Thrill Of It All (1963)
The Happy Soap Company is owned and managed by the Fraleigh family. Although he is more of a company figurehead than an active participant in the company's day-to-day business, anything that family patriarch Tom Fraleigh wants for the company he usually gets. What he wants is Beverly Boyer--the wife of his daughter-in-law's obstetrician, Dr. Gerald Boyer--to appear as the company spokesperson when Beverly, whom he meets at a small dinner party, mentions a personal true story about how Happy Soap "saved her life". She is to appear in a live commercial spot during a Happy Soap-sponsored television show telling her story just as she told Tom. Despite Beverly's performance going poorly in her own mind, Tom loves how refreshing and honest Beverly came across to the viewer. So Tom signs her to a one-year $80,000 contract to continue doing so. Happy Soap's own managers and advertising company question this, but Gerald questions it even more, believing that her place is at home taking care of their two little ones. As Beverly continues to do the commercials, her fame rises and her professional commitments increase, adding more strain to their marriage. Only a natural act by Mrs. Fraleigh Jr. might save the Boyers' marriage.
She's hoping he's ready. He's wishing she's willing.
Gardiner Fraleigh: Call your baby! My wife's having a husband!
Colonial Street, Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA
Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA
(Studio)
The ad agency's viewing room has both color and black-and-white televisions side by side. This was common in the 1960s, allowing the executives to see how the commercial would appear in both color and B&W.
The pool used in the film was a part of the Universal theme park tour. (It would have been around 1968 or 1969.) The tram would go by the set with a car still in the water.
Producer Ross Hunter was furious when Walter Matthau asked for a salary of $100,000 (equivalent to about $875,000 in 2021). He cast (the less costly) Edward Andrews, instead.
Carl Reiner had intended the role of Beverly Boyer for Judy Holliday, but ill health prevented her from making the film. This was the first time that Doris Day stepped into a film role that had been intended for someone else. The next, Move Over, Darling (1963), was originally being shot as Something's Got To Give (1962) starring Marilyn Monroe, whose firing from the movie led to that film's being recast and filmed with Day.
When Mrs. Boyer does her first on-air commercial, she's paid $332. When she's a hit, that's increased to $1500/week, or as stated, $80,000/year.
Continuity
When Beverly is drying her daughter off near the tub, the child switches between being toweled down, wrapped snugly in the towel, and back again in a matter of seconds.
When Gerald enters the bedroom of the sleeping housekeeper Olivia, he leaves her door wide open when he approaches her bed, yet moments later, once she awakens, her door is closed shut.
In the bathroom sequence, Beverly tells her son he is not due for a bath until tomorrow, but that night says she had to bathe her daughter because the two kids had been in a mud fight.
The morning after the rain storm floods the pool with suds, a shot of the house next door to the Boyers' is mistakenly used to establish the new day and scene.
Factual errors
Mrs. Fraleigh (Arlene Francis) was three months away from her 56th birthday, clearly past child bearing age. Gardiner Fraleigh (Edward Andrews) was three months away from his 49th birthday.
The drama series is seen in color on several Zenith 23" black-and-white TV sets in various locations, including Dr. Boyer's den (before he buys a color set). His black-and-white TV has a label reading "COLOR TV" in red letters, added for the film.
Miscellaneous
When the Boyers are being driven to the Fraleighs' home, the limo driver looks at them in the rear view mirror, but the image is not reversed. Mrs. Boyer is still on the right of Dr. Boyer.
Errors in geography
The police put the Rolls on the FDR uptown, which is on the other side of Manhattan. They end up stopped on the East River Drive later.