brilliant actors, brilliant editing

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

Blistering performances.

"Love Is a Ball" is a very strange sort of matchmaker movie. Instead of doing things the NORMAL way, Etienne Pimm (Charles Boyer) is one sneaky guy! He finds poor members of nobility and pairs them up with super-rich spouses. However, he IS sneaky....and doesn't tell the rich folks he's doing this. Instead, he and his crew are actors who ingratiate themselves to the rich family and covertly arrange for the pair to meet and fall in love! It's all very mercenary and Pimm is really good at his job. However, in the care of Millie (Hope Lange) he has an unexpected problem...over time, instead of falling for the poor nobleman (Ricardo Montalban), she starts to fall for her new chauffeur (Glenn Ford)! What's next in this cute little romance? See for yourself...This is a nice and inconsequential romantic comedy--the sort of date film that is fun to watch with someone you love. It won't change your life but will make you smile...unless, of course, you're a nasty jerk-face who doesn't like happy endings and romance.

Another Sunday evening blunder...when will I learn? Ah, the sins of my old age! This film has everything! Bad lighting,stiff, embarrassing performances--a prancing, mincing Kojak? (Telly Savalas)...Glenn Ford with a crankcase of oil in his hair...obviously, the script had been flung in the air, and the pages re-assembled haphazardly.The 50's diner lettering in the credits should have been a warning to me. But, fatigue,unfavorable sports results, conspired to lower my TQ(Taste Quotient) I realize this is marginally a review and more a cri de la coeur, but I cannot accurately describe a plot so contrived, so smirking, so typical of movies of that period. The Hudson/Day comedies seem like Ingmar Bergman gems in comparison.The only surprise came at the end, when this cinematic disaster "thanked" a handful of locations, institutions who had cause for a lawsuit for injury to their reputations.

What surprise(s)? Plenty. How about Telly Savalas playing an effeminate guardian? How about Ricardo Montalban playing a klutz! This movie has all that and then some. Hope Lange is perfect as the rebellious young girl who doesn't want to be stereotyped (this was pretty racy for the 50s mind you), and Glenn Ford totally disarmed by his circumstance and his company.Great chemistry between the players especially between Charles Boyer and Montalban, who just doesn't seem like he's ever going to play up to his title...this is really funny.A movie I can watch again and again.

Loved it. One of my all time favorites. Glenn ford is great, Mr Boyer is a real hoot, and the young Ricardo Montalban is a delight. Does anyone know who owns the rights? I would love to see it again. Been waiting for years. Please e-mail me. Thank you for reading this.