DKosty123
This film is stocked with actors and actresses that were stars on 1960's Television. Shirley Jones just a few years before she is Partridge, Uncle Joe from the Shady Rest Hotel, Ed Platt before being Chief of control on Get Smart, Carolyn Jones from the Addams family, and more.While the cast is stellar with MGM producing the film the draw back is the really hokey balloon chase at the end of the movie. The special effects on this chase are so bad I cringed watching it and that bad impression has lowered my rating.Jones is a delight in this. Red Buttons is a sort of hero here.If it were not for that sequence this movie might be better. If you want to see nice faces and figures and the rest of the cast, the script and special effects are a major drawback in this one.
moonspinner55
Perky, pretty San Diego widow with shapely legs attracts the attention of a bachelor Commander with the US Navy. The fact she has three rowdy young boys doesn't seem to bother him; rather, he's anxious to become a father to this happy brood, while the kids work overtime trying to fix Mom up with the uniformed catch. Breezy comedy with familiar ingredients seems to take place in La-La Land--a plastic paradise--wherein an unmarried man cannot come to the aid of an unmarried woman without coy romance hanging in the air. Shirley Jones (perhaps substituting for Doris Day or Debbie Reynolds) is convincing as a young mother, but she seems a bit tense with Gig Young, who looks nonplussed throughout. Better are the alternate couple, a frisky Red Buttons and Carolyn Jones. The prolonged finale--with Shirley's youngest taking off over the city by way of some helium-filled balloons--is probably the most memorable aspect of the picture, not the characters nor the love story. ** from ****
cougarblue
The 50's were great for the innocent, light, sexually tease, brand of movies. It could be Doris Day, (and normally was) or some other picturesque actress, add in a simple story of man chases woman until she catches him, and you have 90 minutes of perfectly good escape. Shirley Jones isn't new to acting, yet she has a hard time adding emotion to her words, either appearing to be too blasé or going overboard, but who cares, she looks spectacular, in short-shorts even. Without the out of focus facial look Doris insisted upon, you get to see just how beautiful Ms. Jones was and is. I still don't know what Doris looks like after seeing all her movies. Gig Young plays a smooth talking, got the world under control, Navy Commander, with the "I don't want to get married, and if I did, I want my own kids" by-line. Shirley is a widow with three boys having a "I wanna stay in one place, I'll never marry into the Navy again" by-line. You combine the two with some great character parts, Red Buttons who is always great, and Edger Buchanan who is just fun as the father-in-law, and boy's grandfather. Carolyn Jones is just plain creepy, in every movie, a perfect Adams wife, but not the best friend/sister-in- law. Eve Arden would have been wonderful. I love Gig Young, but knowing the guy *died of alcoholism, I'm starting to think part of that on-screen smoothness was due to a few scotches he knocked down in the trailer. If you can pick up a copy when it comes out in DVD do so, or catch it on TMC. Its well worth it. *Before someone feels a need to correct me, I'm aware Gig Young's life ended in a very tragic shooting (murder/suicide). To those who knew Gig, it was alcoholism that perpetuated the incident resulting in the death of his wife and then Gig's. He had been an alcoholic for more than 20 years.
MEEdmo42
This is one of the very few movies where Gig Young gets the girl. The casting for this movie was excellent with Carolyn Jones and Red Buttons, along with Edgar Buchanan. Shirley Jones is beautiful, as always. It is rarely shown on tv now, but if you happen to see it appear, be sure to tape it. I have it and watch it often, just for the good feelings it gives me. As a Naval officer, Gig Young is very good, acting as the protective, loving man. Red Buttons, as always, plays his part with great skill, making the movie just that much more enjoyable. I also liked the names of the characters, as they were unusual (Cy, Tandy, Key) and suited the persons who played them. Wonderful movie for a happy, contented evening's worth of watching.