A mainstream movie with sex in the title, even pre-code didn't do that. I could only find two films which precede Sex and the Single Girl; Sex (1920) and The Opposite Sex (1956). Although I imagine after this a movie having with "Sex" in a movie's title wasn't such a big deal but here they sure take advantage of it with the animated opening which puts a lot of emphasis on the word 'SEX' in big capital letters. Perhaps the movie may have something interesting to say on its subject with Natalie Wood playing a psychologist who is a 23 old virgin (which characters in the film viewed as a compliment) or something about sleazy journalism but the movie becomes too dull to bother deciphering.
From what I've seen I get the impression that Richard Quine is a lousy director. He's done a number of movies with great casts and interesting premises but are let down by flat, uninspired direction. The opening scene of Sex and the Single Girl is a gem with 1930's comedy actor Edward Everett Horton giving a speech on how proud he is of his publication becoming "the filthy rag it is today". Sadly it goes downhill from there. Even with the movie's madcap finale, it is hard to care what's going on.
Henry Fonda was ashamed of this movie stating in an interview that he agreed to star in the film as a comprise to do a box office picture so he could indulge in doing movies which interested him such as 12 Angry Men and The Ox-Bow Incident. There are worse movies you can do but why did he hate it so much? I doubt he would have an issue with appearing in a sex comedy as he himself starred in the sexually charged comedy The Lady Eve years earlier or is it because of the movie's sleaze factor? Who knows...
Although I would be lying if I didn't say I still got some superficial enjoyment out of the film. I am a sucker for the 60's aesthetic with the bright, colourful sets (the stocking factory is very amusing) and the cool, breezy music by Neal Hefti. Likewise, I do like the contrast between two generations present between Tony Curtis & Natalie Wood and Henry Fonda & Lauren Bacall. Sex and the Single Girl could have been a neo-screwball gem. In the end, it's a movie which looks appealing from the outside but is hollow on the inside.
From what I've seen I get the impression that Richard Quine is a lousy director. He's done a number of movies with great casts and interesting premises but are let down by flat, uninspired direction. The opening scene of Sex and the Single Girl is a gem with 1930's comedy actor Edward Everett Horton giving a speech on how proud he is of his publication becoming "the filthy rag it is today". Sadly it goes downhill from there. Even with the movie's madcap finale, it is hard to care what's going on.
Henry Fonda was ashamed of this movie stating in an interview that he agreed to star in the film as a comprise to do a box office picture so he could indulge in doing movies which interested him such as 12 Angry Men and The Ox-Bow Incident. There are worse movies you can do but why did he hate it so much? I doubt he would have an issue with appearing in a sex comedy as he himself starred in the sexually charged comedy The Lady Eve years earlier or is it because of the movie's sleaze factor? Who knows...
Although I would be lying if I didn't say I still got some superficial enjoyment out of the film. I am a sucker for the 60's aesthetic with the bright, colourful sets (the stocking factory is very amusing) and the cool, breezy music by Neal Hefti. Likewise, I do like the contrast between two generations present between Tony Curtis & Natalie Wood and Henry Fonda & Lauren Bacall. Sex and the Single Girl could have been a neo-screwball gem. In the end, it's a movie which looks appealing from the outside but is hollow on the inside.