Pillow Talk

[dayniac]

Yep---- Thats the girl that was wearing the outfit. I just thought that was odd that Doris would take publicity photos in an outfit worn by someone else in the movie.

I love that second picture of Doris and Rock also -- I had it for my background for awhile too !!

[Jas1]

Nice to see Pillow Talk made the critics list of the top 20 most romantic films of all time in a recent issue of the Times. It was up there [rightly] with the likes of Casablanca, The Way we Were, Love Story, Gone with the Wind etc.

[dayniac]

That is fantastic to hear. It really is up there with those you mentioned. One of the best things about it to me is the chemistry between Doris and Rock. They were just perfect together. I think she had close to the same feeling with Garner but -- it was better with Rock.
I love the crying scene with Tony driving back from the cabin. She was so good ! As Tony said in an interview - she could do anything the director asked her to do. And she thought it was easy.
What a talent.

[ray]

It must have made Rock a little uncomfortable with the gay humor in Pillow Talk. Hollywood knew of Rock in 1959, before the public did and looking back its like they were outing him in a coy manner. Glad Pillow Talk made that list. Was it the AFI for this year? Pillow Talk is a classic and grows more interesting each passing year. Like it or not, this film will be remembered for it touched on something that can never be duplicated and helped make Doris the number one box office champ of all time and also got her an Oscar nomination.

[John M]

That is GREAT to hear! It deserves to be recognized for the absolute classic it is. I've seen it play in packed houses here in LA over the past 2 decades, and it always plays like gang-busters. And current generations are able to see without knowing anything about the whole "virginity" fallacy.

[ray]

The whole virgin thing was created to try and discredit Doris and her huge talent, but it didn't work! Doris shines through all that!

[Karl King]

I've got an technical observation about "Pillow Talk" The tech crew and director must have had a good time in one particular shot. The previous inside shot was typically tunsgsten-lit (3200 kelvin). And it was when Doris and Rock first realized they were really in love. Then the door opens the the outside has an amber color shift! Obviously a metaphor for love.

The Doris and Rock movies were superb. It is so sad the way Rock's life ended. He had it all. Alas!

[suzie]

Karl,Its so nice to have you on the forum.I take it your in or have been in the movie bussiness. ITs great to hear about the tech side of movies.You have a very keen eye on all that stuff and its wonderful of you to share that with us. Im afraid I only see what the director wants me to see lol.
I must pay much better attention to the technical side as ive always loved that sort of thing.I was once at universal studios and loved watching the way they could put their magic togeather. Thanks again and I look forward to hearing more cool inside info from a pro.

[ray]

Its a shame Rock Hudson is not mentioned much about his acting contributions since his death over twenty two years ago. He was a big star in a time that can never be recreated. Nor can that Doris and Rock combo, it was real movie magic!

[dayniac]

We just watched Pillow Talk. Any US folk with comcast cable - its featured as one of the free on demand movies. That's nice to see. Might introduce her to people not aware of her movies. My husband said I've got him convinced that Doris is fantastic....in acting and singing. He's a complete fan now ! I always enjoy watching this movie. She looked marvelous !

[BabeWilliams]

Amen, and Amen... LOVE this movie... Doris Day and Rock Hudson act so well together... by the end of the movie, I was pulling for Doris to forgive Rock so they'd end up together again... I loved Thelma Ritter in this movie too!!! She was such a great actress. It's too bad actors and actresses have to get old to... We should give them youth tonic or something to keep them young forever. Maybe we could keep them in a shoebox... well a REALLY BIG one anyway... lol Doris Day is such a delight and I'm so glad that she had the profession she did. Just imagine a world without Doris Day... scary isn't it?!?

[miss maxwell]

Just realized I haven't commented on my favorite DOris Day movie...
That's my fourth "excellent" and the one I'm most enthusiastic
about! This movie's just divine. From its two stars to its faaantastic
supporting cast, from the score to the sets and costumes, from Jonathan
slapping Jan to Mrs Walters' hysterical "Tooonyyy" that has me in
stitches every time. Pure magic - and a well deserved Oscar nod
for Doris.


A few pics - Doris & Marty Melcher celebrating their wedding anniversay
on the set of PT in the last pic.

[joe t.]

What's interesting about the cake Doris and Marty are sharing on their 8th anniversary (and also Doris' birthday) is that, across the top of the cake is written "Any Way the Wind Blows".

This photo was taken on the set of "Pillow Talk". The working title of the film was originally "Any Way the Wind Blows" but the producer, Ross Hunter, insisted on changing it to "Pillow Talk" probably to the dismay of Marty Melcher who was publishing the song "Any Way the Wind Blows" which he eventually got shoe-horned into Doris' next movie "Please Don't Eat the Daisies".

[puck]

These are one of my favorite photos of Doris with Rock Hudson.

[Jas1]

Great pics, thanks for posting.

[Doris Martin]

I have not watch Pillow talk for some time, but....tonight I thought I give it a go....Marvalleous idea....Doris is ....can not find words.....excellent. She is wonderfull. I love her. Montserrat

[Heatherlicious]

I love all the pillow talk photos! Many I haven't seen before! There is just something so "feel good" about this movie, it's definitely one of my favorite Doris "pick-me-up" movies.

And my mother is getting very angry that I've had it in my possession for so long this year, with about 10 other Doris movies...

Whoops!

[Jas1]

Pillow Talk is ALWAYS my number one DD film. Although a lot of others come very close.

[Erica_R_Stone]

I enjoyed this movie very much. It was my second Doris Day movie to see. (TTOM being first) I thought they did pretty much everything right. (of course in hindsight I'm sure they would have done more had they known...)

Doris Day is divine in this movie. You can tell she is very comfortable with Rock Hudson. (I have a theory about her leading men) Thelma Ritter is great as the alcoholic housekeeper. Tony Randall does well trying to win Doris Day over. I love the scene where he tells her they haven't even kissed and then proceeds to kiss her. Her eyes are down and when she sweeps her eyes up to his face, it is great acting. It says, "look I let you kiss me, when I would have slapped anyone else, and I'm not going to say anything but by the look in my eyes you know, that kiss did nothing for me". (yeah it says all that)

It was designed as light romantic comedy and it succeeded. I love the way Doris Day sells you sexiness without ever taking you between the sheets. Ah the imagination, it is a great thing.

[ellenarden]

I can't add much more than has already been said. I think this is a very classy, snappy movie. I got lucky last week on vacation, it was raining one morning and AMC showed this picture, just after showing Lover Come Back. I also realized that we had three TVs in our condo and all three had this movie showing.

BTW, I found this video on Youtube and think it's absolutely adorable.

[Pam]

Absolutely Wonderful! Comcast today, is now showing one of " Our" favorite Doris's movies.. "Pillowtalk".....on AMC!
The family is all enjoying watching today "Our" Doris! Hope that you were able to enjoy "Pillowtalk"


My Best To All ~ Pam

[mikeydv]

Just one more time that Doris deserved an Oscar and did not get it...at least she DID get the nomination! My 2nd favorite of her comedies..I thought LOVER COME BACK was a funnier movie.

[suzie]

Just one more time that Doris deserved an Oscar and did not get it...at least she DID get the nomination! My 2nd favorite of her comedies..I thought LOVER COME BACK was a funnier movie.

Yes , Mike I agree LCB was very funny, and my favorite. Pillow Talk was and always will be one of my very favorites. Great movie. Pam , Iturned it on just in time to see the end credits ,but thats okay as I own a copy of it, but I still love to watch it on television.

[pillowtalk]

Funny, my grandma called me this morning while I was sitting there watching Pillow Talk, and when I asked her what she was doing, she said that she was watching Pillow Talk. I thought it was funny. Pillow Talk is my favorite movie.

[webmaster]

They showed Pillow Talk on TV here recently - it still seemed very fresh, although it did occur to me this time that Doris' character could have been a bit more 'forgiving' at the end and accepted 'Brad's' declaration of love rather than go through that (somewhat spiteful?) lengthy and expensive 're-decoration' of his apartment into a harem! Yeah, I know it was only a film.

Nice Review:

In 1959, when Pillow Talk was made, Day was at the height of her creative powers and oh, how her star did shine! The film, a blatant attempt to pair the #1 Box Office Female (Day) with the #1 Box Office Male (Rock Hudson) in a sex romp, is plain, unadulterated fun. From the happy-clap of the opening credits — all bubble bath pink and pajama pretty — to the daring (for its time) finale, Pillow Talk sizzles with wit, what used to be called ‘pizazz’, and with producer Ross Hunter’s trademark taste, elegance and style.

http://brattleblog.brattlefilm.org/?p=356

[Jas1]

Bryan - it's different how people perceive things - I think the worst wrong was Brad's deceit of Jan - even though he did [obviously] grow to love her! I know- only a film but my sympathy is with Jan - and jealously - with Brad [for getting her]!

[littlepinetree]

I just got finished watching this movie. It was very entertaining, and really enjoyed it! This is one I would buy the DVD.
Someone said that there were no party lines after 1959. Not true. I think it depended on the area where you live! As late as the mid 70's I had a party line living in Boston! I was young, and needed to save money.
I remember that briefly, my parents in the 1960's had a party line, then switched to a regular phone line.
So cute that this movie is written around a party phone line!
Loved this movie!

[pillowtalk]

http://brattleblog.brattlefilm.org/?p=356

That is a very nice review!! I liked it a lot.

[Theodomus]

although it did occur to me this time that Doris' character could have been a bit more 'forgiving' at the end and accepted 'Brad's' declaration of love rather than...

Never, Bryan - I little suffering is a must...

[webmaster]

I was just reading my postscript to Ralph McKnight's excellent review of "Pillow Talk"

Including the amusing comment:
"Doris Day gave a highly professional and spirited performance. Audiences were laughing so loudly that they didn't catch her periodic overacting which becomes more obvious after you've seen the film a dozen times over the years. Overall, however, it garnered for her the well-deserved Oscar nomination as Best Actress. And, even today, younger people who first see this picture fall in love with Miss Day."
http://www.dorisday.net/pillow_talk.html




"It's difficult now to imagine the excitement that "Pillow Talk" generated when it was first shown. Doris Day and Rock Hudson were both huge stars at the time and the film was risky and groundbreaking for both of them. For Hudson, his career had reached a plateau playing strong silent (humourless) types and he needed to expand his male-lead repertoire before audiences got bored. For Day, then 35, musicals were loosing their popularity and she also needed a new direction.

And what a direction! Don't forget that of the three films she made before "Pillow Talk", two were in black and white ("Teacher's Pet" and "The Tunnel of Love). The other 1959 film, "It Happened to Jane" was very much in the Doris Day stereotype – a feisty young woman standing up for her rights against all the odds. So audiences were unprepared for both the glamorously transformed Day, and the sexy titillating story - not to mention Rock Hudson doing romantic comedy.

Producer Ross Hunter, who persuaded her to play the role, claimed he was responsible for "taking Doris Day out of the kitchen and into the bedroom". Of course, today it's not a 'politically correct' movie with lines like "If there's anything worse than a woman living alone, it's a woman saying she likes it" – Thelma Ritter to Doris Day.

However, as a product of the late fifties, it was perfect and gave the careers of both stars a tremendous boost. The film was one of Universal's three biggest money-makers that year. Top was "Operation Petticoat" ($18.6m), followed by "Pillow Talk" ($15m) and "Imitation of Life" ($13m)."
Bryan James, webmaster

PS. I think "Pillow Talk" will have far outstripped "Operation Petticoat" by now with DVD sales etc