Man's Favorite Sport? (1964)

The author of a best-selling fishing guide is actually incredibly inexperienced when it comes to the sport, which causes mayhem when he is entered into a competition.

Director:

Howard Hawks

Writers:

Pat Frank (story "The Girl Who Almost Got Away"), John Fenton Murray

Stars:

Rock Hudson, Paula Prentiss, Maria Perschy

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Rock Hudson	...	Roger Willoughby
Paula Prentiss	...	Abigail Page
Maria Perschy	...	Isolde 'Easy' Mueller
John McGiver	...	William Cadwalader
Charlene Holt	...	Tex Connors
Roscoe Karns	...	Major Phipps
James Westerfield	...	Policeman
Norman Alden	...	John Screaming Eagle
Forrest Lewis	...	Skaggs
Regis Toomey	...	Bagley
Tyler McVey	...	Customer Bush
Kathie Browne	...	Marcia

Storyline

Roger Willoughby is considered to be a leading expert on sports fishing. He's written books on the subject and is loved by his customers in the sporting goods department at Abercrombie and Fitch, where he works. There's only one problem however: he's never been fishing in his life. When the store owner enters him in a fishing contest, mayhem ensues.

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Plot Keywords:

fiance fiancee relationship | partial remake | screwball comedy | slapstick comedy | neo screwball comedy | 

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Taglines:

It takes a girl to supply the answer!

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film was meant to be an homage/remake to Hawks' Bringing Up Baby (1938), and Hawks even wanted Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant to star in the movie.

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Goofs

Just after helping Easy gracefully exit the lodge due to her inadvertently unzipped dress, Roger attempts re-zip the back of Easy's dress. Just prior to the moment Easy turns her back to hide Roger's hands from view, it is obvious that Roger grasps the end of his tie to attach it to the zipper.

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Quotes

Roger Willoughby: Did you take a special course in blackmail, or is it just a natural talent?

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Connections

References Libeled Lady (1936)

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Soundtracks

Man's Favorite Sport
Music by Henry Mancini
Lyric by Johnny Mercer

User Reviews

You Should Have Seen The One That Got Away

In one of the funniest screwball comedies of the pre-World War II studio era, William Powell has a celebrated experience with a fish while he pretended to be a fishing expert. It was the highlight of Libeled Lady and I'm sure Howard Hawks thought that we could get a whole comedy out of that situation.

In Man's Favorite Sport he succeeds admirably. If the film had been done 20 years earlier, Cary Grant would definitely have been in the lead. The part of Roger Willoughby, who wrote a book on fishing based on hearsay from the various customers he's dealt with at Abercrombie&Fitch, would have been ideal for Cary Grant as it has just the kind of physical comedy that Grant was so adept at.

However Rock Hudson steps into the role admirably and for once he's the pursued and not the pursuer. Pursuing Hudson every step of the way is the kookie Paula Prentiss who seemed to study at the Carol Burnett school of zaniness for this part.

On a bit of advice from public relations expert Prentiss, Hudson's boss at Abercrombie&Fitch, John McGiver, has him enter a fishing tournament. When Hudson confesses he's never fished and hates the slimy things, Prentiss decides to help fake it through.

There are a lot of really great laughs in this film, but the best scene is Hudson trying out this inflatable suit for those who are fishing and fall in the water. He does and the results are hilarious.

Don't miss this film if it is ever broadcast.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 January 1964 (USA)

Also Known As:

Man's Favorite Sport?

Filming Locations:

Revue Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$6,000,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gibraltar Productions, Laurel Productions, Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1