Please Don't Eat the Daisies (film)

This article is about the film. For the book, see Please Don't Eat the Daisies. For the TV series, see Please Don't Eat the Daisies (TV series).
Please Don't Eat the Daisies

Theatrical poster
Directed by Charles Walters
Produced by Joe Pasternak
Screenplay by Isobel Lennart
Based on Please Don't Eat The Daisies
1957 essays
by Jean Kerr
Starring Doris Day
David Niven
Janis Paige
Richard Haydn
Spring Byington
Music by David Rose
Cinematography Robert J. Bronner
Edited by John McSweeney Jr.
Production
company
Euterpe Inc.
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release dates
 March 31, 1960
Running time
 112 min
Country United States
Language English
Budget $1,775,000[1]
Box office $7,050,000[1]

Please Don't Eat the Daisies is a 1960 Metrocolor comedy film in CinemaScope starring Doris Day and David Niven,[2] made by Euterpe Inc., and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The movie was directed by Charles Walters and produced by Joe Pasternak, with Martin Melcher (Day's husband) as associate producer.[2]

The screenplay, partly inspired by the book of the same name by Jean Kerr,[3][4] a collection of humorous essays, was by Isobel Lennart.

The film also features Janis Paige, Spring Byington, Richard Haydn, Patsy Kelly, and Jack Weston. Spring Byington[2] made her final film appearance in this film, but appeared in TV shows later.

A television series starring Patricia Crowley and Mark Miller premiered five years later and ran for 58 episodes.

Plot summary

Professor Lawrence Mackay (David Niven) and his wife Kate (Doris Day) are struggling with four small boys in a tiny, two-bedroom apartment in New York City. Months before, they had announced their intention to move to a larger apartment, but have not been able to find one. Meanwhile, their lease has expired and the landlord has rented out their apartment to someone who insists they vacate immediately. They decide to look for a house in the country, but the only thing they can afford is a run-down mansion complete with secret panels and trap doors, 70 miles away by train. They have no choice but to move in and start fixing it up.

In the midst of the moving chaos, Larry has left his professorship at the university to become a drama critic for a major New York paper. His first assignment is to review the new show produced by his best friend, Alfred North (Richard Haydn). The show is awful, and Larry's review is especially hard on the show's star, Deborah Vaughn (Janis Paige). Ms. Vaughn gets her revenge by hiring a press photographer to capture her slapping Larry's face at Sardi's. This publicity stunt, along with Larry's published response, makes Larry the toast of the town. Kate and Larry are suddenly invited to society parties and hobnobbing with the rich and famous, which begins to go to Larry's head. With the hammering and builders at home, Larry decides to stay in a hotel in the city for a few weeks, leaving setting up the new house to Kate.

Back home, Kate is trying her best to manage the four children and fit into their new community. When asked by the local dramatic society to find them an original play for their next production Kate, turns to Alfred. Alfred, seeing a chance for a bit of revenge of his own, gives them a terrible play written by a young Lawrence Mackay -with an altered title and fictitious playwright listed on the cover. Alfred then secretly invites all of the major New York critics to review the play. Larry finds out, and has a huge fight with Kate, blaming her for his professional embarrassment. He refuses to allow the show to go on. Kate insist it's too late for the Hooton Holler Players to get another show ready, so Larry reluctantly gives them permission to proceed, publishing his own review of the show before opening night.

Not to be left out of things, Deborah Vaughn decides to strike up a close, personal friendship with Larry, flattering him seductively. Kate's mother Suzie Robinson (Spring Byington) urges her to get Larry back before it's too late. Kate and Larry make up and return to their country home in time for one of the boys to drop a water bomb on them from an upstairs window.

Cast

Reception

According to MGM records the film earned $5,150,000 in the US and Canada and $1.9 million elsewhere, resulting in a profit of $1,842,000.[1]

References in other media

"Please Don't Eat the Daisies" is played in the background of the beginning of the Liam Kyle Sullivan internet music videos "Shoes" and "Text Message Break-up".

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  2. 1 2 3 "Please Don't Eat the Daisies". Turner Classic Movies. Atlanta: Turner Broadcasting System (Time Warner). Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  3. ↑ Kerr, Jean (1957). Please Don't Eat the Daisies (10th ed.). New York City: Doubleday. ASIN B001GS0VT0.
  4. ↑ Kerr, Jean (1979). Please Don't Eat the Daisies (Reprint ed.). Mattituck, New York: Amereon Limited. ISBN 978-0848805524.
  5. ↑ Los Angeles Times Staff and Wire Reports. "Carmen Phillips, 65; Movie and TV Actress, Animal Rights Activist". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2013-10-28.
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