The Moon Is Blue (1953) Directed by Otto Preminger
Comedy / Romance
Film Review
The Moon Is Blue is one of
director Otto Preminger's few excursions into comedy, an unusual
departure for a director who is better known for his stylish films
noirs such as Laura (1944) and prestigious
contemporary dramas like Advise and Consent
(1962). The film enjoyed a certain notoriety when it was
originally released without the approval of the Hollywood censors
(Preminger refused categorically to remove such offensive words as
'virgin' and 'pregnant'), and consequently became a box office
hit. The film's enormous popularity had far-reaching implications
- an almost immediate relaxation of the Production Code and a far more relaxed
approach when it came to references to sex in films from the mid-1950s
onwards.
Although The Moon Is Blue was
groundbreaking in its day (no other mainstream American film had dared
to talk about sex so casually and honestly), it now appears hopelessly
dated. It would doubtless have been all but forgotten by now were
it not for the fact that it has such a likeable principal cast.
William Holden, David Niven and newcomer Maggie McNamara (remarkable in
her first screen role) extract as much comedy mileage as possible from
F. Hugh Herbert's over-wordy and frustratingly static stage play, and
whilst the film is rarely (if ever) funny it retains a certain
charm. Niven's career was on the skids at the time he made the
film, and the film's popularity allowed the actor to bounce back in the
kind of role for which he is probably now best remembered, the
irresistibly charming English scoundrel.
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Next Otto Preminger film: River of No Return (1954)
Film Synopsis
Patty O'Neill is an aspiring young actress who puts up no resistance
when architect Don Gresham attempts to chat her up on top of the Empire
State Building. Having made it quite clear that she has no
intention of going to bed with him, Patty accepts Don's invitation back
to his apartment for a drink and a chat. Patty offers to make a
meal for them both, but whilst Don is out shopping for ingredients,
Patty is visited by his neighbour, an unprincipled womaniser named
David Slater. Patty learns that David is the father of Cynthia,
the woman Don was recently engaged to. Like Don, David is
attracted to the attractive young actress, but Patty again manages to
repel his advances. After dinner, Don realises that he would like
to marry Patty, but the evening turns sour when Patty's irate
father suddenly puts in an appearance...
Cast: William Holden (Donald Gresham),
David Niven (David Slater),
Maggie McNamara (Patty O'Neill),
Tom Tully (Michael O'Neill),
Dawn Addams (Cynthia Slater),
Fortunio Bonanova (Television Performer),
Gregory Ratoff (Taxi Driver),
Johannes Heesters (Tourist),
Hardy Krüger (Tourist (US version)),
Johanna Matz (Tourist)
Country: USA
Language: English
Support: Black and White
Runtime: 99 min
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