Move Over, Darling (1963)

After five years lost at sea, a missing wife thought long dead returns just after her husband remarries.

Director:

Michael Gordon

Writers:

Hal Kanter (screenplay), Jack Sher (screenplay)

Stars:

Doris Day, James Garner, Polly Bergen

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Doris Day	...	Ellen Wagstaff Arden
James Garner	...	Nicholas Arden
Polly Bergen	...	Bianca Steele Arden
Thelma Ritter	...	Grace Arden
Fred Clark	...	Mr. Codd (Hotel Manager)
Don Knotts	...	Shoe Clerk
Elliott Reid	...	Dr. Herman Schlick
Edgar Buchanan	...	Judge Bryson
John Astin	...	Clyde Prokey
Pat Harrington Jr.	...	District Attorney
Eddie Quillan	...	Bellboy
Max Showalter	...	Hotel Desk Clerk
Alvy Moore	...	Room Service Waiter
Pami Lee	...	Jenny Arden
Leslie Farrell	...	Didi Arden

Storyline

Three years into their loving marriage, with two infant daughters at home in Los Angeles, Nicholas Arden and Ellen Wagstaff Arden are on a plane that goes down in the South Pacific. Although most passengers manage to survive the incident, Ellen presumably perishes when swept off her lifeboat, her body never recovered. Fast forward five years. Nicky, wanting to move on with his life, has Ellen declared legally dead. Part of that moving on includes getting remarried, this time to a young woman named Bianca Steele, who, for their honeymoon, he plans to take to the same Monterey resort where he and Ellen spent their honeymoon. On that very same day, Ellen is dropped off in Los Angeles by the Navy, who rescued her from the South Pacific island where she was stranded for the past five years. She asks the Navy not to publicize her rescue nor notify Nicky as she wants to do so herself. Upon arrival back home, a shocked Grace Arden (Nicky's mother) informs Ellen that Nicky just got remarried ...

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Plot Keywords:

stranded | slapstick comedy | presumed dead | remake | woman | 

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Taglines:

She's married to him...he's married to her...and...it's...sheer...bedlam...from...morning...'til night!

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

25 December 1963 (USA)

Also Known As:

Something's Gotta Give

Filming Locations:

California Highway 1, Mugu Rock, Ventura County, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,350,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Melcher-Arcola Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min 99 min (FMC Library Print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Color by Deluxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Ellen Arden (Doris Day) drives up to her home, the incidental music playing is 'Something's Got To Give,' which was the original version of the film's original title, when it starred Marilyn Monroe, Dean Martin and Cyd Charisse, and is played here as a small acknowledgment of this (the song - title and all is actually from the film, Daddy Long Legs (1955) - also a 20th Century Fox production).

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Goofs

When Ellen wants to phone the house, the operator gives her the number. Later, Bianca gives her psychiatrist a different number.

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Quotes

Judge Bryson: [to Nick] You mean your own mother charged you with bigamy?
Grace Arden: I certainly did.
Judge Bryson: I hope you remember this on Mother's Day.

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Connections

Featured in Biography: Doris Day: It's Magic (1998)

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Soundtracks

Beautiful Dreamer (1862)
(uncredited)
Music by Stephen Foster
Played as background music as James Garner describes the memorial service for Doris Day

User Reviews

In some ways better than "My Favorite Wife"

As you may know, "Move Over Darling" is a remake of the Cary Grant/Irene Dunne film "My Favorite Wife." This film copies the original almost scene-for-scene, with a few changes. I'm torn on which film is better all around, but this version fixes a few things that bothered me about the original. First of all, the reunion between the two main stars at the hotel toward the beginning is more romantic and emotional here. Also, I didn't like the ending of the original film, which felt tagged on and unsatisfying, whereas the ending to this film wrapped everything up nicely and pleasantly. This film has much better co-stars, including Don Knotts and Thelma Ritter. The only reason I do not say for sure that this film is better than the original is the fact that the original was a very funny film, which is not to say that this is unfunny, but the comedy simply doesn't measure up to the brilliance of Cary Grant. I recommend both versions, and while the original provided more laughs, this gives more emotional satisfaction, but both are enjoyable. Just don't watch them side-by-side or you may feel like you just saw the same film twice.

*** out of ****