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

Thomas T

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I’m an unapologetic Doris Day fanboy and own every one of her movies on DVD or blu ray as well as all five seasons of her TV show (which is pretty dreadful actually but I want my Doris!). The one Doris Day movie missing in action is Where Were You When The Lights Went Out? (1968). It’s an MGM film which means Warners owns it now. It never made it to laser, DVD and now blu ray. Does anyone know for sure why it’s missing in action? Poor elements? Rights issues? Has it ever shown on TCM?
I want my DD collection to be complete! 
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Matt Hough

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I saw it at Radio City Music Hall where it got a very nice response, as I recall. I have no idea why it hasn't shown up on home video after all these years.
 

JohnMor

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I read some sort of rights issues. I’ll see if I can find what I read. A terrible, terrible film, but as a Doris Day completist, I’d buy it on dvd or blu. Great cast, but every one wasted.
 

Thomas T

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A terrible, terrible film, but as a Doris Day completist, I’d buy it on dvd or blu. Great cast, but every one wasted.

I remember it as being moderately enjoyable but I haven't seen it since it came out in 1968! If you want to talk terrible, my nominee for Day's bottom of the barrel ..... The Ballad Of Josie. And yes, I own it. Like you, I'm obviously a DD completist.
:)
 

Arthur Powell

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FWIW, this film isn't listed on the "Movie Collector" database of films that have been shown on TCM since 1994. (For those of you interested, here is the link - http://www.moviecollectoroh.com/reports.htm). It is interesting that the film didn't even get an airing in 1994 when other currently MIA films like The Perfect Specimen, Ceiling Zero, and The Trial of Mary Dugan received airings. I would imagine there probably are some rights issues involved - probably music or literary. I see that there was a VHS release probably in the early nineties. Has anyone asked the Warner Archive folks about the film?
 

Mark B

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This one has been on my radar recently as I am also a Day completist. The only thing I could find for purchase are P/S VHS and unauthorized DVDs that appear to be from a widescreen telecine. In 10+ years of watching the TCM schedule, as well as many other cable channels, I never saw it scheduled to air. i can't imagine it is worse than Move Over Darling and Do Not Disturb which I find as lousy as Josie.
 

Matt Hough

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Yeah, The Ballad of Josie is my least favorite one as well, and while I really enjoy Move Over, Darling, I've never warmed to Do Not Disturb.
 

Dick

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I'm an unapologetic Doris Day fanboy and own every one of her movies on DVD or blu ray as well as all five seasons of her TV show (which is pretty dreadful actually but I want my Doris!). The one Doris Day movie missing in action is Where Were You When The Lights Went Out? (1968). It's an MGM film which means Warners owns it now. It never made it to laser, DVD and now blu ray. Does anyone know for sure why it's missing in action? Poor elements? Rights issues? Has it ever shown on TCM?

I want my DD collection to be complete! :(

I actually saw this in New York and recall that I did not like it. For you sake, I hope it appears eventually.
 

ahollis

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Warner Archive has said that it’s tied up in rights issues. They did not elaborate on what issues.
 

Thomas T

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re: rights issues. I double checked and Where Were You When The Lights Went Out? is apparently based on a French play called Monsieur Masure by one Claude Magnier. So I would assume that either Mr. Magnier or more likely his estate is responsible for the rights issues. It wouldn't be the first time an author's estate has held up a release. Reputedly the William Inge estate's demands are the reason The Dark At The Top Of The Stairs (1960) has never seen a laser/DVD/blu ray release.

An aside note, on another thread Renata Adler former film critic of The New York Times was being discussed and not favorably either as she disliked many critics darlings and fan favorites like 2001 A Space Odyssey and The Lion In Winter among others. She actually gave Where Were You When The Lights Went Out? a positive (for her) review.
 

LeoA

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How can someone not love Move Over Darling? I don't get that at all.

I read some sort of rights issues. I’ll see if I can find what I read. A terrible, terrible film, but as a Doris Day completist, I’d buy it on dvd or blu. Great cast, but every one wasted.

Even the title is a wasted opportunity. Anyone familiar with Doris Day comedies will immediately be imagining the potential with a movie centered around the famous blackout in the Northeast during the mid 1960's (Or at least I sure did).

Such a disappointment in so many ways.
 

bronson

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"Where were you when the lights went out": I once saw it on German TV and I thought the film was boring as hell. I still can remember the main song of the movie.
 

BobO'Link

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I'm an unapologetic Doris Day fanboy and own every one of her movies on DVD or blu ray as well as all five seasons of her TV show (which is pretty dreadful actually but I want my Doris!). The one Doris Day movie missing in action is Where Were You When The Lights Went Out? (1968). It's an MGM film which means Warners owns it now. It never made it to laser, DVD and now blu ray. Does anyone know for sure why it's missing in action? Poor elements? Rights issues? Has it ever shown on TCM?

I want my DD collection to be complete! :(
I actually like her TV show... well... most of it... It's fairly typical of that era of TV sitcom.

I'd buy a copy of Where Were You... if it ever sees the light of day... :D
 

Thomas T

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I actually like her TV show... well... most of it... It's fairly typical of that era of TV sitcom.

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!
 

BobO'Link

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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!
Exactly. I treat each season as a separate show and it works better.
 

JohnMor

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I love Move Over Darling. I find Do Not Disturb pretty bad. But I think WWYWtLWO? is the absolute nadir. I even enjoy The Ballad of Josie more.

But the theme song is catchy in its very 60’s way.

 

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