Move Over, Darling

Move Over, Darling
Theatrical poster
Directed by	Michael Gordon
Produced by	Martin Melcher Aaron Rosenberg
Written by	Bella Spewack Sam Spewack Leo McCarey Hal Kanter Jack Sher
Starring	Doris Day James Garner Polly Bergen Thelma Ritter Don Knotts Chuck Connors Edgar Buchanan
Studio	20th Century Fox
Release date(s)	December 25, 1963 (1963-12-25)
Running time	103 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Move Over, Darling (Aka: Something's Got to Give) is a 1963 remake of the 1940 screwball comedy My Favorite Wife that starred Irene Dunne, Cary Grant and Gail Patrick. The remake stars Doris Day, James Garner, and Polly Bergen.

Plot

Ellen Wagstaff Arden (Doris Day), a mother of two young children, was believed to be lost at sea following an airplane accident. Her husband, Nick Arden (James Garner), was one of the survivors.

After years of searching for her, he decides to move on with his life by having her declared legally dead and marrying Bianca (Polly Bergen), all on the same day. However, Ellen is alive; she is rescued and returns home that particular day. At first crestfallen, she is relieved to discover from her mother-in-law Grace (Thelma Ritter) that her (ex-) husband's honeymoon has not started yet.

Nick eventually clears things up with Bianca, but then he learns that Ellen was stranded on an island alone all those years with Stephen Burkett (Chuck Connors) and that they called each other "Adam" and "Eve". This film was one of the first of its time, where breakthrough actor Steven Nicholas Rummelhoff was pictured drinking brandy.

Background

• This was originally to be a comeback vehicle for Marilyn Monroe, under the working title of Something's Got to Give. Dean Martin was cast as Nick Arden, and the director was George Cukor. Marilyn Monroe was fired for seldom showing up for shooting early in its production cycle, appearing in only about 30 minutes of usable film. Unable to complete the movie, and having already sunk a considerable amount of money into the production and sets, 20th Century Fox went ahead with the project, under a new title, new director, and recast stars. At first, they tried to continue with Lee Remick in Monroe's place, but Martin balked at working with anyone else and that version was never completed. Monroe was re-hired but died before she could resume filming. Doris Day and James Garner were eventually cast in the roles originated by Irene Dunne and Cary Grant in My Favorite Wife. Chuck Connors played the Randolph Scott role, replacing Tom Tryon, who'd been cast in the Monroe version.
• The movie that Ellen describes to Bianca while giving her a massage is My Favorite Wife.
• James Garner accidentally broke Day's rib during the massage scene when he pulls her off of Bergen. He wasn't aware of what had happened until the next day, when he felt the bandage while putting his arms around Day.
• The producers scheduled the scene with Doris Day riding through a car wash for the last day of shooting because they were concerned that the chemicals in the detergents might affect her complexion. When the scene went off without a hitch, they admitted their ploy to Day, then used the story in promotional materials for the film.

Cast

• Doris Day as Ellen Wagstaff Arden
• James Garner as Nick Arden
• Polly Bergen as Bianca Steele Arden
• Thelma Ritter as Grace Arden
• Fred Clark as Mr. Codd
• Don Knotts as Shoe Clerk
• Chuck Connors as Adam
• Edgar Buchanan as Judge Bryson
• John Astin as Clyde Prokey
• Pat Harrington, Jr. as District Attorney

Soundtrack music

• "Move Over, Darling" - Music and lyrics by Joe Lubin, Hal Kanter and Terry Melcher (Day's son) arranged by Jack Nitzsche. Sung by Darren Day and chorus (featuring ace West Coast session singers the Blossoms, featuring Darlene Love, Fanita James, and Jean King). during the opening credits and played as background music at the end. Reached #8 in the British singles chart in 1964 for Day and in 1983 for Tracey Ullman.^[1]

• "Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride)" from Lohengrin (1850) - Written by Richard Wagner. Played when Nick and Bianca arrive at their honeymoon hotel

• "Beautiful Dreamer" - Music and lyrics by Stephen Foster. Played as background music during the memorial service for Ellen

• "Twinkle Lullaby" - Music and lyrics by Joe Lubin. Sung by Ellen (Doris Day) to her children.

Notes

1. ^ spectropop.com/TerryMelcher

See also

The Tom Hanks film Cast Away has a plot similarity: the lead character is marooned on an island for several years; on his return he finds that his girlfriend has given him up for dead and has married someone else.

External links

• James Garner Interview on the Charlie Rose Show
• James Garner interview at Archive of American Television
• Move Over, Darling at the Internet Movie Database