Customer Reviews

That Funny Feeling

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

"That Funny Feeling," starring Sandra Dee & Bobby Darin, is a wonderfully entertaining movie. The plot of the movie is about a struggling actress (Dee) who is embarrassed of where her and her room-mate live, so instead of allowing the man (Darin),who claims to be an interior decorator, she keeps running into to take her home, she takes him to the apartment that she cleans daily, because she is under the impression that the owner will be out of town for a week, not knowing that the man she met was the owner!
The movie is filled with comedy(!), especially Donald O'Connor as Bobby Darin's neurotic boss/best friend. Nita Talbot also stars as Sandra Dee's room-mate. After 39 years since it's theatrical release and of never being released on VHS, "That Funny Feeling" is finally coming to DVD. It was worth the wait.

This is a funny movie. Sandra Dee plays a maid who meets a man (Bobby Darrin)that she falls in love with, but she doesn't want him to see her small apartment when he takes her home, so she decides to have him take her home to one of the apartments that she cleans. And unbeknownst to her he is the owner of the apartment. and it ends up in hilarity. Donald O' Connor stars as Bobby Darrin's boss. And he is a laugh a minnute. He is divorcing his wife and he has a lot of valuable paintings in Bobby Darrin's apartment, and he keeps on worrying that Sandra Dee might steal them. And the whole cast is just superb. And Rita Shaw's cameo is so funny, as the lady who says that Bobby Darrin stole her dime. Great movie. And also Bobby Darrin does a great job singing the theme song of the movie.

Universal clearly was looking for the next Doris Day-Rock Hudson pairing when they cast Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin in this delightful, featherweight bedroom comedy. Of course, neither has the talent or charisma of Day and Hudson, but a witty script, terrific supporting cast, and nice production values make THIS FUNNY FEELING a winner! Sandra Dee is more at ease before the camera than is Darin, but that's okay because Darin pulls it off and also provides the film's jaunty score. For delightful fun, THIS FUNNY FEELING delivers!

I don't for the life of me understand why critics have been so negative toward this film. It is a jewel of a movie, a romantic comedy that succeeds in both areas.

This was the last film that the late former married couple, Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin made together, and it is one of their best.

Joan Howell (Dee, adorable as always) is a struggling actress who works as a maid-for-hire. Tom Milford (Darin, handsome and charming)is a playboy business man. They seem to have little in common, except for the fact that Joan cleans his apartment (of which they are both unaware). After several run-ins (literally) the pair decide to go on a date. Humilated at the thought of taking him back to her cramped apartment which she shares with her wisecracking roommate, Audrey (the hilarious Nita Talbot), she decides to pretend that the apartment she is cleaning is her place, but what she doesn't realize is that it is Tom's apartment!!! Things escalate from there as a bewildered Tom goes along with her, all the while driving his poor harassed boss Harvey Granson (the one and only Donald O'Connor)insane, as he desperately wants to retrieve his priceless (but ugly) paintings from Tom's home. Of course, Joan discovers his deception and wants to get even, although she has fallen in love with him, and he has fallen in love with her. Wonderfully comedic complications and consequences take place.

Larry Storch is priceless as Joan and Audrey's scrappy neighbor Luther, and Leo G. Carroll has a nice role as the owner of a pawnshop. James Westerfield nearly steals the show as a cop that Tom continually runs into, Robert Strauss and Ben Lessy are hysterical as two middle-aged bartenders with very vast imaginations, and Reta Shaw has a funny little bit as a miffed old lady.

All in all, irresistible romantic fun!!! The title tune alone (written and performed by Darin) is in a class all by itself!!! Tons of fun, don't pass it up!!!!!

After enjoying "Beyond The Sea", Kevin Spacey's fantasy biopic about Bobby Darin, I decided to check out an actual Bobby Darin/Sandra Dee movie. Breezy, polished, and smartly humorous (at least for a Doris Day/Rock Hudson-style 60's comedy), "That Funny Feeling" is a lot of fun and well worth seeing.

Interestingly, I found Sandra Dee to have much more natural movie presence and acting chops than Mr. Darin, at least in this movie. I say "interestingly" because, in Mr. Spacey's movie, Bobby Darin is portrayed as sometimes being embarrassed about dating (and later marrying) Sandra Dee instead of a "real" actress "up" to his talent level: "Warren Beatty shows up at the Oscars with Leslie Caron and I'm stuck with Gidget!". Being a big Darin fan, I know that we was nominated for a best supporting actor Oscar and he was no slouch in the acting department himself, but I think he probably should have had a bit more appreciation for the talent needed to bring off a successful light and breezy comic acting style, too.

In any event, this is an enjoyable romp with lots of great lines and wonderful supporting performances. And take a second to notice Albert Whitlock's beautiful backdrops of the New York City skyline. Lushly romantic, the backdrops make you glad they actually filmed the movie on a California studio backlot, because it created the need for Mr. Whitlock's excellent background matte work to place us in 60's New York. Those artful backdrops help set the romantic tone of the film better than the actual skyline ever could!

Another fun-filled Darrin and Dee comedy (see When a Man Answers)makes for en anjoyable couple of hours. Nita Talbot provides great suport as Dee's roomie. If you like the DOris and Rock films, add these to your list.

That Funny Feeling is a cute, lighthearted movie starring Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin. Don't expect an Oscar preformance but still it's a nice comedy that will make you smile. They play Joan Howell and Tom Milford who literly keep running into each other. They first meet at a news stand by Tom's apartment and he falls into her knocking her down. He helps her up and they go about their way. There is a police officer played by James Westerfield that has some of the best lines in the movie. He's seen throughout the movie sort of showing up at Tom's worst moments. Unbeknownst to Tom, Joans the woman who cleans his apartment. She is trying to make it as an actress and works for a cleaning service to pay the bills. He goes onto work where we learn he's a playboy and very fond of throwing parties with partriotic themes. He mentions a party he's throwing that night to celebrate the 78th anniversary of the unvaling of The Statue of Liberty. That happend in Oct. 1886. His boss/best friend (Donold O'Connor) tells him he's to go out of town for a week. The next day he tapes a note to a five foot high Statue of Liberty to let his cleaning lady know he'll be gone. The second time they meet, he trips over her round suitcase at the same newstand. The third time they're riding in taxies that hit each other. They get out, realize the gods are trying to tell them something and duck into a bar for a drink. He tries to find out what she does for a living and she won't tell. He offers to take her home. She tells (another) taxi driver her address and he coments on how funny it is that they live in the same neighborhood. Because she doesn't want to take him to her tiny little apartment which she shares with fellow actress want to be Audrey (Nita Talbot) she ends up taking Tom to his own apartment and claiming it's hers. She figures since the owner is out of town there's no harm. But his trip gets cancelled and he doesn't stop her lie. So he moves in with his boss/best friend Harvey Granson (Donald O'Connor) and starts to date Joan to find out why and how she's in his apartment. Harvey has problems of his own because he's going through a divorce and is hiding expensive paintings at Toms so his wife can't get them. He thinks she's a thief after the paintings. In the meantime, Joan moves into Tom's apartment and her roomate comes along to help Joan and take a vacation from their two room doll house. Their friend, fellow actor and neighbor Luther (Larry Stortch) also tags along leaving Tom to really wonder whats going on. As for Luther you never really know if he's gay or straight. But it's the 60's, they can't tell you. Joan decides to redecorate because Tom claims he's a decorator and she thinks his apartment is too masculine. She also doesn't like the paintings and suggests she may sell them and that puts Harvey in a tailspin. She pawns all Toms suites ( the paintings are safe) with Mr O'Shea (Leo G Carroll) who gets the idea she's pregnant and the father has run off. At one point Joan invites Tom over for a duck dinner. She and Audrey try their best to cook a duck and end up setting the kitchen on fire. While she's out getting a dinner, Tom goes into his apartment bedroom to see if all of his things are still there. (including the paintings) A man from the cleaners comes to his door (only in 1960's New York) and Tom decides to get his suite dry cleaned since it's the only one he's worn for a week. It's only after he's given his suites to the cleaners that he checks his closet for others suites and see's they're gone. Then Joan comes home,The only thing he can find to wear to cover up his boxers and shirt is a winter coat. He escapes by the fire escape to go call the dry cleaner man back with his suite. He goes across the street from his apartment to a phone booth, jumps inside and takes a dime from a lady who was going to use the phone. While he calls a hilarious scene erupts with the lady yelling at him and passer bys asking whats going on and the whole thing gets blown out of proportion. The police get involved and before he gets hauled away, his suite comes. Tom is the first to learn Joan's I.D. and decides he's flattered she'd go to all the trouble to impress him. When she learns his I.D. from Mr O'Shea she's madder then mad and decides to get even with him. The result is funny but a little old fashion, remember though this picture was made in 1964 and released in August of 1965. Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin were a good match on screen. Maybe because the were married and knew each other well it works. The outcome is predictable (except for Mr O'Shea) but it's 1960's comedy. Would you expect any less? Sandra Dee is cute, cunning and her fashions are great. Nita is the wise cracking friend who knows more because she's done more but a good friend none the less. Donald O'Connor is his nervous funny self and a delight to see. I recommend this movie and it's one the kids can watch if they're interested. There are hints at sexuallity but only kisses between Tom and Joan. Bobby Darin wrote and preformed the title song and it's a finger snapper as only Bobby Darin could produce. Lighthearted, funny, good weeknight or weekend stay at home movie to curl up with and remember when romance was in style.

If you're a fan of Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee or of the "Tammy" movies, this is a must-see. While Sandra Dee's character is cute, the true comedy is in Bobby Darin's character and the messes he stumbles into.

This is one of those fun old movies that you don't have to think to much about when you watch it. Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin are not Doris Day and Rock Hudson but then who is. This movie is still very enjoyable.

My second favorite of the three Darin/Dee comedies, and the last one they filmed. Obviously not Shakespear, but cute premise and good supporting cast, and great chemistry between the two leads. Esp good is Donald O'Connor, one of Darin's real life heros. It's great to see them work together.

It also demonstrates that Darin's considerable songwriting talent peaked when he was commissioned to write a song for a specific context, as occured in many of his movies. The resulting theme song here, That Funny Feeling, is really wonderful and infectious.

Recommended for fans of Darin, Dee, or just fans of goofy romantic comedies in general.