# Boys' Night Out (1962)

### reviewed by
Mattias Thuresson

    BOYS' NIGHT OUT

    United States 1962
    Director: Michael Gordon

Cast: Kim Novak, James Garner, Tony Randall, Howard Morris, Howard Duff, Oskar Homolka

    Rating: 4 out of 5

I love this movie, and I've just seen for the umptenth time. Unfortunately, it is also completly unknown and very few have seen it. It's my mission in life to spread the word: see this movie!

Fred, George, Doug and Howie are reaching middleage. Three of them have a wife, kids and a house in the suburb with a mortgage to pay. Only Fred is still a bachelor. Together they take the local train every morning to work in town. On one of their organized Thursday evenings at a bar, Fred tells them of his boss and the arrangements he has made to keep a mistress. He has gotten an apartment in downtown where he can meet her but has told his wife that he needs the apartment to spend the night after staff meetings every Thursday night.

Since they always split everything four ways, they decide that they should get an apartment with a young woman as well, Kathy. However, Kathy isn't completly honest to them. In fact, she is a sociology student writing a thesis about the sex life of the suburban male. With these four species she believes that she will make a very good paper.

OK, have one thing clear though. The romantic rendezvous' between Kathy and each of the men are completly innocent. The script stays above the waist - or to be precise, above the neck. Noboyd claims that Kathy is their mistress, the four guys call her their 'companion'. The censorship board here in Sweden considered it to be suitable only for people above 15 years, but that only shows how long ago 1962 was. Small children could watch this without being corrupted.

Kim Novak is as lovely as always in this movie, even if she seems to be a bit too old for a student. James Garner is the playboy just like in many other movies. I liked Howard Morris the best as Howard the accountant who has to diet to support his wife. Tony Randall is funny as always.

1962 was more than 35 years ago. How many accountants, copywriters or investment bankers can today afford to live in a house in the suburb with a lot of kids and a wife who does not work? This is the white middle class, I can't remember that I saw any blacks on the commuter train they use. These are the people who can count on their kids to live an even better life than themselves. Perhaps this should also be a subject for a thesis in movie sociology?

    Mattias Thuresson
    mattias.thuresson@mbox300.swipnet.se

    980327

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