''The Pleasure of His Company'' is a 1961

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

starring

Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, choreographer, actor, and singer. He is often called the greatest dancer in Hollywood film history. Astaire's career in stage, film, and tele ...

and Debbie Reynolds, directed by George Seaton and released by Paramount Pictures. It is based on the 1958 play of the same name by Samuel A. Taylor and

Cornelia Otis Skinner Cornelia Otis Skinner (May 30, 1899 – July 9, 1979) was an American writer and actress. Biography Skinner was the only child of actor Otis Skinner and actress Maud Durbin. After attending the all-girls' Baldwin School and Bryn Mawr College ...

. Astaire was nominated for a Golden Globe award for his performance.

Plot

San Francisco debutante Jessica Poole hasn't seen her father "Pogo" Poole since the divorce between him and her mother Katharine, many years before. Pogo went off to travel the world and enjoy himself, while Katharine remarried to stodgy banker Jim Dougherty. Now Jessica is about to marry Roger Henderson, a cattle rancher from the Valley of the Moon in

Sonoma County Sonoma County () is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, its population was 488,863. Its county seat and largest city is Santa Rosa. It is to the north of Marin County and the south of Mendocino ...

, and Pogo has been invited to the wedding. Pogo arrives, as charming as he ever was. He is delighted by Jessica, and captivates her in return. He makes peace with Katharine, and even wins over Toy, the Doughertys' prized cook, though not Jim and Roger. But Pogo is still as irresponsible as before. He invites Jessica to come away with him and "see the world". He even tries to break up her engagement, to Katharine's dismay. He also seems to be coming between Jim and Katharine, who has never quite got over her love for him. Despite Pogo's maneuvers, the wedding goes through. But Pogo has reserved ''two'' airline tickets: who's going with him? Jim, fearing that Pogo has won over Kathrine again, escorts Pogo to the airport with Katharine and her father. Jim, stopping Katharine from buying cigarettes in the airport, fears she is leaving him to meet Pogo at the plane. Jim, Katharine, and her father standing in the waiting room to see Pogo off. Katharine is angered to see that Pogo has taken Jessica's portrait, To which Jim calms her down saying "Let him have it after all the poor guy is alone". Katharines father then points to someone with Pogo, Only for it to be revealed as Toy, much to Jims dismay. Pogo and Katharine share a heartfelt smile and gaze into each other's eyes. Pogo boards a plane – with Toy.

Cast

At the time this film was released, Fred Astaire had given up dancing on screen. He had recently completed a dramatic performance in '' On the Beach'' in 1959 and retired from dancing in films because he was getting old. He wouldn't do another Hollywood musical until '' Finian's Rainbow'' was released in 1968. However, he did dance a little in this film during the party sequence, and even sang briefly as he teased Lilli Palmer. Famed costume designer

Edith Head Edith Head (October 28, 1897 – October 24, 1981) was an American costume designer who won a record eight Academy Awards for Best Costume Design between 1949 and 1973, making her the most awarded woman in the Academy's history. Head is cons ...

, who designed dresses for the film, appeared early in the film, showing dresses to Debbie Reynolds. *

as Biddeford "Pogo" Poole * Debbie Reynolds as Jessica Anne Poole *

Lilli Palmer Lilli Palmer (; born Lilli Marie Peiser; 24 May 1914 – 27 January 1986) was a German actress and writer. After beginning her career in British films in the 1930s, she would later transition to major Hollywood productions, earning a Golden Glob ...

as Katharine "Kate" Dougherty *

Tab Hunter Tab Hunter (born Arthur Andrew Kelm; July 11, 1931 – July 8, 2018) was an American actor, singer, film producer, and author. Known for his blond, clean-cut good looks, Hunter starred in more than forty films. He was a Hollywood heartthrob of t ...

as Roger Berk Henderson *

Gary Merrill Gary Fred Merrill (August 2, 1915 – March 5, 1990) was an American film and television actor whose credits included more than 50 feature films, a half-dozen mostly short-lived TV series, and dozens of television guest appearances. He starr ...

as James "Jim" Dougherty *

Charles Ruggles Charles Sherman Ruggles (February 8, 1886 – December 23, 1970) was an American comic character actor. In a career spanning six decades, Ruggles appeared in close to 100 feature films, often in mild-mannered and comic roles. He was also the e ...

as Mackenzie Savage * Harold Fong as Toy *

Elvia Allman Elvia Beatrice Allman (September 19, 1904 – March 6, 1992) was an American actress in Hollywood films and television programs for over 50 years. She is best remembered for her semi-regular roles on ''The Beverly Hillbillies'' and ''Petticoat J ...

as Mrs. Mooney

Original play

Film rights to the play were bought in February 1958 for $350,000 even before the play had been produced. It was bought by the production company of George Seaton and William Perlberg. The play debuted on Broadway in October 1958.

Brooks Atkinson Justin Brooks Atkinson (November 28, 1894 – January 14, 1984) was an American theatre critic. He worked for '' The New York Times'' from 1922 to 1960. In his obituary, the ''Times'' called him "the theater's most influential reviewer of hi ...

of the ''New York Times'' called it "thoroughly delightful". The play was produced in London where it starred and was directed by

Nigel Patrick Nigel Patrick (born Nigel Dennis Patrick Wemyss-Gorman; 2 May 1912 – 21 September 1981) was an English actor and stage director born into a theatrical family. During the late 1940s and 1950s, he became known as a debonair leading man in Brit ...

Development

In February 1959 Seaton reportedly wanted Fred Astaire to play the lead alongside Lilli Palmer.

Awards and nominations

Golden Globes The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...

** Best Motion Picture Actor, Musical or Comedy (Astaire, nominated) * Berlin Film Festival **

Golden Bear The Golden Bear (german: Goldener Bär) is the highest prize awarded for the best film at the Berlin International Film Festival. The bear is the heraldic animal of Berlin, featured on both the coat of arms and flag of Berlin. History The win ...

(nominated)

References

External links

*
''The Pleasure of His Company''
at the IBDB database {{DEFAULTSORT:Pleasure Of His Company 1961 films 1961 comedy films American comedy films American films based on plays Films about weddings Films directed by George Seaton Films scored by Alfred Newman Films set in San Francisco Films shot in San Francisco Films with screenplays by Samuel A. Taylor Paramount Pictures films 1958 plays American plays adapted into films Broadway plays Plays by Samuel A. Taylor Films produced by William Perlberg 1960s English-language films 1960s American films