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Rating: 3 stars

All movies seen on 11/15/2011

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The Facts of Life (1960)

Directed by Melvin Frank

Comedy

Overview

Middle-class suburbanites Larry and Kitty grow bored with their lives and respective marriages. Although each always found the other’s manner grating, they fall in love when thrown together—without their spouses—on vacation. On returning home they try to break things off, only to grow closer. A holiday together will finally settle whether they should end their marriages.

Rated NR | Length 103 minutes

Actors

Bob Hope | Lucille Ball | Ruth Hussey | Don DeFore | Louis Nye | Philip Ober | Marianne Stewart | Peter Leeds | Hollis Irving | William Lanteau | Robert F. Simon | Louise Beavers | Mike Mazurki | Bess Flowers | Bert Stevens

Viewing History (seen 1 time)

Viewing Notes

THE FACTS OF LIFE was hardly the movie I expected. The poster screams a Bob Hope and Lucille Ball comedy, but it’s more of a sad dirge than the slapstick and one-liners I wanted.

Given the more prudish era in which it was produced, the story is interesting, if predictable; as a whole it felt almost macabre and dour than it really needed to be to really make its point. Unfortunately the flick doesn’t start moving along with the affair in question until the movie is almost over. Even at the end, when the two are supposed to be happy with the choices they’ve made, we’re left with the feeling that they’re not, really.

Maybe 1960 was an off-year for movies, because I can’t fathom why THE FACTS OF LIFE was nominated for Oscars. The only reason I can gather is that Bob Hope and Lucille Ball took on roles slightly more dramatic than they usually did, like actors who play for the gold by playing mentally handicapped.

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