A Ticklish Affair (1963)

The SOS from the boys upstairs bedroom is made by a Navy Signal Lamp, which was a gift from Uncle Cy.

Director:

George Sidney

Writers:

Ruth Brooks Flippen (screenplay), Barbara Luther (story)

Stars:

Shirley Jones, Gig Young, Red Buttons

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe.

Cast

Cast overview:
Shirley Jones	...	Amy Martin
Gig Young	...	Key Weedon
Red Buttons	...	Flight Officer Simon 'Uncle Cy' Shelley
Carolyn Jones	...	Tandy Martin
Edgar Buchanan	...	Captain Martin / Gramps
Eddie Applegate	...	Yeoman Corker Bell
Edward Platt	...	Captain Haven Hitchcock
Bill Mumy	...	Alex Martin (as Billy Mumy)
Bryan Russell	...	Luke Martin
Robert Foulk	...	Policeman
Milton Frome	...	Fireman
Peter Robbins	...	Grover Martin

Storyline

A young widow Amy Martin with three young boys is investigated by the Navy after one of her children inadvertently sends out a distress signal in Morse code by the blinds on his upstairs bedroom window. Commander Weedon and crew observe the signal from their ship and investigates. He falls for the young mother and proposes marriage. However, she is reluctant to have her family live out of a suitcase and initially declines. Gramps tries to bring her on board to sail the sea of love with the commander.

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Plot Keywords:

navy | widow | mother | chance meeting

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Taglines:

It's more fun than marriage.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 August 1963 (USA)

Also Known As:

Eine kitzlige Sache

Filming Locations:

San Diego, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Euterpe, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Originally announced as a Jean Simmons vehicle titled "Moon Walk".

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Goofs

When Grover is floating around in the balloon harness towards the end of the film, when he nears a building with a brick facade, you can see a shadow of the rigging being used above the balloons on the brick wall.

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Quotes

Tandy Martin: You've been in drydock too long, my dear.

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Soundtracks

"Love Is a Ticklish Affair"
Written by George Stoll, Robert Van Eps, Harold Adamson
Sung by Jack Jones

User Reviews

In the Navy

The 50's were great for the innocent, light, sexually tease, brand of movies. It could be Doris Day, (and normally was) or some other picturesque actress, add in a simple story of man chases woman until she catches him, and you have 90 minutes of perfectly good escape. Shirley Jones isn't new to acting, yet she has a hard time adding emotion to her words, either appearing to be too blasé or going overboard, but who cares, she looks spectacular, in short-shorts even. Without the out of focus facial look Doris insisted upon, you get to see just how beautiful Ms. Jones was and is. I still don't know what Doris looks like after seeing all her movies. Gig Young plays a smooth talking, got the world under control, Navy Commander, with the "I don't want to get married, and if I did, I want my own kids" by-line. Shirley is a widow with three boys having a "I wanna stay in one place, I'll never marry into the Navy again" by-line. You combine the two with some great character parts, Red Buttons who is always great, and Edger Buchanan who is just fun as the father-in-law, and boy's grandfather. Carolyn Jones is just plain creepy, in every movie, a perfect Adams wife, but not the best friend/sister-in- law. Eve Arden would have been wonderful. I love Gig Young, but knowing the guy *died of alcoholism, I'm starting to think part of that on-screen smoothness was due to a few scotches he knocked down in the trailer. If you can pick up a copy when it comes out in DVD do so, or catch it on TMC. Its well worth it. *Before someone feels a need to correct me, I'm aware Gig Young's life ended in a very tragic shooting (murder/suicide). To those who knew Gig, it was alcoholism that perpetuated the incident resulting in the death of his wife and then Gig's. He had been an alcoholic for more than 20 years.