“Man, she sure looks great in clothes“
-Steve Burkett, Move Over, Darling (1963)
So Doris Day passed away!
Noooooooooo!!!!!!!
I love Doris Day, I grew up watching her movies with my mom and listening to her sing.
Noo!
She was amazing-sweet, kind, adorable, a fantastic singer. I can’t believe she is gone.
So I couldn’t let her death pass by and not honor her. Yes, I am going to list off ten of my favorite films.
The quote and title, you all are probably wondering about, and it took me quite some time to settle on one. I didn’t want to go the “Que sera, que sera” route and started looking through her films to try and find the perfect quote. I choose this one because whenever my friend and I watch her films, we are always like-she is so beautiful, and we love her clothes.
Seriously, Doris Day is one of the best dressed ladies in film. Gorgeous outfits.
YEEEEES!!!!!!
10) Beverly Boyer from The Thrill of it All (1963)
Doris Day plays wife of famous gynecologist (James Garner) and is used to long nights by herself and missing her husband. When she calls a company to tell them how much her children enjoyed their “Happy Soap”, she ends up becoming the spokesperson and a HUGE star. Now the roles are reversed as her hubby finds himself missing his wife, nights alone, and getting to hear everyone talk about how great his spouse is.
So I have issues with this movie as I don’t like how her husband is zero supportive of her, from the getgo. Geez, you need to hangout with Jason Seaver from Growing Pains and learn how to be there for your wife. So this would be a meh except that it works because of Day and Garner. Day is fun as she starts off innocent, unsure, and blossoms into a fantastic star. She and Garner sizzle with chemistry and comedy, making this film work. An as a star and face of “Happy Soap” she gets gorgeous gowns.
9) Ruth Etting from Love Me or Leave Me (1955)
So this film is extremely different from her other films and sooo sad. The story is a fictionalized account of Ruth Etting, dance hall girl turned singer-a woman who kicked, clawed, and climbed her way to the top. And she didn’t do it herself, it all started with the gangster Martin “Moe the Gimp” Synder. He intimidates lots of people to move her ahead, although eventually she makes it on her own. Their relationship is extremely abusive…with lots of ups and downs.
Doris Day wasn’t sure about making this film as it was so different from the other films she made, and darker content. But Doris Day shines in singing, dancing, and really becomes the character-astonishing as she is nothing you’d expect. I mean I was just like-huh? Wha? Watching it as it is just beyond the realm of what I thought Doris Day would do. It was amazing, and she has gorgeous Roaring Twenties clothes, just like that dress (which incidentally I have one just like that my sister made for me.
8) Calamity Jane from Calamity Jane (1953)
Doris Day is Calamity Jane-a sharpshooter who wears men’s clothing, fights Native Americans, spends time in the saloon, gambles, saves damsels in distress, etc. In a series of comedic events she is given the task of bringing actress Adelaid Adams from Chicago to Deadwood, but accidentally mistakes Adelaid’s maid, Katie Brown, for the singer. She and Calamity room together, and Katie tries to change Calamity’s ways, attempting to feminize her. Katie has also has attracted the attentions of “Wild Bill” Hickok and Lt. Daniel Martin, the latter being the man Calamity is in love with. Uh, oh! The fight is on!
I have mixed feelings on this film as Calamity does silly things, such as being frightened by a cigar Indian and thinking wigs are scalps; but at the same time Calamity still remains an independent, strong-willed character who refrains from changing herself for anyone. She is strong, tough, and does all the cowboy heroics that men usually were given to do instead of women.
7) Josie Minick from The Ballad of Josie (1967)
So I haven’t seen this movie in a looooong time, but it stuck hard in my mind. Josie is a widow who is taking a different stand with her land. Instead of raising cattle-in the cattle run area-and is raising sheep! Cattle vs. Sheep was a huge battle in the West-blood was spilled! The cowman and the sheepherder are not friends! Josie also takes things further when she starts pushing women’s suffrage, getting the wives and daughters stirred up about their rights, and WEARS PANTS!
I loved this as I loved Western films and though Josie was awesome! My favorite scene I remember is the pants wearing scene. I couldn’t find any video clips or anything, but it cracked me up! I know this wasn’t one of Day’s favorite, but I loved it.
6) Janet Harper from Do Not Disturb (1965)
Janet and her devastatingly handsome husband, played by Rod Taylor, move to London as he takes over a fashion company. She wants to live in the country (he in the city) and works on restoring an old house and befriending woodland creatures like the Disney Princess she is. Her husband is too preoccupied with work to give her any attention, and him being surrounded by beautiful models makes Day feel queasy. She decides to get his attention by using the attentions of the interior decorator to make him jealous. Things go too far when her husband knocks the decorator out, and storms off to another country. In order to make things up to him, she sneaks into a party as a mistress and things seem to get better, only to fall apart again. Will the Harpers finally be able to get it together, or will the ensuing comedy continue to separate.
So the plot isn’t that original, in fact it is very similar to Please Don’t Eat the Daises, but this movie rocks as it is just plain hilarious. I love Day and Taylor together, they just work so well with the slapstick and the lines. Day does the outward comedy and slapstick, while Tatlor does it with his facial expressions and sarcasm-they are just fantastic. I think if it were anyone else paired up, it wouldn’t be as good. And that dance scene is hilarious! And of course with a husband in the fashion industry, her clothes are amazing.
5) Kate Robinson MacKay from Please Don’t Eat the Daises (1960)
So this film is so high up on my list because of nostalgia-I used to watch this all the time growing up and had the titular song memorized. Professor Laurence MacKay (David Niven) is leaving the academic world to become a drama critic. His wife, Kate (Doris Day), is at first thrilled for him, but as he becomes more sought after and being invited to parties nearly every night; she starts to wonder if the fame will go to his head and that he will change for the worse. When the lease comes up on their apartment, and they find themselves going to homeless, they decide to live their dream of being in the country. However, Laurence finds it hard adjusting to country life and the constant repairs of the house. Kate sends him back to New York to finish his book, while she completes the house. Throw in the mix a Broadway writer angry at his bad review plotting revenge on the MacKays and a starlet setting out to seduce Laurence; and you have one highjink-filled film.
So the Professor acts like a major jerk through most of the film, while Day is awesome as she smart, funny, independent, artistic/crafty. I love how she works on the house, cares for the children, helps out at the school, taking care of the animals-and remains energetic, warm, and a breath of sunshine. Her husband does barely anything, and is all-I’m bushed, wah. I love how they have this awful play they are trying to put it on, and even though you recognize it as bad-she still makes it look good.
For more on Please Don’t Eat the Daises, go to With a Little Luck of the Irish: 17 More Irish Heroes
4) Elizabeth Wagstaff Arden from Move Over Darling (1963)
Nick and his wife Elizabeth were on a boat that crashed in a storm. Elizabeth (or her body) wasn’t found and five years of constant searching has revealed nothing. Nick has decided to have her declared legally dead and has remarried. The very same day as his second wedding, Elizabeth has finally been discovered on her desert island she washed up on, and returned home. Now Nick finds himself in a tough predicament-married to two wives!
This movie is a remake of a favorite of mine, My Favorite Wife-starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunn. Now you all know I’m not a fan of remakes, but I love this movie. It is fun, hilarious, and once again-Garner and Day do spectacular in the physical comedy. I love when he can’t bring himself to say what happened, and pretends he injured his back. Or when he is calling for Mrs. Arden, and the clerk is all which one? Paging for Mrs. Arden-which one? Hilarious!
For more Move Over, Darling, go to You’re My Wife and the Mother of My Children: Move Over Darling (1963)
3) Jennifer Nelson from The Glass Bottom Boat (1966)
Jennifer Nelson is a widow who works for NASA during the week and on the weekends swims dressed up as a mermaid for her dad’s glass bottom boat business. Bruce Templeton, NASA’s genius working on top secret inventions, spots her and learns all he can to win her-lying about a few things. He tries to pursue her, but the government is leery as they fear she is a spy. When Jennifer finds out about Bruce’s duplicitous behavior, she decides to get back at him and ends up caught in a spy ring!
As stated above, Day and Taylor work amazing together. They have great energy and chemistry. I love them. And this movie is just so funny, like I can’t describe how much-you NEED to watch it. I love when she decides to get back at him, better not be playing her-she’s gonna get you back. I LOVE it!
For more on The Glass Bottom Boat, go to Mata Hari Stops At Nothing. Nothing Comes Between Mata Hari and What She Wants: The Glass Bottom Boat (1966)
2) Cathy Timberlake from That Touch of Mink (1962)
Cary Grant is a handsome billionaire that is trying to romance the everyday girl-Cathy (Doris Day). Grant just wants an affair, while Day’s character wants marriage. He tries to take her on a weekend away-which goes comedically awry, same when Day tries to go after him. A crazed opy machine, a scheming brother trying to marry off Grant, and a plan to reunite the lovers that is probably the worst thought one ever made.
This movie is just so funny. Day plays the comedic part so well, while Grant is the straight man. She is limbs, raised voices, stumbling around-while he is cool, collected, and sarcastic. Just so many funny scenes like her getting drunk to be with Grant and falling out the window, her making too many copies-filing the room, Grant’s brother trying to get them together, etc. I LOVE it!
1) Georgia Garrett from Romance on the High Seas (1948)
This is Day’s first film, and it is amazing! A husband and wife are extremely jealous and suspect each other of cheating. The wife plans a cruise to Rio, and hires Georgia (Day) to go in her place, while she remains in town to spy on her husband. Her husband is suspicious that she might be trying to met up with a man, so he sends a P.I. to watch her, Peter Virgil. The two fall for each other, but finds themselves in a moral quandary as Georgia is “married”, and Peter is working. Will everything work out, or get even more muddled?
OMG this film is so funny and so much fun. I LOVED it, it is probably my favorite as it has everything-romance, comedy, music, and just all around fun. FANTASTIC! And of course this was the film that got her noticed, and signed!
So there we go, 10 fabulous films starring one amazing person. And if you noticed all of her movies-amazing clothes.
No, but on a serious note-we are sorry to see you go, were amazing actress, singer, humanitarian, and person.
janeaustenrunsmylife 