Do Not Disturb (1965)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Ralph Levy

Writers:

Richard L. Breen (screenplay)
William Fairchild (play)

Release Date:

22 December 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

What Should a Girl Do When Oppurtunity Knocks...Twice?

Plot Keywords:

Hotel | Drunk Scene | Antique Shop | American Abroad | Cocktail Party

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Doris Day	...	Janet Harper
Rod Taylor	...	Mike Harper
Hermione Baddeley	...	Vanessa Courtwright
Sergio Fantoni	...	Paul Bellan
Reginald Gardiner	...	George Simmons
Maura McGiveney	...	Claire Hackett
Aram Katcher	...	Culkos
Leon Askin	...	Willie Langsdorf
Lisa Pera	...	Alicia Petrova
Michael Romanoff	...	Delegate
Albert Carrier	...	Claude Reynard
Barbara Morrison	...	Mrs. Ordley
Dick Winslow	...	One-Man Band / Accordian Player
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Pierre Salinger	...	American Consul (scenes deleted)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:Btl

Company:

Arcola Pictures

Trivia:

Although this film is set in Europe, the entire production was filmed on the 20th Century Fox back lot in Los Angeles.

Soundtrack:

An der schönen, blauen Donau, Op. 314 (On the Beautiful Blue Danube)

Not Bad--But Not Memorable

Doris Day was among Hollywood's few truly bankable stars during the late 1950s and early 1960s, particularly noted for her comic talents in such frothy farces as PILLOW TALK, PLEASE DON'T EAT THE DAISIES, and THAT TOUCH OF MINK. Unfortunately, as the 1960s progressed her films did not, and although her films remained popular they were seen as increasingly out of touch with the tone of the times. The situation was not helped by Day's husband-manager Martin Melcher, who developed the habit of signing Day to film projects Day herself found uninspired. Such was the case with the 1965 flyweight comedy DO NOT DISTURB.

The play seems to be a grab-bag of ideas from previous Day films, the story of a pretty but slightly klutzy wife (Day) and a neglectful husband (Rod Taylor) who find themselves at romantic cross purposes courtesy of their landlady Vanessa (Hermione Baddeley), a sexy secretary (Maura McGiveney), and a handsome antiques dealer(Sergio Fantoni.) The roles are one-dimensional, the plot turns are predictable, and the dialogue trivial. Both Day and Taylor respond by overplaying, sometimes to the point of shrillness. Even so, they do manage to inject enough life into the film to make it mildly amusing--and the supporting cast is quite charming. When all is said and done, the film is most memorable for the sight of Doris Day in a brilliantly orange evening gown as she struggles on the dance floor to shake away an olive dropped down her back.

The DVD includes several bonus features, including an account of Day's early life and career, a brief biography of Michael Romanoff (who plays a cameo in the film), and a brief biography of composer Mort Garson (who is perhaps best remembered for the song "Our Day Will Come.) It offers a nice transfer and is present in its original widescreen format. Most Doris Day fans will find it amusing, but even so most will admit that DO NOT DISTURB is hardly among the first tier of her films: not bad, but in no way memorable.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer