Come September *** (1961, Rock Hudson, Gina Lollobrigida, Sandra Dee, Bobby Darin, Water Slezak, Joel Grey) – Classic Movie Review 6,034

Director Robert Mulligan’s fairly daft but amusingly bubbly 1961 escapist American romantic comedy film Come September has as its familiar theme the generation clash on an American vacation at a luxurious Italian villa.

Rock Hudson plays a rich American industrialist mogul called Robert L Talbot, who arrives unexpectedly in July instead of his usual September for his summer holiday to find his vacation home being run as a posh guest house by the Italian caretaker, Lisa Helena Fellini (Gina Lollobrigida), who soon becomes his mistress.

The singer Bobby Darin makes his film debut, as Tony, and won the 1962 Golden Globe as Most Promising Newcomer – Male. Darin also composes the Come September theme as well as the song ‘Multiplication’, which he performs in the film.

The bright, attractive performances from the appealing players count for a lot, perhaps more than Stanley Shapiro and Maurice Richlin’s unrealistic, escapist screenplay, but that motors entertainingly along. And is also helps a lot that there is smooth handling and a polished production.

Young co-stars Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin, playing Sandy and Tony, were married in real life. They met and fell in love while filming the movie and shortly afterwards wed on December 1, 1960. They also made If a Man Answers (1962) and That Funny Feeling (1965) together before their divorce in 1967. It also stars Water Slezak, Joel Grey, Brenda de Banzie and Ronald Howard.

Also in the cast are Rossana Rory, Ronnie Haran, Chris Seitz, Cindy Conroy, Joan Freeman, Charles Fawcett, Nancy Anderson, Michael Eden and John Stacy.

Come September is directed by Robert Mulligan, runs 112 minutes, is released by Universal Pictures, is written by Stanley Shapiro, Maurice Richlin, Stanley Roberts and Robert Russell, is shot by William H Daniels, is produced by Robert Arthur, is scored by Hans J Salter, and is designed by Ernest B Wehmeyer and Henry Bumstead.

It was released on August 9, 1961 (US).

Hudson and Lollobrigida also made Strange Bedfellows (1965) together.

The cast are Rock Hudson as Robert L Talbot, Gina Lollobrigida as Lisa Helena Fellini, Sandra Dee as Sandy Stevens, Bobby Darin as Tony, Walter Slezak as Maurice Clavell, Brenda de Banzie as Margaret Allison, Rossana Rory as Anna, Ronald Howard as Spencer, Joel Grey as Beagle, Ronnie Haran as Sparrow, Chris Seitz as Larry, Cindy Conroy as Julia, Joan Freeman as Linda, Nancy Anderson as Patricia, Michael Eden as Ron, Claudia Brack as Carol, Charles Fawcett, and John Stacy.

The making of Come September is shown in the 2004 Darin biopic Beyond the Sea, starring Kevin Spacey as Darin and Kate Bosworth as Dee.

Robert Mulligan (August 23, 1925 – December 20, 2008) is best known for To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), Summer of ’42 (1971), The Other (1972), Same Time, Next Year (1978), and The Man in the Moon (1991).

Rock Hudson (born Roy Harold Scherer Jr.; November 17, 1925 – October 2, 1985).

Sandra Dee (born Alexandra Zuck; April 23, 1942 – February 20, 2005).

Bobby Darin (born Walden Robert Cassotto; May 14, 1936 – December 20, 1973).

Luigia ‘Gina’ Lollobrigida (4 July 1927 – 16 January 2023).

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6,034

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