The “missing” Doris Day movie! (1 Viewer)

[BobO'Link]

In my world, a bad Doris Day movie is still a good movie.

 

[haineshisway]

My very first pilot was a spin-off of The Doris Day Show, produced by her company. We did two version - a standalone without her, and then one in which she appeared in a couple of scenes with the two stars of the pilot. She came to the set one day - what a treat it was to meet her. And the pilot and series versions are on the DVD.

 

[Tony Bensley]

It was inconsistent and they never quite found the right approach. It started off as a rural comedy with Doris as a widow with two kids on a farm then suddenly the kids and the farm disappear without explanation and Doris lives in a posh San Francisco loft apartment with no kids and a glam wardrobe! Meanwhile, at the office, the actors playing her boss and friends are replaced with regularity like light bulbs!

As I (vaguely) recall, there was at least some continuity between the first and second seasons, in that the farm still technically existed, and Doris still had her two sons (And grandpa living on the farm, I think!), while she commuted to her job in the city, via the Golden Gate Bridge, as shown in the Season 2 opening credits.

I believe it was when Doris's boss Mr. Nicholson (MacLean Stevenson) got replaced by Cyril Bennett (John Dehner), that her boys and all traces of her life on the farm magically disappeared! I didn't like the show as much, after that.

CHEERS!

 

[Matt Hough]

I believe it was when Doris's boss Mr. Nicholson (MacLean Stevenson) got replaced by Cyril Bennett (John Dehner), that her boys and all traces of her life on the farm magically disappeared! I didn't like the show as much, after that.

LOL! That's when I really started to enjoy it. It began to resemble her movie comedies more, and I liked that.

 

[BobO'Link]

^Yeah, that's me, too. I didn't care for the single mom w/kids and grandparent bit, even when it first aired. I almost didn't purchase the series because of that but came to my senses! She's good even if the rest wasn't quite up to the task, although you can mostly blame scripting for that.

 

[Mark-P]

As I (vaguely) recall, there was at least some continuity between the first and second seasons, in that the farm still technically existed, and Doris still had her two sons (And grandpa living on the farm, I think!), while she commuted to her job in the city, via the Golden Gate Bridge, as shown in the Season 2 opening credits.

I believe it was when Doris's boss Mr. Nicholson (MacLean Stevenson) got replaced by Cyril Bennett (John Dehner), that her boys and all traces of her life on the farm magically disappeared! I didn't like the show as much, after that.

CHEERS!

I read that the switch from the farm to posh, sophisticated city life, was connected to the CBS rural purge.

 

[Garysb]

Her film career probably could have been extended, if she were interested, if she had done "The Graduate" instead of the "Ballad of Josie."

 

[BobO'Link]

Her film career probably could have been extended, if she were interested, if she had done "The Graduate" instead of the "Ballad of Josie."

Yes, but I don't think she'd have been right for The Graduate. That role is pretty much the antithesis of everything she'd done.

 

[John Skoda]

I saw it when it came out and can still sing you the title song and I haven't heard it since then.

I just found the sheet music for the song--music is by Dave Grusin.

See image here: http://i67.tinypic.com/2h7mixz.jpg

 

[Thomas T]

Yes, but I don't think she'd have been right for The Graduate. That role is pretty much the antithesis of everything she'd done.

Which is exactly why she turned it down. But I think that was a mistake. I think she would have been terrific in The Graduate. Day had done "darker" roles before in films like Storm Warning, Love Me Or Leave Me (where she was essentially James Cagney's mistress), Man Who Knew Too Much, Julie, Midnight Lace etc. It would have brought her to a new generation of moviegoers who thought Doris Day movies were strictly for their parents. It's no coincidence that Day's career stalled in the era of movies like Midnight Cowboy, Easy Rider and They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

 

[Vic Pardo]

Speaking of lost opportunities for Day, I once had a dream where she and Elvis were in a movie together, set in Africa, being directed by Henry Hathaway. Elvis had his trendy safari jacket on and Doris was wearing a green business suit like she might have worn in one of her Madison Avenue comedies. When I woke up, I wondered why not a Doris/Elvis team-up--with songs? How cool would that have been?

 

[Thomas T]

I wondered why not a Doris/Elvis team-up--with songs? How cool would that have been?

Yeah, like a musical version of A Streetcar Named Desire with Doris as Blanche and Elvis as Stanley with songs by Burt Bacharach and Hal David ..... or maybe not

 

[JohnMor]

Which is exactly why she turned it down. But I think that was a mistake. I think she would have been terrific in The Graduate. Day had done "darker" roles before in films like Storm Warning, Love Me Or Leave Me (where she was essentially James Cagney's mistress), Man Who Knew Too Much, Julie, Midnight Lace etc. It would have brought her to a new generation of moviegoers who thought Doris Day movies were strictly for their parents. It's no coincidence that Day's career stalled in the era of movies like Midnight Cowboy, Easy Rider and They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

I agree. And I think it would have added an additional subliminal level to the film it didn’t have otherwise (beyond the obvious comments on generational differences): a comment on America itself changing from the 50s to the 60s. Here is Amderica’s “girl next door” who grew up to be the married woman next door seducing your son. That’s something that only would have been felt by audiences at the time, but still a fascinating layer to the “what if” of The Graduate.

 

[Nick Eden]

Just goes to show how our minds can play tricks.
I thought I had all of Doris Day's output either on DVD or BluRay.
Not true! I do have this film, but only on VHS dating from 19/12/1992 from Channel 4 here in the UK.
Here's another vote for an official release.

 

[RBailey]

Doris Day deserves an honorary Oscar at the Academy Awards.

 

[ahollis]

I asked WAC about this film yesterday and they responded this morning.

 

[Thomas T]

Doris Day deserves an honorary Oscar at the Academy Awards.

Reputedly, the Academy sent out feelers but she's not interested.

 

[Thomas T]

View attachment 53373 I asked WAC about this film yesterday and they responded this morning.

Well, there you go! I'm not getting any younger. Barring a miracle, it appears I won't see it (again) in my lifetime.

 

[Matt Hough]

Same here. I'd like to see it again some day, but now that might not be possible.

 

[Vic Pardo]

If you absolutely have to see it, the VHS version is still available:
https://www.amazon.com/Where-Were-W...words=where+were+you+when+the+lights+went+out