jacobs-greenwood Directed by Bud Yorkin, who co-produced this slightly above average light comedy with Norman Lear, who wrote the screenplay adapting a play by Neil Simon, who earned his first motion picture screen credit, it stars 47 year old Frank Sinatra playing a 39 year old older brother to a 21 year old character, played by Tony Bill, and the son of Lee J. Cobb's (though Cobb himself was only 51 at the time) and Molly Picon's (65 at the time) characters, who'd been married for 43 years.If you can get past all these improbable numbers (and aren't offended by its shallow female, and other stereotypical characterizations), it's actually (still) a pretty entertaining film today. Barbara Rush, Jill St. John, TV Bonanza's Dan Blocker, and Phyllis McGuire round out the primary cast; Dean Martin, Mary Grace Canfield who plays a woman hypnotized into thinking that Sinatra is JFK (an "inside" joke), and Grady Sutton (who can be glimpsed while Sinatra sings the film's title song) are among those who also appear uncredited.Sinatra plays Alan Baker, a playboy whose refuses to "grow up" and get married, per his father Harry's (Cobb) wishes. Harry blames his wife Sophie (Picon) for being too soft on Alan as a child, hence their "boy's" situation. Both are pleased that Alan's (much) younger brother Buddy (Bill), who still lives at home with them, is more responsible. Of course Buddy's had enough of being treated like a child, and leaves their suburban home to live with Alan in his extravagant bachelor pad in New York (how he affords it is a loose end until the film's end), though only about an hour's drive away, on his 21st birthday. Both sons work in their father's decorative artificial fruit business, Alan as a salesman and Buddy in design (?).Once Buddy lives with Alan, and with his older brother's encouragement (at least initially), he undergoes a transformation into a younger version of Alan. Buddy learns by example, having seen Alan successfully juggle an attractive air-headed wannabe actress who lives in his building, Peggy John (St. John), a beautiful singer named Connie (Rush) who's conveniently on tour a lot of the time, and even a would-be, though married, client of their father's company Mrs. Eckman (McGuire), a buyer for Neiman Marcus, whose husband's discovery of Alan's swinging sales technique finally gets him in trouble with Mr. Eckman (Blocker), and fired by Harry. Naturally, Buddy's "corruption" is upsetting to their parents as well.Not only are the characterizations humorous, for example Cobb's Harry is evidently a self-made immigrant who loudly calls his son a 'bum' (though Martin, in a cameo, is the film's only real bum) and Picon plays a long-suffering "Jewish" mother, but the tried and true (silent film) technique of never knowing who's on the other side of Alan's apartment door when the doorbell (or the phone) rings is effectively utilized with comic results. Rush plays a woman whose biological clock is ticking such that she's hoping Alan will settle down with her after only six months of dating. John plays a bubble- headed neighbor who helps Buddy begin his "fling". The film's final third is not as good as the first two thirds, and it does end rather predictably - with Alan seeing the error of his ways through Buddy and deciding to marry Connie. However, that doesn't keep it from being a good ride while it lasts.The film's Color Art Direction-Set Decoration was nominated for an Academy Award.

justrock I thought this movie was a dud. I'm not a big fan of early 60's movies like this, they portray an era that was so brief I'm not sure anyone actually lived through it. The clothes, the language, the sets (orange plastic as one other commenter noted)looked stale even when they were new. You can almost smell the stale cigarettes. Add to that the awkwardness of 48 year old Sinatra still trying to pass himself off as a playboy and my eyes start rolling back in my head. The last name of this family is Baker, yet both parents labor under some sort of Yiddish/Eastern European accent that is supposed to be hilarious, while the Sinatra character is a slick, tight panted Italian type playboy. More like a zoo than a family. I won't watch this again.

bfm_1017 I really like this movie, but I like Frank too. Sinatra had some really good movies, and some not so hot, but fun to watch like this one. Anyone who doesn't get this movie is a square. It's fantasy, it's light comedy, it's fun, and it's free. Hard to swallow Dan Blocker as someone other than Hoss, and I love the women in this one. When I was 10 and watched this, I used to think this was real life, and I couldn't wait to be just like Frank. Of course, I'm a little smarter now, but I still wish my young adulthood had had this kind of time, even once. So, the movie substitutes nicely, just like the Elvis movies do. Instead of the "swinging bachelor" life, I am married 30 years with grown kids, and quite happy. I think also having an older brother and younger brothers gives me a neat perspective on this film. Not reality, not meant to be. I also love anything New York, like the waiter who delivers the peas and potatoes because "they come with the meal." Now THAT'S New York customer service at it's best. Just a great evening watching a fun movie. Sinatra in many of his movies, kept his rat pack persona on display. Sinatra was one of a kind. Then again, so was Dean Martin, Sammy, and some of the other "cool cats". Sinatra did quite well. Not bad for a kid from Hoboken.

stevenpwyner The movie truly stinks. Not much better than an Elvis cookie cutter film of the same period. One wonders what Frank was thinking coming off Manchurien Candidate, Some Came Running, Joker is Wild, Man with the Golden Gun etc. It would only appeal to a loyal FS fan such as myself. The movie appears to be a remake of Frank's earlier "Tender Trap" of the late fifties. The concept really did not need to be revisited in 1963. Regarding the previous reviewer's comments about Frank's hat and coat in the era of the Stones, the Stones hadn't happened yet, in America. Kennedy was still alive. The British invasion was still months away when the film was released. So Frank's outfit was still in vogue for a swinging single of the early 60's. Further, Frank was not 51. He was born in 1915. Try 48. He still lacked credibility as the swinging 39 year old with a 21 year old brother. Perhaps a better lead for the movie would have been Robert Wagner or even Steve McQueen. Later