A delightful trip to early 1960's suburbia
For those of us who were around in the late fifties and early sixities, this walk down memory lane movie evokes a longing to be living back in those times again.The plot deals with Hope and Turner meeting in a new tract housing development in California. Who can forget these housing developments that sprang up, not only in California but near every major city in the United States.
The new fashion was sprawling ranch style houses replete with built-in appliances, wall phones, pecky Cypress paneling and walls of sliding glass doors--to "bring the outdoors in".
This "California" style housing became popular around the country in the early sixties and I lived in one. Few today can imagine the excitement that came, back then, moving into one of these wonder homes with double front doors and all the modern conveniences. In the early sixties such time saving high-brow devices, as the garbage disposal and the dishwasher, were years away from becoming the norm for middle class America. Having them raised you up one notch on the social ladder.
For those not fortunate to have lived in the early sixties, this movie is a delightful and uncanningly accurate reflection of the times.
It's not a great movie, but then again, it's not trying to cure cancer. It is what it is meant to be, a pleasant and enjoyable battle of the sexes comedy. Doris Day could easily have been interchanged with Lana Turner in this middle class farce.
Bob hopes delightful quipping is ever present. No one else can deliver snappy asides like Hope. The meaning behind his subtle wise-crack remarks are largely lost on todays younger viewers.
As other reviewers have stated, watching this film leaves us who lived in the sixties greatly longing for these days past.
Color television was new and exciting, as were modern built in appliances, and spacious rambling ranch homes with California architecture were the dream homes of the middle class.
You can just see the family gathering in the living room of one of these homes, around the new color TV, to watch the most recent space launching from Cape Canaveral.
And that is exactly what we did.
If you lived in the sixties, definitely get a copy of this film. Be prepared for waves of long forgotten memories to come flooding back. Waves of nostalgia will make you wish for those simpler, happy days again.
If you never lived in the sixties, then by all means, you need to watch Bachelor in Paradise for a time travel trip to the past to watch and experience a unique time in our history.
score 7/10
barry-woods 29 July 2012
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2651368/34961
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