(1965)
2
Craig Butler
Those who are true Doris Day devotees may find Do Not Disturb worth watching, but others are advised to save themselves the trouble. Disturb is a slow-paced, draggy romantic comedy that could use a healthy dose of romance and two healthy doses of comedy. Major blame rests squarely on Richard L. Breen and Milt Rosen's tepid little screenplay, which appears to have never met a contrivance it didn't like. Granted, '60s sex comedies like this are not necessarily known for the originality of their plotting (any more than are their antecedents, such as the sex farces of the comedie francaise). Still, the writers have to find some way of making the characters go through the expected and inevitable paces in a way that is entertaining and somehow surprising. A little wit, in situation or in dialogue, would be a good place to start, but Do Not Disturb is sadly deficient here. Ralph Levy's direction is too labored to help matters, which places a big burden on the cast. Rod Taylor is rather dull, and Hermione Baddeley tries hard but to little avail. Through sheer force of will, Day manages to lift the picture up and make it watchable -- but she gets little reward for all her efforts.
cast-crew for Do Not Disturb on AllMovie
Do Not Disturb (1965)
