Come Blow Your Horn (1963)

After leaving his parents' home, young Buddy Baker goes to live with his womanizing older brother in a posh Manhattan apartment where he learns how to be a partying playboy.

Director:

Bud Yorkin

Writers:

Neil Simon (play), Norman Lear (screenplay)

Stars:

Frank Sinatra, Lee J. Cobb, Molly Picon

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 5 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Frank Sinatra	...	Alan Baker
Lee J. Cobb	...	Harry R. Baker
Molly Picon	...	Mrs. Sophie Baker
Barbara Rush	...	Connie
Jill St. John	...	Peggy John
Dan Blocker	...	Mr. Eckman
Phyllis McGuire	...	Mrs. Eckman
Tony Bill	...	Buddy Baker
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charles Maier	...	Taxi Driver

Storyline

Leaving home, young Buddy Baker arrives unannounced at the luxurious Manhattan apartment of his older brother, Alan, a swinging girl chasing bachelor who prefers his carefree life to working in the family business. Pleased at his brother's show of independence, Alan introduces him to New York night life. Their father is unhappy at Alan's mentoring and the loss of an important account. Buddy is so successful that he soon takes over his brother's liquor cabinet and his girl friends. After giving up a woman who lives in the same building, Alan gets beaten by the husband of another conquest. Scared off, Alan alienates his favorite girl friend, Connie, staying away from all commitment. Hit by the futility of his life, Alan urges Buddy to end his swinging life style, but Buddy is having too good a time. After their argument jolts Alan proposes to Connie. Following their marriage, Alan helps their parents reconcile, works seriously in the family business and turns his bachelor pad over to ...

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Plot Keywords:

new york city | based on play | pinching cheek | literature on screen | american literature on screen | 

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Taglines:

I tell you, chum ...laughs it is!

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film debut of Tony Bill.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Mrs. Sophie Baker: Buddy? is that you?
Buddy Baker: Yeah, mom.
Mrs. Sophie Baker: You're home from work early.
Buddy Baker: Uh, yeah, um, I'm going out tonight.
Mrs. Sophie Baker: Please, darling, don't shed dirt in the living room.
Buddy Baker: I won't.

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Connections

Featured in Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You (2016)

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Soundtracks

Come Blow Your Horn
Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
Music by Jimmy Van Heusen (as James Van Heusen)

User Reviews

"I Tell You Chum, It's Time To Come Blow Your Horn"

This Neil Simon comedy, debuted on Broadway two years earlier, minus the song and a few characters and starred Hal March, Warren Berlinger, Lou Jacobi, and Pert Kelton. It had a respectable run for about a year and Frank Sinatra must have recognized a property tailor made for him when he saw it.

The eternal problem with filming plays is how to get them out of the theatrical confines and use the scope the movie camera offers. Primarily this is done with a Sinatra song with the movie title where he lectures kid brother Tony Bill that life ain't a dress rehearsal. Sammy Cahn, who put more words in Frank Sinatra's mouth than any other lyricist, put some of his best work into play here. It's a great Sinatra song and maybe it's inclusion qualifies Come Blow Your Horn to be a musical.

Lee J. Cobb and Molly Picon are the quintessential Jewish parents and they are grand. Cobb was a very underrated actor and an unhappy man because of his experience with the House Un-American Activities Committee. Sinatra purportedly befriended him and helped him over a few rough patches.

Molly Picon brought about 50 years of experience to her part as Frankie's mom. She was fresh from a Broadway triumph in Milk and Honey. She started out as a child in the Yiddish Theatre and was only now breaking out into a wider audience. She has a very funny scene alone in Sinatra's bachelor pad, trying to answer several phones looking for a pencil to take a message with disastrous consequences.

The women here are an eyeful, Phyllis McGuire, Barbara Rush, and Jill St. John and Sinatra's involved with all of them. I won't tell you which one he ends up with, but I think you'd figure it out. I think most of Frankie's fans would settle for any one of them.

Life imitates art and the real life Sinatra unlike his character Alan Baker didn't really settle down until fourth wife Barbara Marx married him.

There's a lot of similarities with the earlier Sinatra comedy, The Tender Trap. It's ground gone over before, but it's good topsoil.

A Quintessential Sinatra film, a must for fans of the Chairman of the Board.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 June 1963 (USA)

Also Known As:

Come Blow Your Horn

Filming Locations:

Madison Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Essex Productions, Paramount Pictures, Tandem Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1