User Reviews

Sandra Dee more than adequately fills the role formerly occupied by Debbie Reynolds, as "Tammy", a naive river hick who helps people discover their true selves and who falls in love with stiff- shouldered men. It turns out that Leslie Nielsen's character from the original film didn't really care for Tammy after all, never returning any of her letters. Tammy decides she needs to go to college in order to be a fit wife for her man, so she takes up the anchor and has her riverbarge friend (Cecil Kellaway) tow her down to a spot closer to institutions of higher learning.

As in the original film, Tammy is adopted by various needy individuals, most notably the local Dean of Women (Virginia Grey), who's trapped in a sexless marriage with a failed painter (Charles Drake). However, most of her attention this time is devoted to an elderly lady (Beulah Bondi) who she befriends, while her scheming daughter (Julia Meade) is trying to have her committed and steal her fortune. Bondi is a more seasoned and talented performer than just about anybody in the original film, and she really gives this movie a huge boost.

Essentially though, it's still the same kind of unambitious, saccharine and totally predictable film as its predecessor. The director, Harry Keller, brings the same kind of vision that he brought to other important screen properties like "Commander Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe" and the same sense of drama that he brought to television for the unforgettable "Letter to Loretta" series. The movie is pleasant enough, and it lacks some of the elements that made the original "Tammy" movie so execrable.... notably racist stereotypes and the constant presence of Debbie Reynolds. I find Sandra Dee to be much cuter, much more genuinely funny and slightly less corny.

John Gavin basically has just as little to do here in this film as Nielsen did in the original. Perhaps by teaming Gavin and Dee in this film and in "Imitation of Life" the producer Ross Hunter hoped to clone the magic of his combination of Rock Hudson and Doris Day in "Pillow Talk." But it would have helped if they gave Gavin an actual human character to play, instead of just the new version of Tammy's idealized male. Not that I'm sure Gavin can actually play a real human being, but it would be interesting if he had the chance.....

Although this film lacks the truly offensive middle section of its predecessor, it does manage to score some good housekeeping points by allowing Tammy to teach Bible lessons to atheist children (no less than a tiny Bill Mumy) and giving her a good opportunity for an anti-feminist message -- she convinces Virginia Grey that all her problems with her husband are caused by the fact that she makes more money than he does. I'm sorry, the guy seemed like a total creep to me, he was trying to get in Tammy's pants the minute that he saw her. Instead of telling the poor woman to adopt a kid she should have told her to dump her creepy husband and hook up with a man that isn't intimidated by a successful woman. But then, nobody should really be asking Tammy for romantic advice.....

Sandra Dee replaces Debbie Reynolds in this second installment of the adventures of late teen Tammy Tyre, begun 4 years earlier in "Tammy and the Bachelor". This time, Tammy finds a new bachelor in handsome John Gaven, as college instructor Tom Freeman: a seemingly most unlikely pairing, with Tammy a poor 'river girl', with no formal education, ignorant of most of the ways of the world, in her isolation, and speaking an extreme version of 'southern hillbilly'. In contrast, Tom is a well educated displaced Yankee blueblood. However, it was destined to become an alternative version of the classic Cinderella fairy tale. It was clear almost from their first chance meeting that there was a special attraction between them, but they were hesitant to admit it for quite a while, because of the taboo against teacher-student overt romantic relationships, in Tom's case, and Tammy's disbelieve that a handsome man such as Tom could harbor a serious ambition to eventually wed her, despite her beauty, charm, and spunky personality. Also, she still has hopes that her former boyfriend, who went off to an agricultural college, is still interested in her. Eventually, Tammy clearly gets the message that Tom is serious about her, and twice she tries to extract a kiss from him, only to be frustrated by a hesitant Tom. Finally, at film's end, they can no longer hold back, and enjoy a dangerous daylight, on campus, romantic kiss and hug. .............. Every Cinderella story needs a villain. Instead of a wicked stepmother, here it's Julia Meade, as Suzanne Rook: the evil niece guardian of her wealthy elderly aunt: Annie Rook Call, played by the veteran actress Beulah Bondi. Suzanne is actually interested in gaining control of Annie's considerable bank roll, rather than promoting her psychological and physical welfare. Fortunately, Tammy is assigned, by the Dean of Women, the job of being her companion much of the time. At first, Annie is put off by some of Tammy's 'river girl' habits and extreme accent, but she soon warms up to Tammy, and accepts her invitation to move into her shanty houseboat, without telling Suzanne. Annie loves it there and increasingly loves Tammy. Unfortunately, Suzanne eventually calls the police to find out where Annie is. Eventually, Suzanne runs into Tammy at the post office and notices that she is wearing a unique necklace, that Annie usually wore. Suzanne calls a policeman to arrest Tammy on suspecion of kidnapping and theft. Next we see Tammy in jail, talking to Annie's lawyer, learning that Annie has been put in a mental institution, based on suspecion of being senile, incapable of managing her affairs. The film can't end like this, so a preliminary hearing is arranged over whether Annie is deemed mentally competent to handle her own affairs. Fortunately, charismatic veteran character actor and former dentist Edgar Buchannan plays the presiding judge, famous for his common scence approach to things. Unfortunately, things are going badly for Annie via the prosecution's witnesses. Then, it's time for Tammy to take the stand in her defense. As you might guess, Tammy's testimony trumps the prosecution's witnesses, in the judge's mind, and Tammy is hailed as a hero. ..........I thought Sandy did a fantastic job, switching from playing a former California surfer's moll, in "Gidget", to mastering an unforgettable extreme 'southern hillbilly' lingo and persona. This film is often compared unfavorably with Debbie's "Tammy and the Bachelor", but I rate them the same. I will admit that Debbie's version of the song 'Tammy's in Love' is more memorable than Sandy's version. Also, I had to take a point off for the admittedly excess corn, at times. Also, we are missing the always charismatic Walter Brennan, as Tammy's grandfather(he being in jail for selling moonshine corn whiskey)...........Sandy and Gravin would again costar as a romantic couple, in "Romanoff and Juliet", which I haven't seen.