Move Over, Darling (1963)

Director:

Michael Gordon

Writers:

Bella Spewack (1940 story "My Favorite Wife") and
Sam Spewack (1940 story "My Favorite Wife") ...

Release Date:

25 December 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

Five years to the day after his wife Ellen disappeared in the sea after a plane crash, lawyer husband Nicholas has her declared legally dead...

Plot Keywords:

Love | Island | Lawyer | Honeymoon | Hotel

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Doris Day	...	Ellen Wagstaff Arden
James Garner	...	Nicholas Arden
Polly Bergen	...	Bianca Steele
Thelma Ritter	...	Grace Arden
Fred Clark	...	Mr. Codd (hotel manager)
Don Knotts	...	Shoe clerk
Elliott Reid	...	Dr. Herman Schlick
Edgar Buchanan	...	Judge Bryson
John Astin	...	Clyde Prokey
Pat Harrington Jr.	...	District Attorney
Eddie Quillan	...	Bellboy
Max Showalter	...	Hotel desk clerk
Alvy Moore	...	Room Service Waiter
Pami Lee	...	Jenny Arden
Leslie Farrell	...	Didi Arden

Also Known As:

Something's Gotta Give (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

103 min | 99 min (FMC Library Print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hills Hotel & Bungalows - 9641 Sunset Blvd., Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

Arcola Pictures

Trivia:

The producers scheduled the scene with Doris Day riding through a car wash for the last day of shooting because they were concerned that the detergents used in the car wash might affect the star's complexion. When the scene went off without a hitch, they admitted their ploy to Day, then used the story in promotional materials for the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Nicholas is chasing Ellen in the car after leaving from the hotel they speed around a corner. When Ellen turns the corner there is a dark car parked there, but when Nicholas turns the corner right behind her there is a white car there.

Quotes:

Judge Bryson: Where'd you study law, anyway?
Nicholas Arden: Harvard, sir.
Judge Bryson: I might have known; a Yale man myself.

Movie Connections:

References My Favorite Wife (1940)

Soundtrack:

Move Over, Darling

Moderately enjoyable.

Although this glossy remake of the 1940 comedy "My Favorite Wife" did not turn into the funniest Doris Day vehicle, it does provide several highly amusing moments (Doris's posing as the Swedish nurse is priceless). There are a couple of scenes that could have done with some trimming (Day and Garner's scene in the hotel room and the opening courtroom sequence come to mind) but the film benefits from an excellent supporting cast, Thelma Ritter being the stand-out.