Send Me No Flowers (1964)

Send-Me-No-Flowers-doris-day-poster Send Me No Flowers (1964)

Run time: 100 min
Rating: 6.8
Genres: Comedy | Romance
Director: Norman Jewison
Writers: Norman Barasch, Carroll Moore
Stars: Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Tony Randall
Storyline
At one of his many visits to his doctor, hypochondriac George Kimball mistakes a dying man’s diagnosis for his own and believes he only has about two more weeks to live. Wanting to take care of his wife Judy, he doesn’t tell her and tries to find her a new husband. When he finally does tell her, she quickly finds out he’s not dying at all (while he doesn’t) and she believes it’s just a lame excuse to hide an affair, so she decides to leave him. Written by Leon Wolters <wolters@strw.LeidenUniv.nl>
Details:
Release Date: 14 October 1964 (USA)
[youtube]http://youtu.be/wJuDJNhSMGs[/youtube]

4 responses to “Send Me No Flowers (1964)”

  1. IMDBReviewer says:

    Another self-opinionated reviewer bites the dust. Having blithely pronounced "Lover Come Back" to be the best of the three Day-Hudson comedies without even having seen this one, I now willingly eat crow and and say I was wrong. "Send Me No Flowers" is the best. "It’s a honey!"

    This is a wonderful suburban world of lawns and yards, bridge games and country clubs, commuter trains and divorce rumours. George Kimball (Rock) is a malade imaginaire, and Judy (Doris)is … well, blonde. Tony Randall is at his considerable best as the nerdy neighbour Arnold who gets entangled in the Kimballs’ misunderstandings, with delicious comic consequences. Paul Lynde turns in a marvellous cameo as Mister Akins of the funeral parlour, and the annoyingly perfect Bert Power is played with breezy confidence by Clint Walker, TV’s Cheyenne (the incidental music gives him a witty little cowboy theme).

    "My hypochondria has finally paid off," announces George after hearing (and misconstruing) his doctor’s talk of impending mortality. Arnold prepares a eulogy which mentions George’s ‘unfailing good humour’, a phrase which could stand as the movie’s subtitle. Hudson is masterly as the doom-laden George, showing how assured he can be when the material is strong. This well-crafted script is derived from a Broadway play, and its quality shines through. Doris wears a very prominent wig and, in true Doris style, keeps her bra on under her negligee.

    Made in 1962 when television had clearly won the battle against the cinema, the film uses TV’s ascendancy in a very knowing way in the opening gag.

    Verdict – Near-faultless domestic comedy with great work by Hudson, Day, Randall and Lynde.

  2. IMDBReviewer says:

    The main character is dying, but not the movie! It shall live forever. This is one of five golden, grown-up comedy classics Doris Day starred in, the others being "Teacher’s Pet", "Pillow Talk", "That Touch of Mink" and "Lover Come Back". Of course, Hollywood never gives an Oscar for comedy. Drama is deemed deep! Nothing is deeper than comedy. Actually, drama is often unintentional comedy.

    The critics disliked the movie because the subject is grim: terminal illness, or fear thereof. But if you take that attitude, nothing at all is funny. Actually, death is just the theme around which a lot of variations about modern life are spun. This film is masterful in every respect, a real treat. Paul Lynde is priceless as the effeminate undertaker. Doris Day is a miracle. Even the theme song is a thrill. Oh, why did we stop making these clean, domestic movies dealing with practical issues and everyday life?

  3. IMDBReviewer says:

    Very good screenwriting here and a very good example of early sixties suburban lifestyle.Very funny and this movie is one of the best comedies of all time.The cinematography was splendid as well.Comedy fans please watch this one!

  4. rgkeenan says:

    Rock Hudson is in his element here–a situation comedy that’s got some clever lines built around the theme that he’s a hypochondriac who mistakenly believes he has only a few weeks to live–and wants to put certain issues in order believing that his wife needs another man as soon as he’s gone. The "other man" that he and Tony Randall choose turns out to be Clint Walker, his wife’s old flame from school days.

    With the help of a fairly amusing script and some well played bits by Paul Lynde (as a dedicated undertaker) and Edward Andrews (as a doctor who thinks the specialists get all the breaks), Rock Hudson makes the most of his central role and actually gives the most polished comic performance of his career. Tony Randall does well as his gin-guzzling neighbor who promises to deliver a eulogy for him. And Doris Day (despite wearing what looks to be the worst looking wig since Barbara Stanwyck’s blonde hairdo in "Double Indemnity") uses her own comic flair with style–but personally, I’ve enjoyed her much more in her other roles with Hudson, especially "Pillow Talk". The focus here is on Hudson and he makes the most of a well-written comic role.

    Since one of the writers on the script is Julius J. Epstein, it’s no wonder that there’s a fresh, smooth-flowing flavor to the proceedings. Not the kind of film you should go out of your way to catch, but it passes the time pleasantly. Epstein worked on some great scripts ranging from "The Strawberry Blonde" to "Light in the Piazza" and his deft writing style is evident here.

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