‘Move Over, Darling’ or — How Bigamy?
Nick Arden (James Garner) is in a good mood. He is about to have his wife, Ellen (Doris Day), declared ‘legally dead’. She has been missing at sea for five years, after all. This means Nick is now free marry his new fiancée, Bianca (Polly Bergen), with whom he can now start a new life.
Yet just before these newlyweds can consummate their union on their honeymoon, Ellen pops back up alive and well. Turns out she’d been stranded on a remote tropical island for the last five years and would very much like her husband back, preferably before that eagerly awaited consummation.
Obviously Nick’s delighted to see Ellen is still alive, yet how can he tell his new wife that she’s no longer the only Mrs. Arden? And when it transpires that Ellen might not have been completely alone on that desert island, if you know what I mean, then things get REALLY complicated.
‘Move Over, Darling’ (1963) is a remake of the screwball classic ‘My Favourite Wife’ (1940) with both films being great examples of what was called the “comedy of re-marriage” where, essentially, a husband and wife learn to fall in love with each other all over again. It’s a sort of ‘have your cake and eat it’ kinda thing in that it allows for a conservative, happy ending where monogamy reigns supreme but, along the way, all sorts of naughtiness can be indulged in and hinted at… just as long as nothing actually happens, that is. Infidelity is a sin after all, but everyone knows how much fun committing sin can be. Even Doris Day isn’t immune from that!
So if this is a remake, and a nicely self-aware one at that (the film itself even mentions this fact at one point), then what is it bringing, if anything, that’s new or different to proceedings? The original starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunne was never in any desperate need of improvement so why bother with this at all?
Superficially it’s the widescreen Technicolor that’s the initial pull because this is one vibrantly gorgeous movie with a colour palette that’s a kaleidoscope of candy pinks, flaming reds, emerald greens and hyperreal blues. Personally speaking I’ve never been to Monterey Bay but if the real thing looks anything like the chromatic insanity that Day and Garner are standing in front of on that balcony then I’ll eat my panama hat.
This heightened unreality is further enhanced by some incredibly flamboyant production design as the Arden’s family abode appears to be a Beverley Hill’s mansion that would put Liberace’s to shame in terms of unrestrained opulence. In fact, practically every aspect of ‘Move Over, Darling’ has been ramped-up and inflated to a dizzying degree although this could be to act as a sweetener, or distraction, to all the sexual shenanigans at play. What were watching can’t be THAT filthy if it looks so refined, right?
Of course ‘Move Over, Darling’ is all about the allure of misbehaving (it’s right there in the title and the opening song’s lyrics!) and Lionel Newman’s energetically aroused score hammers this home, veering from swooningly coquettish romantic flutterings to full-on, lusting bursts of sexually dynamic orchestral runs which keeps the overall momentum suitably thrusting forward.
The film has several flaws but most are forgivable. The direction is less of a deft, light touch than a frenzied molestation of the audience as though director Michael Gordon is attempting to tickle us into submission to induce laughter, and the film frequently tries too hard with Day’s somewhat toe-curling scene as a Swedish masseuse being a prime culprit. Thankfully most of these scenes are mercifully short meaning the movie never plunges into the realms of being explicitly grating.
Day herself is a pleasure to watch, Polly Bergen makes for a suitably irritating new bride (she can’t be TOO sympathetic because, let’s face it, she’ll be the one getting the boot by the end because those kids aren’t hers) whilst Thelma Ritter and Chuck Conners offer game support. Although it’s James Garner who delivers the most enjoyable performance as the heart-tied, semi-spineless dolt thrust into the middle of this predicament and demonstrating a nice capacity for threatened male sexuality.
‘Move Over, Darling’ isn’t as brisk, balanced or beautifully handled as the original but it’s a fun, sporadically entertaining and frequently funny watch that glows with early Sixties optimism and cinematic lustre. It’s got a wonderful look, a great score and might just be favourite pairing of Day and Garner. Take my advice and check it out and there’s no need to thank me because, and I’m sure you’ll agree, that’s really quite bigamy.
