Manhattan Psychological Association
'Shrinks on Film':January 14, 2011
"Pillow Talk" (1959)

"Pillow Talk" is an excellent climactic film with which to close our "Shrinks in Cinema" series for this term. How better to chart the evolution of romantic comedy through the movies than by going back in time to a classic film chock full of iconic actors, some of whom are now remembered quite fondly for their later television work. Doris Day and Rock Hudson star as the fated lovers who, as per comedy formula, can't tolerate the person they believe the other to be, so they quickly develop an alter ego which threatens the develop of a real relationship. To be yourself—or to be someone else and quickly—that is the question. Thelma Ritter and Tony Randall, those timeless comedic warhorses, round out the cast as the inevitable friends/Greek Chorus.

Discussion Questions:
1. Who remembers 'party-lines'?
2. Brad tells Jan, on the phone, 'a woman who lives alone…(has) bedroom problems'.
3. The theme of combatants becoming lovers; the begrudging, and gradually unfolding, romantic attraction. What other movies?
4. Are women looking for the romantic ideal in a man? Jan tells her friend, Jonathan, 'I want to hit the moon'. What about meeting a nice guy? Is this 'settling'?
5. This was Rock Hudson, before he was out of the closet. He even insinuates to Jan, on the phone, that Rex Stetson may be gay (in coded language).
6. The movie (1959) shows Alma, the housekeeper, as a comical alcoholic; and Brad is smoking cigarettes.
7. Jan states that she 'has a good job, and a lovely apartment'. 'What am I missing?' This question is raised in several movies about single women.
8. Jan is depicted as a 'career woman', driven and successful. (Her apartment has a view of the Queensboro Bridge!)
9. Jonathan calls a private detective to learn about Rex Stetson. He should have just Googled him.
10. Brad asks Jonathan if his friend, Jan, has a good figure. The anonymous woman in the restaurant is very overweight; and Brad calls her 'Moose'. References to female attractiveness and body type would be more implicit in today's movies; or would they?
11. Do you remember your old 'telephone exchange'? Jan's phone number is Plaza 2-2748.

Time: 7:00PM—Place: Society for Ethical Culture, 3 W. 64 St.
Doors open at 6:30pm.
Light refreshments provided.
Discussant: Sheila Kaplan, Ph.D