The Glass Bottom Boat (1966)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Frank Tashlin

Writer:

Everett Freeman (written by)

Release Date:

9 June 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Is this the girl next door?

Plot:

Jennifer Nelson and Bruce Templeton meet when Bruce reels in her mermaid suit leaving Jennifer bottomless in the waters of Catalina Island...

Plot Keywords:

Mermaid | Spy | Boat | Robot | Reference To Open Sesame Incantation

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Doris Day	...	Jennifer Nelson
Rod Taylor	...	Bruce Templeton
Arthur Godfrey	...	Axel Nordstrom
John McGiver	...	Ralph Goodwin
Paul Lynde	...	Homer Cripps
Edward Andrews	...	Gen. Wallace Bleecker
Eric Fleming	...	Edgar Hill
Dom DeLuise	...	Julius Pritter
Elisabeth Fraser	...	Nina Bailey
Dick Martin	...	Zack Molloy
George Tobias	...	Norman Fenimore
Alice Pearce	...	Mabel Fenimore
Ellen Corby	...	Anna Miller
Dee J. Thompson	...	Donna

Also Known As:

The Spy in Lace Panties

Runtime:

Germany:110 min | USA:110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Avalon, Santa Catalina Island, Channel Islands, California, USA

Company:

Euterpe

Trivia:

The last picture of Alice Pearce, who passed away on March 3rd, 1966 of ovarian cancer at the age of 48 -- just three months before "The Glass Bottom Boat" had its premiere.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the beginning of the film, a hook can be seen holding Jennifer in position underwater.

Quotes:

Jennifer Nelson: The recognition signal is: "Vladimir Sent Me". Over!

Movie Connections:

References "The Late Late Show" (1962)

Soundtrack:

Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)

frothy '60s comedy

What a warm, wonderful actress Doris Day is, what a knockout, what a screen presence. And just think, at the age of 42 (ancient by Hollywood standards in 1966) she was playing a desirable woman lusted after by several men. Glass Bottom Boat is a very '60s comedy in look and subject matter - the space age and spies. Taylor has invented a gizmo and when there's a leak from his project team, suspicion falls on Day, who works for the company and calls someone named Vladimir several times a day. Vladimir, however, is her dog, and she's calling him so he'll run around while the phone is ringing and get some exercise.

The film is loaded with space-age gadgets. Taylor's computerized, motorized kitchen is great, complete with a floor-cleaning robot - wonder if the inventors of today's robot vacuum saw this movie. He also pilots his boat via a remote - but as he points out during a scene where the boat runs amok with Day inside, that needs further work.

There's lots of slapstick and comedy support from Dom Deluise, Dick Martin, and Paul Lynde. Lynde, by the way, looked great in drag, and has some great delivery in his scenes. Some of the scenes, especially those of Deluise, had an improv feel. The late Eric Fleming, Clint Eastwood's boss on "Rawhide," plays a CIA man. This was his last film; he drowned shortly afterwards. Rod Taylor, who, by the way, is younger than Doris Day, is effective as Day's romantic interest. Of note, radio personality Arthur Godfrey plays Day's father. There's also an appearance by Robert Vaughan as an homage to his "Man from UNCLE" character.

Frothy fun, and Doris Day is always a delight.