Man's Favorite Sport? (1964)

Director:

Howard Hawks

Writers:

Pat Frank (story)
John Fenton Murray (writer) ...

Release Date:

29 January 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

Roger Willoughby is considered to be a leading expert on sports fishing. He's written books on the subject...

Plot Keywords:

Fishing | Contest | Plaster Of Paris Bandage | Beautiful Woman | Remake

Cast

Rock Hudson	...	Roger Willoughby
Paula Prentiss	...	Abigail Page
Maria Perschy	...	Isolde 'Easy' Mueller
John McGiver	...	William Cadwalader
Charlene Holt	...	Tex Connors
Roscoe Karns	...	Major Phipps
James Westerfield	...	Policeman
Norman Alden	...	John Screaming Eagle
Forrest Lewis	...	Skaggs
Regis Toomey	...	Bagley
Tyler McVey	...	Customer Bush
Kathie Browne	...	Marcia

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

UK:U | Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | West Germany:12

Company:

Gibraltar Productions

Trivia:

This film was meant to be an homage/remake to Hawks' Bringing Up Baby (1938), and Hawks even wanted Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant to star in the movie.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Just after helping Easy gracefully exit the lodge due to her inadvertently unzipped dress, Roger attempts re-zip the back of Easy's dress. Just prior to the moment Easy turns her back to hide Roger's hands from view, it is obvious that Roger grasps the end of his tie to attach it to the zipper.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Rock Hudson's Home Movies (1992)

Soundtrack:

Man's Favorite Sport

You Should Have Seen The One That Got Away

In one of the funniest screwball comedies of the pre-World War II studio era, William Powell has a celebrated experience with a fish while he pretended to be a fishing expert. It was the highlight of Libeled Lady and I'm sure Howard Hawks thought that we could get a whole comedy out of that situation.

In Man's Favorite Sport he succeeds admirably. If the film had been done 20 years earlier, Cary Grant would definitely have been in the lead. The part of Roger Willoughby, who wrote a book on fishing based on hearsay from the various customers he's dealt with at Abercrombie&Fitch, would have been ideal for Cary Grant as it has just the kind of physical comedy that Grant was so adept at.

However Rock Hudson steps into the role admirably and for once he's the pursued and not the pursuer. Pursuing Hudson every step of the way is the kookie Paula Prentiss who seemed to study at the Carol Burnett school of zaniness for this part.

On a bit of advice from public relations expert Prentiss, Hudson's boss at Abercrombie&Fitch, John McGiver, has him enter a fishing tournament. When Hudson confesses he's never fished and hates the slimy things, Prentiss decides to help fake it through.

There are a lot of really great laughs in this film, but the best scene is Hudson trying out this inflatable suit for those who are fishing and fall in the water. He does and the results are hilarious.

Don't miss this film if it is ever broadcast.