User Reviews

Francis Dignan, a man that doesn't seem to have a back bone, is the talent behind the comic strip that Larry Larkin takes credit for. To make matters worse his former wife, Ethel, now renamed Dunreath Henry, is Larkin's fiancé and his secretary, has to stay in close contact with her ex-husband, who works from his boss' own apartment.

Dignan can't resist the charms of the woman he still loves. To add to his problems, the young boy that Larkin is adopting, develops a great rapport with Dignan, that clearly irritates his employer. Gussie, the maid, devices a plan for bringing the former spouses together.

"That Certain Feeling" was a successful transfer of the Broadway play into a satisfying movie directed by the team of Melvin Frank, and Norman Panama, who had been connected to the film industry and knew what they were doing. This is a picture that was typical of the features presented at New York's Radio City Music Hall, when it showed films and stage shows. It has that glorious look of the times when it was produced.

Bob Hope clearly demonstrates he had the range to play Dignan, and in many ways, he surprises in his approach to his character. Eva Marie Saint, fresh out of "On the Waterfront", shows as a glamorous side of herself as the love interest of the leading man. George Sanders excels as the egotistical Larry Larkin. Jerry Mathers, who would go to "Leave it to Beaver" television series, is also a great addition. Best of all is the irresistible Pearl Bailey who plays Gussie, the maid that brings the former lovers together.

The copy of the film we watched recently on a cable channel has a pristine quality to it. "That Certain Feeling" will not disappoint. It is a light comedy with an excellent cast.

I liked it better the second time through! FIRST TIME: Despite a few bright moments here and there (Hope taking off the Sanders character during a TV rehearsal) and four or five snappy quips, plus the most welcome presence of Pearl Bailey and Al Capp (in a brief cameo), this romantic comedy misfires more often that it jells. The direction is often surprisingly clumsy. The mismanaged farce climax tends to fall flat on its face. The running gag of Sanders snapping on the phone doesn't work either. In fact, he is so mishandled and misdirected that he becomes a distinct liability. Hope does what he can with very thin material but a lot of the action is played virtually straight and Hope does not come across terribly well as a romantic partner for the lovely Eva Maria Saint (looking very attractive indeed in her Edith Head gowns.

SECOND TIME: I thought Hope managed what is virtually a straight role, charmingly well. And this time, I thought Sanders was well cast as the opportunistic cartoonist. And I also liked the free-for- all climax, plus the cameo appearance of Al Capp. Offhand, I don't know of any other movies with a solid comic-strip cartooning background.

This film was the final highpoint of Hope's comic career and movie career, and it also was the point where Hope met his match (who was not Bing Crosby, that is, but the film's villain). In almost every comedy he made, Bob Hope insisted on being played by villains who were threatening (in the screenplay) but not in terms of being comic rivals. Take a look at them: Peter Lorre in MY FAVORITE BRUNETTE; George Coulouris in WHERE THERE'S LIFE; Lloyd Nolan in THE LEMON DROP KID; Bruce Cabot in FANCY PANTS; Francis L. Sullivan in MY FAVORITE SPY. These actors could be funny if the material is specially designed (think of Lorre as "Professor Einstein" in ARSENIC AND OLD LACE, or Coulouris - yes Coulouris - in those British "Doctor" comedies). But when facing Hope they were to be pure hard menace. Even with Crosby, the villains tend to be menace and hardly funny (Douglas Dumbrille had moments of comedy against the Marx Brothers in THE BIG STORE, but he was hardly funny in ROAD TO UTOPIA; ANTHONY QUINN was a nasty customer in both ROAD TO SINGAPORE and ROAD TO MOROCCO - although he gets burned on his bottom in one scene in the latter). In short, none of the Hope villains are meant for anything outside plot lines. If there is a fight scene and the villain gets injured (my reference to Quinn above, or Joseph Schildkraut in his comic duel with Hope in MONSIEUR BEAUCAIRE) then that is just to reduce the dignity of the villain - it doesn't end his villainy.

Melvin Frank and Norman Panama based the script on a play by Elenore Brook, and since they hardly ever varied from the basic Hope plot, the differences here must be due to Brook. Normally, Hope is a weakling or coward who is mistaken for somebody of stature and strength by the villains, or who has to prove that he was framed by the villains (normally he needs outside help to do this, for while glib or sly in certain ways he is usually quite cowardly and foolish). That is not the case here. Here Hope is a talented artist, who is working for a prominent "Charles Schultz" style cartoonist (he does the background work for the panels), and who is 1) suffering from a nervous breakdown, and 2) is the rival of his boss for his ex-wife (Eva Marie Saint). Hope is seen going to a therapist several times. He is encouraged by Saint and by Pearl Bailey (sadly playing a domestic, but speaking very sensibly throughout the film anyway). In short, for a change Hope was playing a pretty realistic figure. The plot is how he regains his self-respect and Saint's love.

What really sets this film apart is the casting of the villain and the villain's character. The villain is the cartoonist, George Sanders. Finally with Sanders we have a talented villain who is also three dimensional - his character (Larry Larkin) is like Charles Schultz or Al Capp (who appears in the film). He has a well respected national comic strip, and he is more than just a comic strip writer. His point of view is reminiscent of Mark Twain, and he is seen getting baccalaureate degrees at colleges. Bailey notes there had always been a wistful, delicate humor in his strip, but recently it has gotten more serious. That is because Larry/George has been considering his position and options. He may want public office.

The situation is really well set up. Hope's character, Francis Dignan, is talented but is psychologically weak. Sanders is talented but overwhelmingly assured of himself. A sort of David and Goliath. But Sanders is not villainous like other Hope villains. He is ambitious and overbearing, but he feels his suggestions are helpful to everyone, not hurtful. It is not like any of the stylish cutthroats who are villains for wealth, power, or criminal activities (spying, sabotage). So Sanders is basically playing a bouncy, optimistic cork, who might be a tolerable individual in normal situations. He balances Hope's pessimistic character. It is quite wonderful to watch their scenes together, for (for a change) Hope's quips are actually like defensive missiles.

Hope never got such balance in any other film from a villain. So I can suggest that (with SEVEN LITTLE FOYS and BEAU JAMES) this film is his best film comedy (without Crosby, of course).

An entertaining romantic comedy, in which George Sanders and Bob Hope play cartoonists, with Sanders being the more famous, overbearing one. Sanders did a great job as the non-stop talking Larry Larkin, always doing everything to promote his public image, including appearing on TV. Hope is his sometimes reluctant assistant, who can't quite get up the nerve to periodically tell Larkin he wants to quit. Hope gets even by sending out a cartoon strip under Larkin's name, in which the boy in Larkin's famous cartoon: Snips, has turned into a mean juvenile delinquent and psychopath, ending with a gun pointed at his head. Also, he disobeys Larkin's request to bring home a certain dog from the pet shop, which resembles Larkin's idea of what his cartoon dog: Runty, looks like. Instead, he brings home a huge dog, looking like a sheep, because this is what the boy Norman wanted(Norman is an orphan delinquent whom Larkin hopes to soon adopt). Norman likes Hope, but not the bossy, overbearing, Larkin.

Mixed into this brew is Eva Marie Saint, as Dunreath. She's Hope's ex-wife and ex-private secretary(but Larkin doesn't know until later). She's also Larkin's present private secretary and is engaged to be married to him soon. Several times Hope either announces to the audience that he is leaving, or Larkin or Eva tells him to leave. But, he somehow always managed to return soon. Hope has to work fast if he's going to rekindle romantic interest by Eva in himself sufficient to cause her to call off the wedding. Pearl Bailey, serving as Larkin's maid, definitely thinks a Hope & Eva match is more viable. Thus, when by chance, Hope and Eva are forced by the extreme weather to spend a night in Larkin's studio-apartment, Pearl virtually forces them to get tipsy, hoping that will breakdown their inhibitions, and encourage a remarriage. Pearl also put on a record of her singing "Zing Went the Strings of my Heart" to help set the mood. This did the trick, with Eva cavorting around the room like a kid , while Hope sings "That Certain Feeling". Incidentally, earlier, Hope and Pearl had collaborated in singing "Bye, Bye, Baby", which was not included in the list of songs at this site.

By the time the film is nearly over, Larkin's recent PR schemes have backfired. This includes several times talking on the telephone to the governor(why?), yelling "shut up" in reference to somebody in the room. Eva cancels their imminent wedding and Norman says he's leaving, since nobody likes each other here. The implied new family of Hope, Eva, Norman and Happy(the dog) looks a bit forced. Obviously, Hope and Eva have lost their jobs with Larkin. Thus, it's not clear how they are going to survive. Also, the problems that caused Hope and Eva to divorce may resurface.

Incidentally, my review title refers to Pearl Bailey's initial impression of Happy(the dog): more original than my suggestion of a sheep.

See it in color at YouTube