Bundle of Joy (1956)

After finding a baby outside an orphanage, a salesgirl receives sympathy from those around her, including her boss' son, as they all assume the baby is hers.

Director:

Norman Taurog

Writers:

Norman Krasna (screen play), Robert Carson (screen play)

Stars:

Eddie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds, Adolphe Menjou

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Eddie Fisher	...	Dan Merlin
Debbie Reynolds	...	Polly Parish
Adolphe Menjou	...	J.B. Merlin
Tommy Noonan	...	Freddie Miller
Nita Talbot	...	Mary
Una Merkel	...	Mrs. Dugan
Melville Cooper	...	Adams - the Butler
Bill Goodwin	...	Mr. Creely
Howard McNear	...	Mr. Appleby
Robert H. Harris	...	Mr. Hargraves
Mary Treen	...	Matron
Edward Brophy	...	Dance Contest Judge (as Edward S. Brophy)
Gil Stratton	...	Mike Clancy
Scott Douglas	...	Bill Rand

Storyline

Kitschy musical remake of "Bachelor Mother". Debbie Reynolds plays an over-eager clerk in a large department store and Eddie Fisher plays the boss' son. After getting fired from her job, she finds an adorable baby on the steps of the foundling home and the folks inside mistake her for the mother. Fisher, well-meaning, but obtuse, tries to help her out with the baby, and the buds of romance begin to appear. Meanwhile old Merlin, the owner of the store, thinks he just might be a grandfather...

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Plot Keywords:

screwball comedy | live television | baby | boss | foundling | 

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Taglines:

Their first movie together! Eddie sings 6 wonderful new songs!

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

In her autobiography, Carrie Fisher says that her mother, Debbie Reynolds, was pregnant with her whilst making this film. This accounts for several shots where Reynolds is hidden behind a shop display or wearing a cloak-style coat.

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Goofs

During the number 'Lullaby In Blue', Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds seem unable to synchronize their mouths to the pace and vocalization of the playback. In the two-shots, they appear to mumble whilst singing out loudly on the recording.

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Connections

Featured in Hollywood the Golden Years: The RKO Story: Howard's Way (1987)

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Soundtracks

I Never Felt This Way Before
(uncredited)
Music by Josef Myrow
Lyrics by Mack Gordon
Sung by Eddie Fisher

User Reviews

Pleasant enough Christmas-themed confection...

Glossy and tuneful, if terribly contrived, remake of a just-adequate Ginger Rogers comedy vehicle from 1939 ("Bachelor Mother", itself a reworking of "Little Mother" from 1935). Salesgirl, fired at Christmastime from her department store job for 'over-selling', finds an abandoned baby on the steps outside a foundlings home but can't get anyone to believe the child isn't really hers. The spotlight this time is equally on Debbie Reynolds (doing sprightly, decent work as the bachelor mother) and her then-husband Eddie Fisher (leering at the camera while playing a singing junior-executive). Supporting roles are colorfully filled, production and song numbers are decent, though the script lands us smack in the middle of 101 'risque' misunderstandings (she has a baby but not a husband?! And who's the father?). Worth-seeing for Debbie, who sings and dances--and rolls her eyes with expert exaggeration when it's time to change a diaper. **1/2 from ****

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 December 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bundle of Joy

Filming Locations:

RKO Studios - 780 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Edmund Grainger Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor) (as Technicolor®)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1