Some choice examples from that hollywood 1960/61 era when MGM was turning out glossy trash (+ a few choice late '50s ones):
I had never heard of director Ranald McDougall until now - he also directed Joan's QUEEN BEE as well as some of the above lulus: has anyone actually seen 1960's THE SUBTERRANEANS ? - its never been shown here in the UK for as long as I can remember: MGM (Arthur Freed actually!) tackes Jack Kerouac with George Peppard, Leslie Caron and Roddy McDowell (above) as beatniks ! "Love amoung the new bohemians" indeed! The female lead was black in the novel, but somehow ended up French in the movie - The mind reels ....it must have had a good jazz score though! (with Previn, Mulligan etc).
The Gina opus is fun with La Lollo giving it her all (its like a trashier BUTTERFIELD 8 where the high class call girl also has to pay for her sins), and RJ and Natalie go to town in ALL THE FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS where George Ha
milton and Susan Kohner also shine - all 4 tear each other apart emotionally but Pearl Bailey steals whatever is going in this overheated melodrama (and sings a bit too), Natalie's 1958 sudser MARJORIE MORNINGSTAR (with Gene Kelly in heel mode) is enjoyably awful now too. Then there is missionary Angie paying for her sins out in Africa in THE SINS OF RACHEL CADE - falling for pretty young Roger Moore (and having a baby) while Peter Finch glowers in the background .... other Warner potboilers included Burton (with Angie again) in THE BRAMBLE BUSH, and an Edna Ferber snow saga ICE PALACE. Burton would soon though get his call to Rome and those big paychecks....
for sensational sudsers 1959's A SUMMER PLACE and THE BEST OF EVERYTHING were unbeatable.
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