Critic's Grade: A+

As a Doris Day vehicle, "The Thrill of It All!" is never short on laughs or charm. Much like her various collaborations with actor Rock Hudson, Day and co-star James Garner find an extremely pleasant chemistry onscreen that is warm and inviting, and totally riotous in a number of ways. Sure, given the changes in society since 1963, there are going to be some story elements that seem outdated, but in the face of such comedic brilliance and utterly irresistable moviemaking magic, does it really matter? I'd like to think it doesn't.

Day and Garner are cast as Dr. Gerald and Beverly Boyer, a loving suburban couple with two young children, a maid, a lovely house, and a steady income... all the trappings of the American Dream. Upon being invited to the home of one of Gerald's pregnant patients, Beverly is set upon by the patriarch of the family, Old Tom Fraleigh (Reginald Owen), the spry owner of the company that manufactures Happy Soap. His interest is sparked by a story she tells involving shampooing her daughter's hair with the soap; preferring Beverly's realism to the slinky model Spot Checker, he offers her a place in his commercial spots, and after a few minutes of coaxing and a nice sum of money, she agrees.

Of course, the first live broadcast turns out to be a bust for the executives; Beverly does everything from calling herself a pig to arguing with the director about what she should say while promoting the product, all with cameras rolling. Old Tom, however, sees only wholesome and attractive advertising, and thus signs her on for a full year's contract offering her $80,000. At first, everything seems like smooth sailing, but once photo shoots, after-broadcast parties, and new venues of selling come into the picture, Gerald starts feeling the absence of his wife a little often than he would like.

The script, written by comedy legend Carl Reiner, and directed by Norman Jewison (who would go on to direct Day in "Send Me No Flowers"), does show signs of age in terms of its time period, when a woman's place was thought to be the household. Some people are going to quibble about the fact that Gerald never truly comes to support his wife's decision to enter the work force; women's lib advocates especially will find it difficult to swallow the film's ending, where Beverly finally gives in and becomes a housewife once again.

But for those of us who couldn't give a hoot about such things, "The Thrill of It All!" is maniacally inventive as it takes normal situations and turns them into displays of some very funny comedy. Be it the classic "pig" line, the backyard full of soap suds, the submerged convertible, or the antics of actor Edward Andrews as an expectant father losing control during his wife's labor pains, the film is never without a fantastic touch of laughter or breezy, lighthearted humor. You can tell that Jewison is having fun with this piece: he even stops to poke fun at the two-sidedness of television executives, who believe that the public is too stupid to realize the same plot in three different TV programs, when really it's the other way around.

As the two front-runners of the film, Day and Garner have some serious chemistry to burn as well: Garner fits nicely into the long-inhabited Hudson role, while Day is zany, bubbly, and all smiles. They make us believe in the craziness of the material, bringing us into the romance with some well-rounded chuckles on the side. Despite a few wrinkles here and there, the film manages to survive the aging process with its wits, its charms, and its comedic genius intact. As its title implies, it truly is a thrill!

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