Complete credited cast: | |||
Doris Day | ... | Isolde Poole | |
Richard Widmark | ... | August 'Augie' Poole | |
Gig Young | ... | Dick Pepper | |
Gia Scala | ... | Estelle Novick | |
Elisabeth Fraser | ... | Alice Pepper | |
Elizabeth Wilson | ... | Miss MacCracken | |
Vikki Dougan | ... | Gladys Dunne, actress | |
Doodles Weaver | ... | Escort | |
Charles Wagenheim | ... | Day Motel Man | |
Robert B. Williams | ... | Night Motel Man (as Robert Williams) | |
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Esquire Trio | ... | Themselves - Party Musicians (as The Esquire Trio) |
The Pooles are unable to have a baby after years of trying. They apply to the Rock-A-Bye Adoption Agency, and are assigned Miss Novick as an investigator. Through a farfetched mis-communication she gets a very bad impression of Augie Poole and indicates her report will be unfavorable. Through even more far-fetched circumstances, Augie is able to change Miss Novick's mind, and later comes to believe the baby she is carrying is his. Rock-A-Bye does find the Pooles a baby, and Augie is convinced it is Miss Novick's, and that he is the real father...so much so that his wife comes to believe it, too. She threatens to leave him, but all the misunderstandings are finally cleared up for a happy ending. Written by Ron Kerrigan <mvg@whidbey.com>
1958 was before Ross Hunter embarked Doris Day on the fabulous career she had in the '60s, in which she would become a top box office draw - in fact, THE box office drawer for years. In "The Tunnel of Love," she plays a sweet, vivacious woman who is desperate to have a baby and can't, so she and her husband, played by Richard Widmark, plan to adopt one. When the adopted baby bears a strong resemblance to Widmark, he becomes sure that the child is the result of an evening he can't remember with the investigative social worker (Gia Scala).
Based on a play, this kind of light, subtly sexual comedy became very popular on the dinner theater circuit in the '60s and '70s, joining the ranks of "Mary, Mary", "The Marriage Go Round," "Boeing Boeing," etc. It is not particularly well directed by Gene Kelly and sports the very strange casting of Richard Widmark as Day's confused husband. I can't agree with the comments here. Though an actor known for playing tough roles and cruel men, he does a credible job here mainly because he knows enough not to play for laughs. He creates a full character, that of a caring if foolish man who adores his wife but screws up occasionally. Gig Young plays the philandering husband next door. He's fine, but the character is very unlikable.
There's not really much to recommend here. I suppose at the time it was considered somewhat suggestive, but it doesn't play well today.