Lord Love a Duck (1966)

A bright satirical comedy about an innocent high school girl granted her wishes by a student prodigy. A broad satire of teenage culture in the sixties, its targets ranging from progressive education to beach movies.

Director:

George Axelrod

Writers:

Al Hine (novel), Larry H. Johnson (screenplay),

Stars:

Roddy McDowall, Tuesday Weld, Lola Albright

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Roddy McDowall	...	Alan 'Mollymauk' Musgrave
Tuesday Weld	...	Barbara Ann Greene
Lola Albright	...	Marie Greene
Martin West	...	Bob Bernard
Ruth Gordon	...	Stella Bernard
Harvey Korman	...	Weldon Emmett
Sarah Marshall	...	Miss Schwartz
Lynn Carey	...	Sally Grace
Max Showalter	...	Howard Greene
Donald Murphy	...	Phil Neuhauser
Joseph Mell	...	Dr. Milton Lippman (as Joe Mell)
Dan Frazer	...	Honest Joe
Martine Bartlett	...	Inez
Jo Collins	...	Kitten
Judith Loomis	...	Mrs. Neuhauser

Storyline

High-school senior Barbara Ann Greene has a lot to overcome to reach her dreams to be popular, get a job, find a husband, and maybe even be a movie star: she's poor, her parents are divorced, and her mother is a cocktail waitress. Right beside her, though, is her best friend and Svengali, Alan. He helps her get 12 cashmere sweaters, a job in the principal's office, spring break at Balboa, and more. Along the way, the satire bites teen mores, beach-blanket bikini movies, adults in charge, the country-club set, Christian-youth programs, older men's fantasies, and teen girls' innocence. How popular will Barbara Ann become, and what lengths will Alan go to get her there?

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Plot Keywords:

school | high school | satire | student | principal | 

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Taglines:

1965 Was the Year of the Pussycat...1966 Is the Year of the Duck!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 July 1966 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Ena koritsi dipsasmeno gia ola

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hills, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$800,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

George Axelrod Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Barbara Ann's sweaters as mentioned in chronological order: Grape Yum Yum, Banana Beige, Lemon Meringue, Pink Put On, Papaya Surprise, Periwinkle Pussycat, Turquoise Trouble, Midnight A-Go-Go, and Peach Putdown.

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Goofs

When Barbara Ann inscribes her name in cement near beginning of film, she writes the second R in first name twice due to inconsistency in long shot and closeup.

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Quotes

Alan: Dear sweet simple minded Barbara Ann. Barbara Ann whose deepest and most heartfelt yearnings express with a kind of touching lyricism the total vulgarity of our time.

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Connections

References The Ten Commandments (1956)

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Soundtracks

"Lord Love a Duck"
Music by Neal Hefti
Lyrics by Ernie Sheldon
Sung by The Wild Ones

User Reviews

This Movie Haunts Me

I first watched this movie about one year ago without knowing anything about it other than what is written on the back of the video box. Since that first viewing this movie has...well...haunted me. I can't get the theme song out of my head for one thing. The movie itself is a bizarre story about Southern California teens in the Sixties, but read the other reviews to learn about that. I agree with all of them. It is a great movie for all those reasons but there also seems to be something else. Almost a Felliniesque other-worldliness about it. I haven't been quite able to put my finger on it. Maybe that is why this movie has burned itself into my brain. There is some kind of, for lack of a better word, magical element to it. It is interesting to me how the other reviewers see this as a very important movie in their lives as well. It is a great film discovery on all levels. One of those overlooked gems that it is so important to hang onto.