Teacher’s Pet *** (1958, Clark Gable, Doris Day, Gig Young, Mamie Van Doren, Nick Adams, Peter Baldwin, Marion Ross) – Classic Movie Review 6082

Director George Seaton’s 1958 comedy may not be a great movie but it finds a successful and pleasing way to pair two stars from different generations – Clark Gable and Doris Day. The performances and scripting are adroit. It was nominated for two Oscars – Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Gig Young) and Best Writing, Story and Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen.

Day is cute and perky as Erica Stone, a journalism tutor whose students include a cynical old city editor, James Gannon (Gable), who leads her into trouble with Day’s unsteady steady boyfriend, Dr Hugo Pine (Gig Young).

In the screenplay by Fay Kanin and Michael Kanin, these are stretched comic high jinks, but the appealing stars have the right chemistry and give bright performances, the script’s treatment of journalism and the sex war is fascinating, and there is some thought behind the pleasant, easygoing fun.

Young is delightful as an egghead playboy with a dumb blonde, Peggy DeFore (Mamie Van Doren), and ‘more degrees than a thermometer’.

Also in the cast are Nick Adams, Peter Baldwin (as Harold Miller), Marion Ross (mom in the TV classic Happy Days), Vivian Nathan, Charles Lane, Jack Albertson, Florenz Ames and Harry Antrim.

RIP Peter Baldwin, who died on 19 November 2017, aged 86.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6082

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