Bachelor in Paradise ** (1961, Bob Hope, Lana Turner,Janis Paige, Don Porter, Paula Prentiss, Jim Hutton, Agnes Moorehead, John McGiver) – Classic Movie Review 12,502

Bachelor in Paradise is an old-fashioned (even for 1961), amiable star vehicle for Bob Hope. It is Hope’s first film with MGM and Lana Turner’s first romantic comedy in many years.

Director Jack Arnold’s 1961 MGM American Metrocolor romantic comedy film Bachelor in Paradise stars Bob Hope as the eternal movie bachelor,  Adam J Niles, who writes words of help to the lonely and comes to a California suburban community called Paradise Village for work on the ways of women as research on a new book.

There he is, rather surprisingly, surrounded only by adoring married ladies, such as Dolores (Janis Paige), who spook their hubbies with jealousy. The one exception is unmarried Rosemary Howard (played by Lana Turner), who has a yearning for a life with Hope.

Bachelor in Paradise is an old-fashioned (even for 1961), amiable comedy vehicle for Hope, not sharp or hilarious enough. But, with some funny jokes and a genial air in the screenplay by Valentine Davies and Hal Kanter, based on a 70-page original story by Vera Caspary. it will do.

Janis Paige, Bob Hope and Lana Turner at the time of Bachelor in Paradise.

The Henry Mancini score and title song help, and so does the ready, willing and able support cast of Janis Paige, Don Porter, Paula Prentiss, Jim Hutton, Agnes Moorehead, John McGiver, Reta Shaw, Virginia Grey, Florence Sundstrom, Clinton Sundberg, and Alan Hewitt.

The Coliseum Theatre in London’s West End.

Filming took place in May 1961 and it had its world premiere at the Coliseum Theatre in London’s West End on 2 November 1961, attended by London-born Bob Hope. Opened on 24 December 1904, the Coliseum Theatre was designed by theatrical architect Frank Matcham. With 2,359 seats, it is largest theatre in London. It briefly became a cinema, showing films in Cinerama between 1963 and 1968 when the Sadler’s Wells Opera Company (later English National Opera) moved into it.

Its producer Ted Richmond died in Paris at the age of 103 in 2013. His most noted films are Bachelor in Paradise (1961) and It Happened at the World’s Fair (1963), Return of the Seven (1966), Villa Rides (1968), Red Sun (1971) and Papillon (1973).

Richmond produced the early starring vehicles of Audie Murphy. He made The Mississippi Gambler (1953) with Tyrone Power and then formed Copa Productions together. They made Count Three and Pray (1955) and Nightfall (1957), both without Power in the cast, and Abandon Ship! (1957) and Solomon and Sheba (1959) with him. But Power died during the filming of Solomon and Sheba in Spain.

It cost $1,989,000, earned $2.5 million in the US and Canada, and $1 million elsewhere, but lost $344,000, so the planned sequel, An Armful of Girls, was never made.

The title song ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ (music: Henry Mancini and lyrics: Mack David) was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. It was performed by Ann-Margret at the Oscar ceremony, boosting her career.

The film won three Laurel awards for Best Comedy, Best Comedy Actor (Hope) and song (‘Bachelor in Paradise’: music: Henry Mancini and lyrics: Mack David).

Bob Hope was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.

It is Hope’s first film with MGM and Turner’s first romantic comedy in many years.

MGM signed Prentiss and Hutton to a studio contract after their success in Where the Boys Are, starring them in three films: The Honeymoon Machine, Bachelor in Paradise and The Horizontal Lieutenant.

The cast are Bob Hope as Adam J Niles/ Jack Adams, Lana Turner as Rosemary Howard, Janis Paige as Dolores Jynson, Jim Hutton as Larry Delavane, Paula Prentiss as Linda Delavane, Don Porter as Thomas W Jynson, Virginia Grey as Camille Quinlaw, Agnes Moorehead as Judge Peterson, Florence Sundstrom as Mrs Pickering, John McGiver as Austin Palfrey, Clinton Sundberg as Rodney Jones, Alan Hewitt as Attorney Backett, Reta Shaw as Mrs Brown, Vin Scully as himself.

Janis Paige (born Donna Mae Tjaden; September 16, 1922).

Paula Prentiss (born Paula Ragusa on March 4, 1938).

Jim Hutton (May 31, 1934 – June 2, 1979).

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,502

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