The Thrill of It All (1963)

A housewife's sudden rise to fame as a soap spokesperson leads to chaos in her home life.

Director:

Norman Jewison

Writers:

Carl Reiner (screenplay), Larry Gelbart (story),

Stars:

Doris Day, James Garner, Arlene Francis

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Doris Day	...	Beverly Boyer
James Garner	...	Dr. Gerald Boyer
Arlene Francis	...	Mrs. Fraleigh
Edward Andrews	...	Gardiner Fraleigh
Reginald Owen	...	Old Tom Fraleigh
Zasu Pitts	...	Olivia
Elliott Reid	...	Mike Palmer
Alice Pearce	...	Irving's Wife
Kym Karath	...	Maggie Boyer
Brian Nash	...	Andy Boyer
Lucy Landau	...	Mrs. Goethe
Paul Hartman	...	Dr. Taylor
Hayden Rorke	...	Billings
Alex Gerry	...	Stokely
Robert Gallagher	...	Van Camp

Storyline

The Happy Soap Company is owned and managed by the Fraleigh family. Although he is more of a company figurehead than an active participant in the company's day-to-day business, anything that family patriarch Tom Fraleigh wants for the company he usually gets. What he wants is Beverly Boyer - the wife of his daughter-in-law's obstetrician, Dr. Gerald Boyer - to appear as the company spokesperson when Beverly, who he meets at a small dinner party, mentions a personal and true story about how Happy Soap saved her life. She is to appear in a live commercial spot during a Happy Soap sponsored television show telling her story just as she told Tom. Despite Beverly's performance going poorly in her own mind, Tom loved it and how refreshing and honest Beverly came across to the viewer. So Tom signs her to a one year, $80,000 contract to continue doing the same. This move is questioned by Happy Soap's own managers and its advertising company. But it is questioned even more by Gerald, who ...

---

Plot Keywords:

soap | swimming pool | childbirth | doctor | pregnant woman | 

---

Taglines:

She's hoping he's ready. He's wishing she's willing.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Romance

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 July 1963 (USA)

Also Known As:

Le piment de la vie

Filming Locations:

Colonial Street, Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal International Pictures (UI), Ross Hunter Productions Inc., Arwin Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The car that James Garner drives into the swimming pool is a 1958 Chevy Impala convertible.

---

Goofs

The drama series is seen in color on several Zenith 23" black-and-white TV sets in various locations, including Dr. Boyer's den (before he buys a color set). His black-and-white TV has a label reading "COLOR TV" in red letters, added for the film.

---

Quotes

Cabbie: To err is human, to forgive is humaner!

---

Crazy Credits

The credit for David Webb's Jewels is followed with Cameos by Carl Reiner (a cameo being a form of jewelry, but in this case substituting as Reiner's credit for his series of appearances within the film)

---

Connections

Edited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: La monnaie de l'absolu (1998)

---

Soundtracks

"The Thrill Of It All"
Music by Arnold Schwarzwald
Lyrics by Frederick Herbert
Vocals by The Johnny Mann Singers

User Reviews

Good old fashion fun

This one is pretty tops in my book. Love the older movies of the 30's to mid 60's when writing was number one and stars were STARS. Doris Day can't give a bad performance, and in this one she's really in her league. An underrated comic actress who could give lessons to these up and coming bimbos. James Garner is his usual self, and that ain't bad. The sub plot of Arlene Francis' pregnancy is what starts the ball rolling. Best scenes are the Doris Days commercials, especially the first one. She out does Lucy! For shear entertainment, don't miss this one. Oh, twin beds for two attractive and sexy people? Too bad the movies were so "proper" in those days. Aside from that, the oldies are really goodies! Not one swear word, no nudity, no sex scenes. How refreshing.