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Boys’ Night Out (film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A top-notch comedy, Boys’ Night Out (1962) proffers three corrupt married men who want an out-of-town pad where they can be serviced by a willing girl. Under protest, a bachelor friend played by James Garner finds for the men both the pad and the girl (Kim Novak), who is not what she seems. Instead of a floozy, Novak is a sociology student intending to study the suburban gents. Falling for her and pitching his woo, Garner is confused, for he doesn’t understand the masquerading girl’s personality. Naturally, after the wives of the corrupt men learn of their husbands’ adultery, there is zany pandemonium.

The film was deftly directed by Michael Gordon, who fashioned Pillow Talk. Scripted by Ira Wallach (adapting it from a story), it’s mildly charming and moderately funny, which means it’s funnier than most of the old black-and-white screwball comedies, good as they are. The restrained farcical acting of the cast is proper, although none of it is too restrained. Kim Novak is more feminine than Doris Day but has less personality, and yet she is credible. Tony Randall and Fred Clark make a splash.

Boys’ Night Out tells us that the sex drive, though men obey it, is not all that strong, really. It says this while being decent enough to maintain a respectable attitude toward Novak’s lovely non-sexpot and, more or less, the other women in the film as well.

A sapid romp. –

“Amarcord,” Quickly

By EarlD

On June 14, 2026

In Movies

Presenting small town life in mid-20th century Italy, Federico Fellini‘s Amarcord (1974) is tasteless, scatological and, to me, unfunny. Practically the only good thing about it is that the woman who plays the tobacco seller has an absolutely gorgeous nude bosom. Never mind the use to which it is put.

(Italian with English subtitles)

Suspenseful Hollywood: “Beware, My Lovely”

By EarlD

On June 10, 2026

In Movies

Touchy, forgetful, and psychopathic, Howard has already murdered one woman and is perhaps destined to murder another—nice Helen Gardner, the protagonist of the thriller Beware, My Lovely (1952). Helen hires Howard as a day laborer, but Howard seeks to be comforted and then oppressive, forbidding Helen to leave her house. Helen makes every imaginable move that a woman in her circumstances would make—this alone is absorbing—and Ida Lupino enacts her splendidly. She can sustain fright and is never hammy. Robert Ryan is as charming as Lupino, but a perfect Howard and so never false as a mentally disturbed culprit. Harry Howard, often a movie production designer, directed satisfactorily.

For The Moment, “The Moment”

By EarlD

On June 5, 2026

In Movies

All the superficiality and pettiness and ineptitude one might expect to see behind the scenes of major pop music operations exists in the Charli XCX mockumentary, The Moment (2026). There is so much of it, though—plus little music—that the flick gets tedious. Charli XCX is mildly vulgar with her attractive body, but also droll in her confusion and exasperation. Alas, we finally witness self-pity from her as well. I believe this film was a mistake.

Yours Truly, “True Grit”

By EarlD

On June 2, 2026

In General

True Grit (1969 film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In 1969, the year of True Grit‘s release, critic Stanley Kauffmann found the movie offputtingly conservative. Mattie, the Kim Darby character, keeps mentioning that her family owns property, you see.

Whatever. It isn’t offputting to me. I enjoyed it for showing us the sweaty, economical drama that every intelligent Western is. It’s an acceptable adaptation of Charles Portis’s novel, neatly directed by Henry Hathaway. And, unlike Kauffman, I thought Darby filled the bill in her role.

From The Maker Of “Pillow Talk”: The Movie, “Boys’ Night Out”

“Amarcord,” Quickly

Suspenseful Hollywood: “Beware, My Lovely”

For The Moment, “The Moment”

Yours Truly, “True Grit”