS: FOR LOVE OR MONEY". Turner Classic Movies. tcm.com. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
- ^ "This Happy Feeling". FilmAffinity. filmaffinity.com. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
- ^ "This Happy Feeling". AFI. afi.com. Retrieved 28 December 2015.