Can a film's troubled beginnings truly elevate its comedic brilliance? "Move Over, Darling," a 1963 American comedy, certainly suggests this is the case, navigating a complex production history to become a beloved classic.
The film, a vibrant showcase of 1960s charm, stars the radiant Doris Day, the ever-charming James Garner, and the wonderfully wicked Polly Bergen. Directed by Michael Gordon, it was filmed in the opulent Deluxe Color and the sweeping Cinemascope format, courtesy of 20th Century Fox. This production was no easy feat. The movie, originally conceived as a vehicle for the iconic Marilyn Monroe, faced a dramatic shift when the star's untimely death in 1962 necessitated a complete reimagining. This transformation is a testament to the film's resilience and the enduring power of its central premise, a story echoing themes found in Tennysons 1864 narrative poem, "Enoch Arden," about a spouses unexpected return. Move Over, Darling takes on this core narrative a missing wife, presumed dead, suddenly reappearing just as her husband remarries and transforms it into a whirlwind of comedic chaos.
To better understand the key players in this classic, lets delve into the lives of the stars.
| Attribute | Doris Day | James Garner | Polly Bergen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Doris Mary Ann Kappelhoff | James Scott Bumgarner | Nellie Paulina Burgin |
| Born | April 3, 1922, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA | April 7, 1928, Norman, Oklahoma, USA | July 14, 1930, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA |
| Died | May 13, 2019, Carmel Valley Village, California, USA | July 19, 2014, Los Angeles, California, USA | September 20, 2014, Southbury, Connecticut, USA |
| Known For | Actress, Singer, Animal Welfare Advocate | Actor | Actress, Singer, Entrepreneur |
| Notable Roles | "Pillow Talk" (1959), "Calamity Jane" (1953), "The Man Who Knew Too Much" (1956), "Move Over, Darling" (1963) | "Maverick" (TV Series, 1957-1962), "The Rockford Files" (TV Series, 1974-1980), "The Great Escape" (1963), "Move Over, Darling" (1963) | "Cape Fear" (1962), "The Caretakers" (1963), "Cry-Baby" (1990), "Move Over, Darling" (1963) |
| Awards/Recognitions | Presidential Medal of Freedom (2004), Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2008) | Golden Globe Award for Best Actor Television Series Drama ("The Rockford Files"), Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award | Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Special ("The Winds of War") |
| Reference | IMDB |
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