Pillow talk

Doris Day is Jan Morrow, a single interior designer who has to share a telephone party-line with Brad Allen, a playboy musician played by Rock Hudson. His best-friend, millionaire Tony Randall, is in love with Jan. Brad thinks it would be fun to pretend to be someone else and see if he can woo Jan away from his friend. Things turn a little crazy, however, when he finds himself falling in love for the first time. The problem: Jan hates Brad. This crazy, funny love story is one of Hollywood’s camp classics, a delicious comedy about sex, virginity, and the games girls and boys play with each other. Though initially criticised as “superficial” by contemporary critics, in hindsight, the Hudson/Day romantic comedies still seem fresh in comparison to the “serious” Hollywood fare of its day. In part this comes from the playfulness with which Hudson and Day approach their roles, immersing themselves in their characters (she’s pure and virginal, he’s manly and a womaniser) at the same time investing enough subversive “queerness” in their roles to amuse those amongst us who may or may not be heterosexual. Features great songs, beautiful art direction and design, and a terrific supporting performance by Randall. Pure delight. Winner of an Academy Award for Best Screenplay.