Jan Morrow (Doris Day) is a successful interior designer with a wonderful job, beautiful Manhattan apartment and men falling over themselves to wine and dine her - including besotted, wealthy client Jonathan Forbes (Tony Randall) who, though very fond of, she is unfortunately not in love with. All told her life is perfect - except for one thing. She has to share a telephone party line with playboy composer Brad Allen (Rock Hudson) who insists on hogging the line with an never-ending string of girlfriends at every given opportunity, much to Jan's chagrin who as a result is unable to use her telephone for important business calls. Though never actually having met, Jan and Brad loathe each-other.
Then one evening Jan and Brad are brought together by accident. Realising who she is and being completely smitten, Brad keeps his identity secret, proceeding to woo Jan by passing himself off as a wealthy Texan, resulting in Jan unwittingly falling head-over-heels in love with the one man she detests most in the world. Everything goes swimmingly until Jonathan, who is financing a Broadway show for which his old college friend Brad is writing the music, discovers Brad's little ruse with typically comic results.
Widely considered amongst the greatest romantic comedies ever made Pillow Talk is as fresh today as when it was released over fifty years ago. Though the production as a whole - from Michael Gordon's pacey direction and pin-sharp screenplay by Stanley Shapiro and Maurice Richlin, to Day's endless array of dresses and evening gowns by legendary costumier Jean Louis - is nigh-on faultless, the real secret of the film's longevity is the chemistry between Day and Hudson.
Here were two actors at the pinnacle of their game in the film widely considered to be the best of the three they made together (Lover Come Back followed in 1961 with Send Me No Flowers in 1964). Watching their playful repartee you can tell these two simply enjoyed being together (even in scenes where they are meant to hate one-another there is a telltale twinkle in their eyes) - they were clearly the best of friends who were totally at ease in each-others company. All other aspects of the film - from the stellar support of Randall as the hapless Jonathan and Hollywood icon Thelma Ritter as Jan's permanently soused cleaner Alma, to sets which are clearly studio bound - are there simply to make Day and Hudson look good, though admittedly they need no help with this.
There has been no pairing in cinematic history to come close to Day and Hudson (though that of Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant in the four films they made together would probably run a near second). That you know the end of the film before you've even seen it is beside the point, it being a foregone conclusion that Jan and Brad will end up together. It's the sheer fun they have getting there.
Available for the first time on Limited Edition Digibook Blu-ray on 7th May and standard Blu-ray from the 28th, Pillow Talk is released to mark the 100th Anniversary of Universal Pictures. A host of extras, including a 44 page Digibook with storyboards, poster art and script pages included with the limited edition, and exclusive mini features in which film experts discuss the enduring appeal of Day and Hudson's chemistry with particular emphasis on Pillow Talk, will help bring this Hollywood classic alive for a whole new generation.
Cleaver Patterson
Rating: PG
UK re-release date: 7th May, 2012
Director: Michael Gordon
Cast: Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Tony Randall, Thelma Ritter
Buy Pillow Talk On Limited Edition Digibook Blu-ray
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