But Not for Me ** (1959, Clark Gable, Carroll Baker, Lilli Palmer, Lee J Cobb) – Classic Movie Review 6919

Director Walter Lang’s 1959 drama But Not For Me is a well crafted and nimbly acted but unsparkling vehicle for an ageing Clark Gable, uncomfortably cast as Russ Ward, a has-been Broadway producer of 30 years’ standing romancing his besotted younger secretary Ellie Brown (Carroll Baker) in a May-December affair.

Ellie is given notice, but tells Russ she loves him and Russ proceeds to turn this love story into a hit play starring Ellie and pursue his romance of her. [Spoiler alert] But eventually we find Russ coming to his senses and preferring chic older woman Kathryn Ward (Lilli Palmer) to unsuitably young Ellie.

There are some chuckles and charm to be found in this tolerable, old-style remake of the 1935 film Accent on Youth, and adapted from Samson Raphelson’s 1934 Broadway hit play of that name. But the film is let down by a certain lack of conviction, a dated air and Baker’s rather weak and poor playing.

Cary Grant could have made a lot more of the Gable part. Lee J Cobb amuses as a drunken playwright called Jeremiah MacDonald. Also in the cast are Barry Coe, Thomas Gomez, Charles Lane, Wendell Holmes and Tommy [Tom] Duggan.

It was nominated for three Golden Globes: Best Motion Picture – Comedy, Best Actress – Comedy or Musical (Palmer) and Best Actor – Comedy or Musical (Gable).

But Not For Me is directed by Walter Lang, runs 111 minutes, is made by Perlberg-Seaton Productions, is released by Paramount, is written by John Michael Hayes, is shot in black and white by Robert Burks, is produced by William Perlberg and George Seaton, is scored by Leith Stevens, and is designed by Hal Pereia and A Earl Hendrick.

Gable tells Baker he is 44 in the movie, but he was 57 at the time of filming. He announced he was too old to play romantic leading roles, and would now be looking for different parts, but his next film is the romantic comedy It Started in Naples (1960) with the much younger Sophia Loren.

Ella Fitzgerald sings the title song over the opening credits.

Accent on Youth (1935) had previously been remade as Mr Music (1950).

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6919

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