“A very funny piece of Hollywood history” is how one critic describes this 1959 romantic comedy film starring the legendary Doris Day and Rock Hudson.
Shot in CinemaScope — a filmmaking technique which uses an anamorphic lens to create widescreen images — the Michael Gordon directorial redefined the rom-coms and sex comedies of the 50s. The film was written by Russell Rouse, Stanley Shapiro, Clarence Greene, and Maurice Richlin.
Starring Tony Randall, Lee Patrick, Nick Adams, Marcel Dalio, and Allen Jenkins, alongside Day and Hudson, it was the first of the three romantic comedies in which Day, Hudson, and Randall co-starred.
For those hoping to catch the movie, Pillow Talk will air on BBC Two today, November 16, at 2.55pm.
The official synopsis reads: “Playboy songwriter Brad Allen’s (Rock Hudson) succession of romances annoys his neighbor, interior designer Jan Morrow (Doris Day), who shares a telephone party line with him and hears all his breezy routines. After Jan unsuccessfully lodges a complaint against him, Brad sets about to seduce her in the guise of a sincere and upstanding Texas rancher. When mutual friend Jonathan (Tony Randall) discovers that his best friend is moving in on the girl he desires, however, sparks fly.”
Pillow Talk was nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Art Direction – Colour, and Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture. It bagged the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
With a smashing 94 per cent critics approval rating on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, Pillow Talk was critically acclaimed, with one reviewer calling it “one of the most lively and up-to-date comedy-romances of the year”.
Another critic, in a praiseworthy review, said: “As light and fluffy as its title implies… it’s a fun film to watch unfold, resting on the shoulders of its charismatic stars.”
While a third reviewer said: “The first — and best — of the witty, well-produced sex comedies starring Doris Day and Rock Hudson.”
Audiences were equally impressed with the film, with one fan writing: “One of the best romcoms I’ve ever seen, if not the best. It’s witty, the script is creative, the quips are funny, the chemistry between the actors is natural, the cinematography is beautiful… And it’s memorable. Pillow Talk is a must-watch.”
While another viewer, in a glowing review, said: “I love this movie. Still in my top 5. Perfect casting all around, especially the supporting actors like Thelma Ritter (always a delight) and Tony Randall. I’m not sure what a ‘party line’ was in 1950’s New York but the movie is playful, entertaining without ever a dull moment. Perfectly edited. Great writing. Some timeless lines.”
A third viewer said of the 50s rom-com: “Enduringly funny and endlessly entertaining, Pillow Talk is the quintessential Rock Hudson and Doris Day romcom. But this admittedly very silly film is also much smarter than you might think.
“The film is not just a staple of romcom cinema, it’s genuinely one of Hollywood’s true greats — with game-changing visuals, star-making scenes and ingenious sexual undertones. Pillow Talk’s trend-setting tendencies still have a ripple effect today.”
Pillow Talk will be broadcast on BBC Two today, November 16, at 2.55pm.
