It’s a shame Sandra Dee didn’t have a longer career as an adult star, she had looks, perkiness and could act well enough – but her material wasn’t always the best. Nor was her choice of co-stars. Bobby Darin has his fans and the man could definitely sing but he doesn’t seem at home as a New York millionaire who romances Dee; he’s not good looking or charismatic enough in a part that needed a Rock Hudson, Rod Taylor or even Robert Goulet.
The set up is idiotic, too, and far too slight for a movie – Dee is a maid who pretends to own an apartment so she can impress a new beau (Darin), unaware that he actually owns the apartment. Some lousy complications are offered by Darin’s richer elder friend (Donald O’Connor, doing what he can in the Tony Randall part, but feeling miscast), and some of Dee’s wacky actor mates.
Some really bad comedy set pieces such as bartenders misinterpreting a conversation between Darin and Dee to think it's about hookers, a dull one with a pawnbroker, and flat party scenes – it was directed by old MGM veteran Richard Thorpe. The support cast, including Leo G Carroll, Robert Strauss and Nita Talbot, doesn’t save the day. Not written by Norman Krasna or produced by Ross Hunter - the film could have done with both men.
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