''This Happy Feeling'' is a 1958 American

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a sub-genre of comedy and Romance novel, romance fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount all obstacles. Ro ...

film written and directed by

Blake Edwards Blake Edwards (born William Blake Crump; July 26, 1922 – December 15, 2010) was an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Edwards began his career in the 1940s as an actor, but he soon began writing screenplays and radio scripts ...

, adapted from the 1947 F. Hugh Herbert play ''For Love or Money''. Edwards regretted Universal-International's eleventh hour decision of a name change, but the studio was hoping to trade off another pop hit by

Debbie Reynolds Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016) was an American actress, singer and entrepreneur. Her acting career spanned almost 70 years. Reynolds performed on stage and television and in films into her 80s. She was nom ...

as they had with '' Tammy and the Bachelor''. Reynolds stars, along with John Saxon, Curt Jurgens and veteran Hollywood actresses Alexis Smith and Mary Astor.

Plot

Nita Holloway, a woman romantically involved with veteran actor Preston "Mitch" Mitchell, tries to persuade him to come out of retirement to appear in a Broadway play as the father of a character played by a new teen idol, Tony Manza. At his Connecticut farm, next-door neighbor Bill Tremayne asks to borrow Mitch's car. He goes to a party and meets secretary Janet Blake, who is trying to escape the clutches of her drunken boss, a dentist. Bill offers her a ride home in a rainstorm, but is a little too attentive to her liking. Soaked to the skin, Janet ends up knocking on Mitch's door. He permits her to spend the night while her dress dries. Nita arrives in the morning and mistakenly concludes an affair is taking place, and soon others assume the same. Mitch puts her on a train but also offers Janet a job as his own secretary. As the train leaves, he stumbles, injuring his back. Bill isn't worried at first because Mitch is too austere and somber for her, however he comes to realize that she's coming to care for him profoundly and is indeed falling dearly in love with Mitch a little more every day. Scheduled to ride Mitch's star horse in an equine contest, Bill jealously decides to ride another entry instead. Mitch must compete against him, bad back and all. Although he feels great affection towards her, Mitch ultimately realizes that he feels for Nita most. He goes to Nita to reveal where his heart really lies, and is last seen on stage in the new Broadway play.

Cast

: Janet Blake * Curd Jürgens: Preston Mitchell * John Saxon: Bill Tremaine * Alexis Smith: Nita Hollaway * Mary Astor: Mrs. Tremaine * Estelle Winwood: Mrs. Early * Troy Donahue: Tony Manza * Hayden Rorke: Mr. Booth * Gloria Holden: Mrs. Dover * Alex Gerry: Mr. Dover * Joe Flynn: Dr. McCafferty

Production

John Saxon was cast after his success in '' Rock, Pretty Baby''.

Reception

''Variety'' called it "a delightful comedy".Review of film
at Variety

References

External links