Review of Lover Come Back (1961) by Paul W — 31 Aug 2009

When one goes to see a romantic comedy, he knows exactly what to expect. A man and woman meet in a contrived or accidental (sometimes both) way, one of them holds some significant secret from the other which drives the film, through some occurrence the secret is revealed(usually because of the stupidity or ignorance of an out-of-the-loop mutual friend,) they end up despising each other, and then finally through some miraculous event they end up being together (typically getting married) in the end. This is the tried and true formula by which a successful romantic comedy operates, whether it is in a 1961 Doris Day-Rock Hudson picture (Lover Come Back) or 2003 Matthew McConaughey romantic comedy (How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.).

Each film is equally generic in structure; however, the significant difference between these films, which are often overlooked by the casual audience, is the writing. A running joke throughout the film, two tourists (one of which played by Jack Albertson of "Willy Wonka" fame) continually catch Jerry Webster (Rock Hudson) in a suggestive pose with a different woman each time. They continually make quips about Jerry's playboy persona and his "exuberant masculinity." Such comments as "He's the last guy in the world I woulda' figured," in regards to Hudson leaving his apartment with Day wearing only a mink coat, are not only humorous but also witty, while they play off the fact that Hudson was a closeted homosexual. This is a technique that was used throughout Hudson's career by Hollywood executives, directors and screenwriters, and because of the Production Code, mention of his homosexuality was forbidden. The result was much more clever and artistic writing that is rarely seen in the dry romantic comedy genre today.

Although well-written, "Lover Come Back" is a romantic comedy, following the strictures of the Production Code and the romantic comedy genre, and that is where it fails. The majority of the films follow an advertising battle between rivals Jerry and Carol Templeton (who for being said rivals have surprisingly never met, huh.) Carol tries to report Jerry for unethically business practices after Jerry pampers a rival client, taking him to essentially what amounts to a strip club, getting him drunk on his favorite liquor, and revealing his apparent six degrees of separation to the client. If one were in advertising, one would appeal to a client in exactly this manner. This scene highlights Hudson's disdain for alcohol and women, as he rolls his eyes when he must have a drink. And continually throughout the film, Hudson is trying to escape women as in the first scene of the film when we are introduced to the tourist's running masculinity joke.

After, Hudson must pose as a fictional client searching for an ad agency. Carol, in fear of losing the client to Jerry's firm, becomes involved with the potential client falling in "love" with him (who is actually Jerry in a beard.) She discovers he's not actually who she thinks, they hate each other a bit, they get drunk, sleep together (luckily they were drunk and don't remember getting married, but annul the marriage because they don't love each other,) and finally Jerry realizes that he loves her and she him. So, they get married again as Carol is about to have a baby.

This generic example of plot would barely waver over the years, which restricts the quality of romantic comedies; however, during the Production Code, these the limitations of the genre as well as the limitations of the Production Code would force creators to be more artistic and creative to make a successful film (which unfortunately was all that they were concerned with.).