In case of murder, get a pigeon. When I watched the garden gazebo, I was inevitably haunted by the thought that I had already seen it somewhere. And not because the plot itself is nothing original, but saw the same, in a very approximate version. And exactly: in 1971, a remake with Louis de Funes, “Joe” was released, the film is not an example of a more funny and energetic, bright and winding. However, let’s leave the film alone, illuminated by the genius of the king of French comedy, who made any film remarkable, and return to the American original.
“Garden gazebo” was first a play, then a successful Broadway production, and then turned into this black and white film, which was staged by the staff director at the time MGM George Marshall, who released in the late 50s and early 60s a number of success stories with staff stars MGM – Glenn Ford and Debbie Reynolds. In 1958, he, for example, made a wonderful ironic western "Shepherd" with "Ford and Leslie Nielsen", and the next after "Conversation" his film was the hit comedy "It all began with a kiss" with the same "b" duet Ford-Reynolds
.
The "discourse", I must say, was also a success. Global box office revenues were around 3.5 million, confirming Ford and Reynolds’ status as “guaranteed box office beaters.” The unobvious key to success is also in the fact that the film was released at Christmas, when light unassuming comedies are especially loved.
As for the film itself, it is by no means brilliant and not outstanding, but quite elegant and funny comedy, ridiculing noirs, which, nevertheless, due to the intrepidity of the director, does not use either the potential of the plot (very funny, by the way), nor the potential of actors (very talented, by the way) to the fullest. This is a rather cautious comedy, as if moving to the touch and carefully avoiding all sorts of sharp corners. Immediately come to mind “Murderers of the Lady” (1955) or “Gang with Lavender Hill” (1951), where equally anecdotal criminal plots are performed with much greater grace and temperament. Well, the brilliant remake of Jean Giraud is also difficult to forget.
Nevertheless, the authors are quite reasonable to focus our attention on the charismatic Ford and his amusing attempts to get out of a seemingly hopeless situation. In parallel, as in any such comedy, the room (and the film is almost interior, since it was originally created in the form of a theatrical play) fills many stupid characters who prevent the main character from carrying out his plans. Due to the fact that these characters are played by very good character actors, it turns out not bad. Here and the young Carl Reiner (future director-comediographer, classic, better than Marshall) in the role of an incredibly stuffy friend of the main characters, sticking his nose in their affairs and - eye - on the heroine Reynolds, and the young Martin Landau in the role of a polite bandit, and a bright John McGyver with a completely hilarious manner of talking, and Doro Merande as a screaming handmaid and several quite noticeable heroes. Glenn Ford spins between these annoying and neglected clinging to the house, sweats, twists, lies, and burns at every turn.
Charming Debbie Reynolds here somewhat saves opportunities, and too fussing in the role of the wife of the hero Ford, which is exactly what should shade his fussiness and nervousness. However, she has a good backup musical number, well, and just Debbie is beautiful and charming and look at her nice.
As for the shortcomings, I have already said about some: the director’s caution and unwillingness to bring the situation to the absurd (which the creators of the French remake miraculously coped with) level the funny plot and actor’s clowning. The picture, in my opinion, is a little eccentric. And, it seems, the most accurate it would fit into the buffoonish manner of the "National Lampoon" of the 80s, and the most suitable candidates for the leading role seem to be Chevy Chase or Steve Martin (in the production just Rainer). These are my own wet fantasies.
It looks like it’s fun and enjoyable. Probably, if you choose a simple, "resting" film from the classics, but not from the list of nettles like "In jazz only girls" and "Roman holidays", then this picture becomes an obvious choice.
8 out of 10