Review #45: 'Pillow Talk' (1959)

Jan Morrow (Doris Day) is a successful interior designer living in her cushy New York apartment, apparently content with her single life. Unfortunately for her, she shares a party line (a shared phone line) with composer and serial ladies man Brad Allen (Rock Hudson), and whenever she needs to make a call, she is always caught up in his crooning seduction technique which he tries on all the ladies. His arrogant playboy attitude riles Jan and she seeks to have the party line ended. Jan is also being wooed by millionaire client Jonathan Forbes (Tony Randall), who, unbeknownst to her, is Brad’s friend and business associate. After hearing about Jonathan’s infatuation with Jan, who Brad has never met, and after coincidentally coming across her in a bar, he adopts a fake Texan accent and backstory, and seduces Jan. Aiming to teach her a lesson, it’s only a matter of time before his cover is blown and the possibility that he may just fall in love with her.

The sight of Doris Day and Rock Hudson, with their squeaky-clean personas and rather smug characters, is usually enough to induce vomiting. However, in Pillow Talk, the first time I’ve seen the two together in one of their now-celebrated rom-com partnerships, I found them, and the film, a delight. Okay, so Doris Day is a tad annoying, but Rock Hudson is in great form here. Playing dual roles, he has the appeal to make his really quite nasty and obnoxious character still likeable. Tony Randall, always a reliable supporting character, is great fun too.

Modern-day romantic comedies should take notes from this on how to create a film with actual chemistry between the two leads, a witty script, and genuine charm. It has been attempted with films such as Down With Love (2003) and the Coen brothers’ Intolerable Cruelty (2003), but have ultimately failed to hit the mark. The film is also tightly directed by Michael Gordon, who maintains a snappy pace throughout.


Directed by: Michael Gordon
Starring: Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Tony Randall
Country: USA

Rating: ****

Tom Gillespie