The Moon Is Blue (1953)
Directed by Otto Preminger

Film Review

The Moon Is Blue is one of director Otto Preminger's few excursions into comedy, an unusual departure for a director who is better known for his stylish films noirs such as Laura (1944) and prestigious contemporary dramas like Advise and Consent (1962).  The film enjoyed a certain notoriety when it was originally released without the approval of the Hollywood censors (Preminger refused categorically to remove such offensive words as 'virgin' and 'pregnant'), and consequently became a box office hit.  The film's enormous popularity had far-reaching implications - an almost immediate relaxation of the Production Code and a far more relaxed approach when it came to references to sex in films from the mid-1950s onwards.

Although The Moon Is Blue was groundbreaking in its day (no other mainstream American film had dared to talk about sex so casually and honestly), it now appears hopelessly dated.  It would doubtless have been all but forgotten by now were it not for the fact that it has such a likeable principal cast.  William Holden, David Niven and newcomer Maggie McNamara (remarkable in her first screen role) extract as much comedy mileage as possible from F. Hugh Herbert's over-wordy and frustratingly static stage play, and whilst the film is rarely (if ever) funny it retains a certain charm.  Niven's career was on the skids at the time he made the film, and the film's popularity allowed the actor to bounce back in the kind of role for which he is probably now best remembered, the irresistibly charming English scoundrel.

Film Synopsis

Patty O'Neill is an aspiring young actress who puts up no resistance when architect Don Gresham attempts to chat her up on top of the Empire State Building.  Having made it quite clear that she has no intention of going to bed with him, Patty accepts Don's invitation back to his apartment for a drink and a chat.  Patty offers to make a meal for them both, but whilst Don is out shopping for ingredients, Patty is visited by his neighbour, an unprincipled womaniser named David Slater.  Patty learns that David is the father of Cynthia, the woman Don was recently engaged to.  Like Don, David is attracted to the attractive young actress, but Patty again manages to repel his advances.  After dinner, Don realises that he would like to marry Patty, but the evening turns sour when Patty's irate father suddenly puts in an appearance...