Review of Critic's Choice (1963) by Jennifer B — 30 Jun 2007

[size=2]This movie is not going to knock anyone?s socks off. I was enjoyable for the most part. A light comedy that was first a Broadway Show that made it to the big screen.

You can tell it was most likely very good on the Broadway Stage, but it just missed a little for me.

One thing that sticks in my mind is Parker Ballentine (Bob Hope) has a son John from a previous marriage. Early in the movie at breakfast he (the son John) says to Angela Ballentine (Lucille Ball) The reason you can?t have any children is psychosomatic. His friend told him that because, well his father already had a child John is proof of that and Angela well she has wide hips so there is no visible reason she could not have children. That Angela is just afraid that she and his father would not produce as good looking child as John since his mother is an actress and very beautiful. Where Angela is just a housewife and not all that good looking.

This seemed like a lot to come from a child that looked about to be eight or ten years of age. Throughout the movie Parker his father, Angela his step mother and I can?t remember his mother?s name never really acted much like a parent. When his mother does show up in the movie you think who is this person and how could a mother care so little for her child?

Oh well if I was to make this movie at the time I think the part of John could had worked much better as just a neighbor played by Tony Randell. He could had said most of the same lines and they would not had felt that out of place.

So it was an enjoyable movie but nothing groundbreaking. If you like Bob Hope or Lucille Ball you will find the movie entertaining and well that is what you want a movie to be right.

NOTE: You can find this movie on DVD and in a box set of Lucille Ball Movies called ?Lucille Ball Film Collection?.

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