Boys' Night Out (1962)

Fred, George, Doug and Howie are quickly reaching middle-age. Three of them are married, only Fred is still a bachelor. They want something different than their ordinary marriages, children... See full summary »

Director:

Michael Gordon

Writers:

Ira Wallach (screenplay), Marion Hargrove (adaptation)

Stars:

Kim Novak, James Garner, Tony Randall

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kim Novak	...	Cathy
James Garner	...	Fred Williams
Tony Randall	...	George Drayton
Howard Duff	...	Doug Jackson
Janet Blair	...	Marge Drayton
Patti Page	...	Joanne McIllenny
Jessie Royce Landis	...	Ethel Williams
Oskar Homolka	...	Dr. Prokosch (as Oscar Homolka)
Howard Morris	...	Howard McIllenny
Anne Jeffreys	...	Toni Jackson
Zsa Zsa Gabor	...	Boss' Girl Friend
William Bendix	...	Slattery
Jim Backus	...	Peter Bowers
Fred Clark	...	Mr. Bohannon
Larry Keating	...	Mr. Bingham

Storyline

Fred, George, Doug and Howie are quickly reaching middle-age. Three of them are married, only Fred is still a bachelor. They want something different than their ordinary marriages, children and TV-dinners. In secret, they get themselves an apartment with a beautiful young woman, Kathy, for romantic rendezvous. But Kathy does not tell them that she is a sociology student researching the sexual life of the white middle-class male.

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Plot Keywords:

hot | sex scene | sexy | satire | friend | 

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Taglines:

If you believe in sex and fun... by all means join us!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

21 June 1962 (USA)

Also Known As:

Boys' Night Out

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Joseph E. Levine Productions, Kimco-Filmways

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Stars of this film Fred Clark and Larry Keating have both portrayed Harry Morton on the Burns & Allen Show.

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Goofs

When the boys are on the train, the whistle of a steam locomotive is heard on several occasions. The movie takes place in 1962 but the last steam locomotive on the New Haven Railroad was retired ten years earlier and, in any case, would not have been used from Connecticut to New York City.

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Quotes

Cathy: Fred, what's the matter?
Fred Williams: The matter? It's one thing for a girl to be - to go wrong. A guy'd have to be pretty narrow-minded not to overlook a thing like that. But to make me a miserable guinea pig? To use a guy for, for an experiment? To be a dirty, contemptible... *sociologist*! That's about as low as you can get!

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Connections

Referenced in Batman: A Death Worse Than Fate (1966)

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Soundtracks

BOYS' NIGHT OUT
Words by Sammy Cahn
Music by Jimmy Van Heusen
Sung by Patti Page (as Miss Patti Page)

User Reviews

Dated sex farce has its good moments but needed a brighter script...

JAMES GARNER's handsome presence adds dignity and charm to a sex farce about wannabe playboys TONY RANDALL, HOWARD DUFF and HOWARD MORRIS who want some playtime away from their wives. His natural skill as a light comic actor is sharply in focus for all the scenes where he plays opposite JESSIE ROYCE LANDIS who plays his addle-brained mother.

KIM NOVAK is the blonde dish who is doing a sex survey on American men and decides to use these men as her lab subjects. But when the men's wives find out about their hubbies' boys night out, the fur flies leading to an overly energetic scene where all hell breaks loose.

Garner and Novak are so appealing in their prime that it's easy to overlook the deficiencies of some situations, none of which are remotely credible. It doesn't help that Novak plays her role in a dreamy, trance-like manner out of sync with comedy roles. She's utterly charming but a bit out of her depth when it comes to the light touch.

Howard Duff and Howard Morris do nicely in amusing roles and Jessie Royce Landis seems to be enjoying herself immensely as Garner's overly concerned mother. But the laugh lines seem a bit forced and you can't help wishing the whole project had a brighter script. The wives are well played by Patti Page, Ann Jeffreys and Janet Blair.

There's a datedness about the sets and wardrobe that can be a bit distracting at times, but Novak is always a pleasure to look at and her chemistry with Garner is an asset.