Good Neighbor Sam (1964)

To help his divorced neighbor claim a substantial inheritance, a family man poses as her husband. The ruse spills over into his career in advertising, and his recent promotion relies on his wholesome and moral appearance.

Director:

David Swift

Writers:

James Fritzell (screenplay), Everett Greenbaum (screenplay)

Stars:

Jack Lemmon, Romy Schneider, Dorothy Provine

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jack Lemmon	...	Sam Bissell
Romy Schneider	...	Janet Lagerlof
Dorothy Provine	...	Minerva Bissell
Mike Connors	...	Howard Ebbets (as Michael Connors)
Edward Andrews	...	Mr. Burke
Louis Nye	...	Reinhold Shiffner
Robert Q. Lewis	...	Earl
Joyce Jameson	...	Hotel Prostitute
Anne Seymour	...	Irene
Charles Lane	...	Jack Bailey
Linda Watkins	...	Edna Bailey
Peter Hobbs	...	Phil Reisner
Tristram Coffin	...	Sonny Blatchford (as Tris Coffin)
Neil Hamilton	...	Larry Boling
Riza Royce	...	Miss Halverson

Storyline

Sam Bissel is a wholesome family man with a loving wife, Min, and two loving daughters. They lead a happy suburban life. The only part of Sam's life that he is not happy about is his job as a lowly cog in the art department of the advertising firm of Burke & Hare. Sam's professional life takes a major turn when he is made executive of the Nurdlinger Dairy account. Simon Nurdlinger is a wholesome family man who wants a wholesome family man with wholesome family ideals heading his account, Sam the only one in Burke & Hare that fits the bill. Sam's home life also takes a major turn when Min's college friend, Janet Lagerlof, moves in next door. Janet stands to inherit $15 million from her grandfather's estate, but the will has a clause that she must be happily married to inherit the money. Janet is technically divorced from Howard Ebbets, and states that getting back with Howard is not worth $15 million. But when Jack Bailey and Irene Krump - two of Janet's relatives who would like to ...

---

Plot Keywords:

manipulative female | possessive female | smother mother | fifteen million dollars | infrared photography | 

---

Taglines:

Slam! Bam! Here comes Sam!...Caught in the Middle of a Two-Woman Jam!

---

Genres:

Comedy

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 July 1964 (USA)

Also Known As:

Leih mir deinen Mann

Filming Locations:

Warner Ranch Facilities, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

David Swift Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

130 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Aired recently as part of TCM "Adventures In Advertising" block of movies, obvious product placement in the film includes, portraying the fictitious Burke and Hare Advertising Agency as the producer's of the television commercial "Let Hertz put you in the driver's seat" theme song, as well as logo placement for Delta Air Lines, Northwest Air Lines, BOAC Airway (British Overseas Airway Corporation), TWA, and Allied {#1} Van Lines.

---

Goofs

Although the story is supposedly taking place in San Francisco the exteriors outside Sam's office, as well as those on skid row at the end of the film, are obviously Los Angeles. The automobile chase around San Francisco makes no geographical sense, and when Sam & his rider finally arrive at what's supposed to be 29th and Geary, it's obviously a studio set that looks nothing like the real thing.

---

Quotes

Minerva Bissell: You know what I miss the most?
Sam Bissell: What?
Minerva Bissell: My feet get so cold.

---

Connections

Referenced in The Simpsons: The Twisted World of Marge Simpson (1997)

---

Soundtracks

Let Hertz Put You in the Driver's Seat
(uncredited)
Lyrics and Music by Richard Adler
Performed by The Hi-Los

User Reviews

Begins well, but ends less so

The film begins well with its depiction of 1960s suburbia, the introduction of the Bissell family (including the ducks), the amusing jibes at the advertising industry (including the inaccurate but hilarious depiction of the filming of a Hertz car rental commercial), provides some great performances from all the principals, and from a great supporting cast, such as Edward Andrews, R.Q. Jones, and Neil Hamilton. It has a smart, yet affectionate quality to it. But as the film chugs along, it seems to run out of steam, as the gags keep repeating themselves, and it begins to seem more like a less successful imitation of the popular Doris Day/Rock Hudson romantic comedies of the time, and one can begin to understand why Lemmon didn't put this one in the top drawer of his memories.