Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

recommended

A different way of telling a story

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

'The Glass Bottom Boat' was seen as part of my completest quest for the films of Doris Day. Most of her films have been seen already, a few many times and among my favourites, but being a fan there was the want to see the ones not already viewed.Of these first time viewings, 'The Glass Bottom Boat' is one of the better ones. Not quite one of her best ('Calamity Jane' and 'Pillow Talk' are especially great), but a long way from being one of her worst, even as a fan will admit that not every single film of hers is good let alone great (both early in her career and later), and actually one of her better later (meaning her 60s output) films. Also the better of the two Day and director Frank Tashlin collaborations, the other being the critical and commercial failure 'Caprice'.Sure the story is silly, but the film knows it and one is just too caught up in the non-stop entertainment to care. There maybe could have been more of the romance between Day and Rod Taylor, there certainly is some, it has the right amount of sweetness and Taylor has charm as a leading man if not quite enjoying himself as much as the rest of the cast, but it is a little under-utilised and occasionally gets lost amidst everything else.However, 'The Glass Bottom Boat's' production values are great, one of Day's best looking films to me. The locations and fashions are fabulously lavish and it is beautifully photographed with gorgeous use of colour, bright, bold and rich. There is some fine music too, energetically quirky while also lush. The title song is unforgettable, the little snippet of "Que Serra" is even better used than in 'The Man Who Knew Too Much' and "Soft as a Starlight" is lovely. They suit Day's beautiful voice perfectly, and Day's musical understanding and sincerity shines through all.It's an exceptionally funny film too, which is something not always found in later films with Day. Very slapstick-heavy which is delivered with tons of energy and like the supporting cast in particular were having a ball, but also with some intriguing social satire, some ahead of the time use of technology (would do anything for a kitchen like that, despite being more than content with the kitchen in my flat, but the kitchen is just too cool). The title sequence is super.Story goes at a bright and breezy pace, 'The Glass Bottom Boat' is a never dull film, and has charm and fun aplenty, the silliness and slightness of it is pretty much forgiven. Tashlin's experience as a cartoonist comes through loud and clear with the delivery of the humour and he keeps things thick and fast with the gags and zany dialogue being packed into the film without feeling too much. The ending section is a riot, as is Paul Lynde in drag (goodness doesn't he look good in it) and Dick Martin and Edward Andrews in bed is quite a sight (don't worry it's more innocent than it sounds).Day perky and luminous, has deftly witty comic timing, sincerity and just charms everybody every time she's on screen in front of the camera and to the viewer watching. Satire comes easily to her. Taylor is charming if a little underused, while Lynde, Martin and Andrews are hilarious scene-stealers. Dom DeLuise provides some inspired seemingly improvisational comedy. A cameo from Robert Vaughn is also fun.Overall, extremely entertaining film with so much to recommend. One of Day's better later efforts if not quite one of her best overall. 8/10 Bethany Cox

I loved this movie when I saw it as a 13 year old. But seeing it as an adult, I was disappointed at how lame it is. The supporting cast is terrific - Lynde, Martin, DeLuise, McGiver and the great Alice Pearce - but the story and main characters just don't have anything to offer to someone beyond adolescence. And so little of the story actually happens aboard the titular Boat! It seems like more of an excuse to sell a hit song. I always enjoyed Doris Day movies as a kid, also. But now I realize how mediocre they were. I guess Pillow Talk was the best and actually in a class by itself. It would have been interesting to see The Graduate with her as Mrs. Robinson, but she was too protective of her virginal image to appear in such a racy role.

The script, pacing, and editing of "The Glass Bottom Boat" fail Doris Day and Rod Taylor. It's a shame, because the movie seemed to have had a lot to offer.Surprisingly, Ms. Day plays an attractive divorced woman who has given up on romance; instead, she enjoys her job, and a "family" of animals. Mr. Taylor, we assume, is otherwise interested in twentysomethings, but he is attracted to Day. Their introductory scene has Day half-naked, so we know Taylor is aware her sexual allure is not faltering. I thought their relationship was far to underplayed - Day subtlety touches on it in a scene following a romantic encounter; but, we know too little of the lead characters' past.The supporting players are fantastic - Paul Lynde looks great as a woman, showing he could have also played Endora on "Bewitched" (as well as Uncle Arthur)! BUT, the script doesn't gel - it's a shame Taylor revealed he thought Day's character was too stupid to be a spy. Later, he says he loves her banana cream pies; yet, we are left believing he really thinks she is stupid. They should have yelled, "RE-WRITE!" ***** The Glass Bottom Boat (1966) Frank Tashlin ~ Doris Day, Rod Taylor, Paul Lynde

It's NOT! Instead this badly edited, terribly scored, loosely plotted dreck is only of value as a mindless mid-60's time-capsule w/ a large roster of recognizable TV-land faces in supporting roles: there's gay Uncle Arthur from "Bewitched" as a nosy, gay NASA security guard who dresses in drag to follow Ms. Day into a women's restroom; also from "Bewitched" there's Gladys and "Abner, come quickly!" as nosy neighbors (DUH!) of Ms. Day (I was half-expecting Endora to show up floating); there's a cameo from "The Man from U.N.C.L.E."; there's not-terribly-suave Martin (one half of "Martin and Rowan's Laugh-In) as a secondary love interest for Day, and he has a truly dead-on silly line when mistakenly caught in bed w/ an Air Force General "You want to meet early and pick out the furniture?"; there's even Godfrey as Day's father (more like slightly-older brother as Day and him are close in age); and there's even Grandma Walton as a senior citizen Girl Friday battling a wayward robot vacuum cleaner!The slightly better acted supporting roles belong to DeLuise as a bumbling pseudo-foreign agent who has some silly funny scenes w/ Day (the early foot caught in waste basket scene and the latter water gun scene); and Taylor as a stud-scientist who battles and romances Day in the workplace. Speaking of workplace, Ms. Day works at NASA which happens to be based in Cape Kennedy, Florida, but yet she commutes (by car no less!) to a home in Los Angeles, California!!!!! This implausibility results in unintended laughs when after a long day at work in Florida Ms. Day makes plans to boat over to Catalina. BTW: is there any simple task that Day can take on that doesn't turn into disaster? It's not that she plays dumb-blonde, but that her character is accident-prone (ie.- the heel caught in the grate, the Banana Crème pie fiasco, the unpiloted speed boats debacles, the fish hook/mermaid suit accident, the pie baking kitchen scene, etc.) and even worse she's middle-age but playing a role twenty years younger!There's one unintended telling moment in the movie (towards the very end) when terribly under-used actor McGiver (who if you blinked earlier on you would have missed his earlier scene) reappears in the middle of chaos (DUH!) and asks the other actors "What's going on?" Truly telling commentary on this fiasco of a movie.