Ein Pyjama für zwei (1961)

Ein Pyjama für zwei: Directed by Delbert Mann. With Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Tony Randall, Edie Adams. A series of misunderstandings leaves an advertising executive with a campaign for a product which has not yet been invented, while he romances his rival in the guise of its inventor.

“In New Yorku0026#39;s Fifth Avenue u0026#39;hiveu0026#39; of advertising agencies, the executives are either u0026#39;workersu0026#39; or u0026#39;dronesu0026#39;. The former are industrious and diligent (and female), and the latter (the men) get by on wining and dining their clients. Carol Templeton is very much a worker, and she resents losing an account to Jerry Webster, the drone of all drones. One of Jerryu0026#39;s schemes (should that be u0026#39;scamsu0026#39;?) is the invention of u0026quot;Vipu0026quot;, a non-existent commodity. He markets the new product so successfully that Vip becomes an overnight sensation. Throw in a severe case of mistaken identity, a nutty professor and a bungled seduction, and you have all the ingredients for a pleasant and well-constructed romantic comedy.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e This was the second of the three Day-Hudson movies, and probably the best. Tony Randall is consistently funny as Peter Ramsey, the ineffectual company boss. Day does the humour very well, even if the main part of her duties is to pull a series of exasperated faces. Thereu0026#39;s a good split-screen graphic and a funny moose joke. Rocku0026#39;s woollen suit is amusing, and I liked the witty conclusion to the aquarium scene. Just one thought – why is Dorisu0026#39;s hair so resiliently bouffant immediately after she steps out of the sea?u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e Everybody knows now that Rock Hudson was gay, but it goes without saying that this was far from universally acknowledged back in 1961. Is it my imagination, or does the film contain a vein of subtle u0026quot;Rock-is-one-of-thoseu0026quot; drollery? He makes a tongue in cheek speech to Doris, telling her that he can never be a real man to her. When the effeminate co-worker informs Doris that he has a lilac carpet in his apartment, she does a highly significant double-take. Rock keeps saying things like u0026quot;I am not undersexed!u0026quot; He tells Doris that heu0026#39;s taking her in – is he doing the same to the movie audience?u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e Finally, given that no lovers part, and indeed there ARE no lovers in the entire film, one wonders about the choice of title …”