A New Kind of Love (1963)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Melville Shavelson

Writer:

Melville Shavelson (writer)

Release Date:

23 December 1963 (West Germany)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

The fashion industry and Paris provide the setting for a comedy surrounding the mistaken impression that Joanne Woodward is a high-priced call girl...

Plot Keywords:

Journalist | Fashion | Call Girl | Department Store | Alcoholism

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Paul Newman	...	Steve Sherman
Joanne Woodward	...	Samantha (Sam) Blake / Mimi
Thelma Ritter	...	Leena
Eva Gabor	...	Felicienne Courbeau
George Tobias	...	Joe Bergner
Marvin Kaplan	...	Harry
Robert Clary	...	Frenchman at Restaurant
Jan Moriarty	...	Suzanne, Model with Umbrella
Joan Staley	...	Danish Stewardess
Robert F. Simon	...	Bertram Chalmers, Sherman's Boss
Maurice Chevalier	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Keith Dahle	...	Shopper (as Galen Keith Dahle)
Frank Sinatra	...	Singer behind opening credits

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:15 | USA:Unrated

Company:

Llenroc Productions

Trivia:

When his editor tells him he's being reassigned to Paris, "where you'll probably die," Newman replies, "Yeah, but what a wonderful way to go." The line turned out to be prophetic - the very next year, Newman played an American living in Paris in What a Way to Go! (1964).

Quotes:

Steve Sherman: Anyway, that's where I was when the brains were being passed out.
Mimi: You know where I was? Taking a bath in champagne.

Movie Connections:

References La dolce vita (1960)

Soundtrack:

You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me

An Old Kind of Schlock!

When the credits for this one began to roll, accompanied by Frank Sinatra's jazzy update of the standard with the same name as this film's title (and which sounds like an arrangement by Sinatra's frequent and best collaborator, Nelson Riddle, who is, unaccountably, not listed in the credits), I thought I was in for a treat. An attractive cast; top-notch professionals behind the camera; Errol Garner adding his matchless pedigree to the musical scoring; gowns by some of the most renowned Parisian couture houses; plus the participation of several of that era's purveyors of upscale chic; and, finally, Joanne Woodward in a title sequence (designed by George Cukor's frequent visual consultant, Hoyningen-Huene, also listed as this film's color coordinator) surreptitiously snapping photos of the window displays of Manhattan's most expensive retailers. Ah, but what a disappointment followed.

To start, the script is surprisingly and tastelessly lacking in wit; the promised Paris locations are, for the most part, studio recreations; Paramount, by the time of this production, was no longer using its high-quality 70mm VistaVision process for most of its "A"-list productions; and the stars, Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman, were never so thoroughly sabotaged by ridiculous plotting, rarely funny dialogue, and the rather listless direction of Melville Shavelson. And Miss Woodward had also to endure some particularly unflattering hair styles by George Masters, including an ugly platinum wig she was required to wear in several key scenes. (I mean, she can look great as a platinum blonde! Just check out 1960's "From the Terrace.")

There are a (very) few positive attributes, though. Eva Gabor lends a touch of much-needed glamor, as a character named Felicienne (Now there's a name that suits her!); Marvin Kaplan does his usually reliable shtick as the hero's sidekick/schlemiel; and Thelma Ritter, given pitifully little to do, survives this disaster with her fan base intact. But then, toward the end of the proceedings, Maurice Chevalier is dragooned into a seemingly interminable reprise of the music hall hits with which he had long been associated, in a scene where a bevy of females go into paroxysms of ecstasy over his supposedly irresistible Gallic charm. So it finally became apparent why, during the credits, Lanvin and Scandinavian Airlines System, among others, preferred their part in these proceedings to be described as "with the somewhat horrified participation of..." They must have been given a look at a rough cut of this mish-mash before the final release prints were readied. Quel abomination!