On This Day...Kiss Them For Me (1957)

 Cary Grant's 63rd film was Kiss Them For Me, and released today in 1957.

Synopsis:

Three decorated Navy pilots finagle a four day leave in San Francisco. They procure a posh suite at the hotel and Commander Crewson (Cary Grant), a master of procurement, arranges to populate it with party people. 

With Ray Walston and Jayne Mansfield.

Lieutenant Wallace (Werner Klemperer) is trying to get the pilots to make speeches to rally the homefront at shipyard magnate Eddie Turnbill's (Leif Erikson) plants, but they're tired of the war and just want to have fun. While Crewson begins falling in love with Turnbill's fiancée Gwinneth Livingston (Suzy Parker), he tries to ignore the distant call of war.

With Suzy Parker.

"Grant, even though a bit old as a dashing pilot, is wonderful, be he romantic, comic, bitter or sad."

- Motion Picture Herald.

With Jayne Mansfield.

Did You Know?

Cary Grant specifically asked that Stanley Donen be hired on to direct the film. Grant had never met or spoken to Donen prior to their collaboration on this film, but he had been extremely impressed by Donen's work on films such as Royal Wedding (1951), Singin' in the Rain (1952), and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954). Grant expressed that Donen's light and comedic touch on those films fit the tone of the screenplay for Kiss Them for Me (1957).

Suzy Parker's feature film acting debut.The speaking voice of Suzy Parker is partially dubbed by Deborah Kerr.

This marks the first of four film collaborations between actor Cary Grant and director Stanley Donen. The subsequent films were Indiscreet (1958), The Grass Is Greener (1960), and Charade (1963).

Cary Grant expressed concerns that, at age 53, he was too old to convincingly play a U. S. Navy flier. Producer Jerry Wald encouraged Grant to take the part because his charisma and popularity with the American public far outweighed concerns about his age.

Cast:

Cary Grant ... Cmdr. Andy Crewson
Jayne Mansfield ... Alice Kratzner
Leif Erickson ... Eddie Turnbill
Suzy Parker ... Gwinneth Livingston
Ray Walston ... Lt. (j.g.) McCann
Larry Blyden ... Mississip
Nathaniel Frey ... CPO Ruddle
Werner Klemperer ... Lt. Walter Wallace
Jack Mullaney ... Ens. Albert Lewis

Lobby Cards:

International Posters:

"A Sacred Border" - French

"A Devilish Swing" - Dutch

Directed by Stanley Donen.

Distributed by 20th Century-Fox.

Running time: 103 minutes.