I just saw this film on late nite cable but missed a portion. What became of Dollye Daly, the red-head from the penny arcade? How did she fall out of favor with Eddie's father?
shareShe didn't. He introduced her to Jerry Van Dyke's (the DJ) character, they fell in love and got married.
share[deleted]
Since he didn't date her, I was wondering what was the point of her character? To fill time?
Just so she could do a drum solo?
Which she did, by the way. Another bizarre part.
Since he didn't date her, I was wondering what was the point of her character? To fill time?
Heck no, Stella Stevens was a hot property at the time, everybody wanted to work with her. You have to be kidding, the casting couch! Your first point makes sense.
Also I think it would be a more dull movie if you only had the two women. It makes the whole thing too much of a polarity, good girl vs. bad girl. This is Vincente Minnelli we're talking about, so the good girl has some bad aspects and the bad girl has some good aspects. If you only have one good girl and one bad girl, the whole thing is too obvious. So you have Dolly Daily, a gal who's not a bad girl at all but who's not exactly perfect for a guy like Tom either. But she was very good for this other guy, who never met a girl who really captivated him that way. So I think in that sense it showed that even though people are very individual and unique, there's probably somebody out there who would be a good match for them. That's pretty close to the themes of the movie I think. The Dolly romance with the DJ sets off all the other relationships in the movie because it goes off so smoothly, also.
Did I not love him, Cooch? MY OWN FLESH I DIDN'T LOVE BETTER!!! But he had to say 'Nooooooooo'
Thanks for making more sense than previous posts. Stella's character is there as another one of the women Eddie seeks for his father (the first), and ends up being 'useful' in the script as the one Jerry Van Dyke ends up with, provides great comic relief, and a decent friend and good person Ford meets along his journey. Would it have made sense for Glenn Ford to go right from the beginning, into meeting Dina Merrill? We have a movie to tell here after all, and we can't cut out all supporting characters simply because they don't serve the finale. I love Stella's character, and how she brings out the kindness of Eddie's father, BEFORE he is ready to move on.
shareAnyone notice how they had a blonde, brunette and a redhead to temp the new bachelor? Whatsmore, Dina was usually blonde as well a Stella. I'm sure the story was written that way. After all it is based on a novel.
Stella Stevens was under contract to Paramount at the time and loaned out to MGM. Good for her and the movie. It is one of her earliest chances to do comedy and she was great. She's even funnier in The Silencers three years later for Columbia.
Anyone notice how they had a blonde, brunette and a redhead to temp the new bachelor?
that famous trio:blonde brunette and redhead as in...
The Pleasure Seekers
Valley of the Dolls
The Best of Everything
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
The Wrecking Crew
She was the icebreaker. After they had dinner together, it helped Eddie's father realize that seeing other women was a positive thing, and not necessarily disloyalty to his wife.
"Why do you find it so hard to believe?"
"Why do you find it so easy?"
"It's never BEEN easy!"
The movie was about the pitfalls of a widower reentering the dating scene. He met a bimbo, a society snob, and a divorcee who was great with children.
shareI loved her playing the drums! That was great! She was also great in the Nutty Professor, IMO an underestimated film. Lewis' take on Sinatra was awesome and acid. I couldn't possibly have understood it as a kid. How many adults saw it at the time?
shareIn the '50s and '60s a lot of adults went to Jerry Lewis movies. They were filled with slapstick as well as more sophisticated humor to appeal to kids and grownups.
share