Wow, did the casting in this film pique my interest. Here are some of the stars of this odd little film: Steve Allen and his wife (Jayne Meadows), Jayne Mansfield AND Mamie Van Doren (I can't believe they could squeeze these two in the same screen), Herbert Marshall, Rocky Marciano (the boxer), Conway Twitty(!), Cathy Crosby (Bing's niece) and lots of kids of famous stars--Robert Montgomery Jr., William Wellman Jr. and Elisha Cook Jr.! And, in an odd move, gossip columnists Sheila Graham AND Walter Winchell! Talk about a strange cast! The film begins with Mamie Van Doren coming home late from a date. It's rather funny seeing this 30 year-old bombshell playing a college student and it was also funny seeing her father (Elisha Cook Sr.) and his overreaction when she got home late. Of course, if I had a daughter who looked like Miss Van Doren, I am sure I'd be just as crazed when she came home late!!! After her dad interrogates her further, Mamie responds by saying she was out late...with one of her professors (Steve Allen)! When pressed, she blamed his "sex survey" and him trying to force himself on her--THAT'S why she's home so late.
Instead of trying to verify all this, Cook bounds into Allen's office the next day--making accusations and fuming. Allen seems to have a solid alibi, but after Cook storms off, it isn't so certain this IS the case. Is Allen a pervert asking 'dirty questions' and on the make for co-eds or is this just the case of some amazingly sexually repressed people overreacting to a harmless sociology survey? In other words, is Mamie a slut or is Allen a creeper? Tune in to see the answers.
In the meantime, when the audience isn't sure who exactly is at fault, the question is muddied because some Allen's behaviors then look a bit creepy. For example, you see him with a motion picture camera recording the teens at the lake. Is this more 'research"?! Plus you learn that this isn't the first college girl to claim Allen's made improper advances. Plus, he loves to invite the students over to his house for parties. And, for her part, Mamie seems about as shy and innocent as Divine--as she relentlessly pursues her boyfriend. Her 'innocent child' routine is very transparent and how anyone could worry about HER becoming corrupted is a puzzler! Eventually, Allen runs afoul of the law and eventually he and his 'sex survey' are on trial. This occurs after it appears as if the professor might have been set up for a morals charge. No one really seems to care whether or not Allen really did anything--they just want to punish him! Can the teacher get a fair shake in this apparent witch hunt? See this--as the ending is just crazy--with Allen speechifying and a way over the top performance by someone else to cap it all off.
Overall, hardly believable and often poorly written and silly. BUT, considering how silly it all gets, it IS very entertaining.
By the way, there is a funny inside joke in the film. When Sally Blake (Van Doren) is about to testify, one of the folks in court describes her as "...a Mamie Van Doren type"!
Instead of trying to verify all this, Cook bounds into Allen's office the next day--making accusations and fuming. Allen seems to have a solid alibi, but after Cook storms off, it isn't so certain this IS the case. Is Allen a pervert asking 'dirty questions' and on the make for co-eds or is this just the case of some amazingly sexually repressed people overreacting to a harmless sociology survey? In other words, is Mamie a slut or is Allen a creeper? Tune in to see the answers.
In the meantime, when the audience isn't sure who exactly is at fault, the question is muddied because some Allen's behaviors then look a bit creepy. For example, you see him with a motion picture camera recording the teens at the lake. Is this more 'research"?! Plus you learn that this isn't the first college girl to claim Allen's made improper advances. Plus, he loves to invite the students over to his house for parties. And, for her part, Mamie seems about as shy and innocent as Divine--as she relentlessly pursues her boyfriend. Her 'innocent child' routine is very transparent and how anyone could worry about HER becoming corrupted is a puzzler! Eventually, Allen runs afoul of the law and eventually he and his 'sex survey' are on trial. This occurs after it appears as if the professor might have been set up for a morals charge. No one really seems to care whether or not Allen really did anything--they just want to punish him! Can the teacher get a fair shake in this apparent witch hunt? See this--as the ending is just crazy--with Allen speechifying and a way over the top performance by someone else to cap it all off.
Overall, hardly believable and often poorly written and silly. BUT, considering how silly it all gets, it IS very entertaining.
By the way, there is a funny inside joke in the film. When Sally Blake (Van Doren) is about to testify, one of the folks in court describes her as "...a Mamie Van Doren type"!