More than six decades ago, the word "sex comedy" had a very different meaning than it does today. The most important reason for this was a different, much more conservative, sexual morality; it isn't that surprising that Doris Day, an actress who built her stardom in such films, enjoyed a reputation as "the oldest professional virgin". One of the biggest hits in her career was That Touch of Mink, a 1962 film directed by Delbert Mann.
Doris Day plays Cathy Timberlake, a young woman seeking a job as a secretary in Manhattan. One day, while looking for work, her clothes get splashed by a Rolls-Royce owned by Philip Shayne (played by Cary Grant), a rich and suave businessman who wants to compensate her for his role in the incident. This leads to a series of encounters during which it becomes apparent that Philip is attracted to her and wants to add her to his long list of romantic conquests. Cathy is also attracted to Philip, but her views are more traditional, and she makes it very clear that the path to her heart leads through marriage. As Philip tries to woo her through a series of spectacular dates, his neurotic financial advisor, Roger (played by Gig Young), is misunderstood by his psychotherapist, Dr. Gruber (played by Allan Hewitt).
The idea of a character who is supposed to be a young urban professional in a big city rejecting sex before marriage might look rather antiquated to modern "liberated" sentiments, but it served as the basis for some mild humour in the script by Stanley Shapiro and Nate Monaster. While some jokes are funny, the main appeal for today’s viewers comes from the insight into a world reconstructed in the early seasons of Mad Men and the kind of films that would, decades later, get a loving parody/tribute in Down with Love. The original doesn’t amount to much, and the main reason might be the miscasting. Doris Day and Cary Grant simply look too old for the leads in this sort of romantic comedy, and Day's lack of proper chemistry with Grant doesn’t help either. The impression is slightly improved by the supporting cast, which includes Gig Young and Audrey Meadows as Cathy’s roommate, while cinematography by Russell Metty makes the film look bright, colourful, and generally pleasing to the eye. That Touch of Mink was a big success at the box office and won a Golden Globe for Best Musical/Comedy. Day would later in her memoirs describe the shooting of the film as one of the more pleasant experiences of her life. However, only a few years later, tumultuous social and cultural changes made this film obsolete, and today it can be enjoyed mostly as a curiosity.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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