Critic’s Choice *** (1963, Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Marilyn Maxwell, Rip Torn, Jessie Royce Landis, Jim Backus, Marie Windsor, John Dehner) – Classic Movie Review 9,191

The 1963 American comedy film Critic’s Choice is based on the 1960 Broadway play by Ira Levin, and teams Bob Hope and Lucille Ball for the fourth and last time.

Director Don Weis’s 1963 American comedy film Critic’s Choice perhaps would not be every critic’s choice, but still it should not be overlooked by fans of Bob Hope and Lucille Ball, who make a good team and raise a lot of laughs.

Critic’s Choice  is a toned down version of Ira Levin’s 1960 play about a ‘butcher of Broadway’, New York theatre critic Parker Ballantine (Bob Hope), who agonises over whether to review his wife Angela (Lucille Ball)’s first show, and then gives it the thumbs down, threatening their marriage.

You can see that this Broadway satire would work better on stage, but most of the wit is still there, the skilful stars show their class, and the fine team of character actors prove their worth.

Also in the cast are Marilyn Maxwell as Ivy London, Rip Torn as Dion Kapakos, Jessie Royce Landis as Charlotte Orr aka Charlie, Jim Backus as Dr William Von Hagedorn, Marie Windsor as Sally Orr, John Dehner as S.P. Champlain, Rickey Kelman [Ricky Kelman] as John Ballantine, Dorothy Green as Mrs. Margaret Champlain, Joseph Gallison [Evan McCord] as Philip ‘Phil’ Yardley, Richard Deacon as Harvey Rittenhouse, Joan Shawlee as Marge Orr, Jerome Cowan as Joe Rosenfield, Donald Losby as Godfrey Von Hagedorn, Soupy Sales as Boston Desk Clerk, Jack Mower as Audience Member, Rhoda Williams as Phone Operator, and Hal Smith as Drunk.

Critic’s Choice is directed by Don Weis, runs 100 minutes, is made and released by Warner Bros, is written by Jack Sher, based on Ira Levin’s play, is shot by Charles Lang, is produced by Frank P Rosenberg, and is scored by George Duning and Arthur Morton.

It was released on April 13, 1963.

It is the last of four films Bob Hope and Lucille Ball made together, including Sorrowful Jones (1949), Fancy Pants (1950) and The Facts of Life (1960). Lucille Ball’s last TV appearance was with Bob Hope in 1989 on the 62nd Academy Awards, announcing the nominations and winner of Best Picture.

Rickey Kelman [Ricky Kelman] (born July 6, 1949) had a 20-year acting career from 1954 to 1974 as child actor and young adult actor. He was licensed to practice law in California in 1977 and retired in 2007. 

Jack Mower (September 5, 1890 – January 6, 1965) appeared in more than 520 films between 1914 and 1965.

Otto Preminger directed the Broadway play which ran for 189 performances at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. Henry Fonda starred as Parker Ballantine and Georgann Johnson played his second wife Angela. Levin’s inspiration was the then New York Herald Tribune drama critic Walter Kerr and his playwright wife Jean.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9,191

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