Sick Product of a Sick System

Better Late Then Never

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

When wisecracking Pat Carroll quips that she doesn't understand why the parents are never the ones who run away, she probably gave a lot of mommies and daddies a good idea. You see, her pal (construction company boss Doris Day) has just eloped with Brian Keith, and the four kids in the mix have mixed ideas, particularly Day's oldest son and Keith's daughter. Sexual tension is sure to develop between these two 18 year olds, but the two youngest rambunctious pre-pubescents are cool with their new daddy.Sound like "The Brady Bunch", "The Partridge Family" and "Yours, Mine, and Ours" with a touch of "Please Don't Eat the Daisies" thrown in? Yes, it's sitcom-ish, but fun. Day goes off on stepdaughter Barbara Hershey like you've never seen her go off before, showing some huevos as she hands over the lady of the house duties to the spoiled teen not used to sharing daddy with another woman, let alone one he's sleeping with. She's also slightly bitchy, giving it to the flirtatious neighbor of Keith's who openly flirts with him, saying she was just taking a walk. "Nice night for street walking", Day tells her, to which I spit out my soda, not expecting something like that from the all-American good girl.Heading out of motion pictures into TV, Day was in a transitional stage of her life, but retains her likability that kept her as queen of the Box Office for 15 years. Keith suits Day as a screen partner, then involved in his own sitcom ("Family Affair"), and well remembered as a dad with two perplexing teenagers in "The Parent Trap". As the newlywed couple face crisis after crisis (switching between each of their houses to suit the four kids not ready for total change), the film is realistic in its identification with the structures of 60's families. Alice Ghostley, Jamie Farr and the family dog (who is first seen eating Day's wig, certain it is a possum) offer amusing scenes. The comedy bits are prevented from too much silliness, and are not very far fetched. It is guaranteed to leave you with a smile. After disasters like "Caprice" and "Where Were You Where the Lights Went Out?", Day could be happy that her film career concluded on a nice note.

Doris Day's last feature film is a pleasant success, although it somehow isn't recalled as a such. Backtracking for a moment… Ms. Day's 1960s "sex comedies" were very big at the box office. The best of these films were critically acclaimed at the time, and are fondly remembered today. But, by 1967, Day began receiving scripts that lacked the wit (and hit potential) of earlier films. Day knew this, but found herself committed to a few unworthy movies, by manager/husband Martin Melcher. They weren't the first "bad" movies Day did, but they did come at a time when she was a "superstar". Day was able to make these bad movies better through her presence; as usual, she put a good effort into each assignment.By 1966, Day was firmly entrenched in the "Quigley Top 10" poll of box office stars, and had become a very dependable, consistent attraction. The films she didn't care for were responsible for Day falling out of the "Ten Best" list, in 1967. She saw "With Six You Get Eggroll" as an improvement. And, it was. Day's last films heralded a return to form; and, she appeared at a very respectable #14 in her final 1968 "Quigley Poll" appearance. It was a CBS-TV series deal that prevented Day from continuing her film career. She was in demand, and would have had to continue in films (she needed the money). But, Day was committed to work on the television series, against her wishes, by the now deceased Mr. Melcher.Seeing the success of the earlier released Lucille Ball comedy "Yours, Mine and Ours" (1968), the studio promoted "With Six You Get Eggroll" as similar fare. Actually, this film is a little better, overall (both are good movies). Herein, lumber yard owner "Abby McClure" (Day) is resigned to being single, after being left with her deceased husband's business, and three sons. But, she is "lonely" (a euphemism), as director Howard Morris clearly highlights with the overhead shots of Day on her bed. Day reluctantly accepts self-professed sex-minded sister Pat Carroll's arrangement of a date with widow Brian Keith (as Jake Iverson). Their courtship is marvelously depicted, thanks to fine scripting and performances.Some have debated whether or not the characters played by Day and Keith have pre-marital sex. Everything about in the characters' behavior suggests that they do. If fact, the biggest reason for the marriage is that they find it increasingly frustrating to "sneak around" and be "alone" (more euphemisms). The rest of the film deals with the inevitable problems the marriage causes in their living arrangements. Now, considering Day's business (which she's good at), you've got to wonder they didn't just build another bedroom for one of the children. Unfortunately, the business sense of Day's character is left standing at the alter. The plot question becomes: Will the children learn to get along, or break up the newlyweds? Representing the opposing fronts are her son John Findlater (as Flip) and his daughter Barbara Hershey (as Stacy). Youngsters Jimmy Bracken and Richard Steele handle their roles (and surprising bathtub scene) very well. Sounding like a cross between "Under My Thumb" and The Zombies, The Grass Roots do an original, exceptional, and very sixties-sounding song called "Feelings"; listen to them as Day visits a youth nightclub. Stand-up George Carlin turns up as fast-food patron. Two future "M*A*S*H" regulars lead a mob of tripping hippies. And, you can have a lot of fun picking out sit-com favorites. By the third act, the film has become more unfocused and ordinary, but it never really obliterates its appeal.******* With Six You Get Eggroll (8/7/68) Howard Morris ~ Doris Day, Brian Keith, John Findlater, Barbara Hershey

WITH SIX YOU GET EGGROLE had the timing misfortune of coming out in the movies at the same time as YOUR, MINE, AND HOURS, the Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball comedy about two people who get married and try to bring their individual broods of three kids each together. Here it was Doris Day and Brian Keith, trying to bring her three sons (John Findlater, Richard Steele, and Jimmy Bracken) and his daughter (a young Barbara Hershey) together, and finding it nearly impossible. Both Day and Keith are widowed, and they knew each other earlier, but their lives drifted apart. She became successful as an lumber yard owner, and he is a successful professional as well. Her sister, Pat Carroll, is trying to get her to remarry (one wonders why - Day's comment that she has a house full of sons and is not lonely, happens to be perfectly sensible...it's not like nobody is in the house since her husband died). Carroll forces the issue by calling Keith up and strong arming Day into inviting him to a dinner party mostly for her Day's clients. And, of course, things click perfectly between the two, until they "elope" to Las Vegas and marry without warning their kids. But that is just it: the kids' reactions to the marriage can make or break it.The kids are he normal bunch, with Findlater self-centered enough about his dates that he ignores his chores keeping his eyes on his brothers, and Hershey having become chief housekeeper for Keith. Naturally the two oldest ones clash all the time, as they are unused to having someone of their own age being suddenly in the way. Hershey keeps slighting Day, seeing her as a rival to her...until a fed up Day, when she hears Hershey complain about how she was a better house keeper, assigns Hershey all the chores for the day (a Friday) while Day goes out shopping. Ghostley (who was off that day) is a housekeeper who is constantly commenting on being overworked (but also quick to remind her boss Day that certain days she's off - or that Day is butting into Ghostley's personal time. Day is also aware of the gorgeous next door neighbor of Keith's (Elaine Devry) who has had her eye on Keith for some time too. Day is not thrilled to hear that Devry was Hershey's baby sitter in the past.The plot is identical to that of the Fonda - Ball film, although the twisted resolution is not quite the same (except in results). Watching it now is like seeing a major film that had many people in it who had substantial careers...but not necessarily on the big screen. Carroll was in several sit-coms in the the 1950s - 1980s. So was Herb Voland, who played her husband here. Alice Ghostly is recalled for BEWITCHED and DESIGNING WOMEN (although she did appear in other films, like THE FLIMFLAM MAN). A young George Carlin plays the manager of a drive in restaurant here - hardly showing his great stand-up wit. He was better in later film parts like OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE. Two flower children in the film would later reappear together and gain television immortality in M.A.S.H. as "Cpl. Klinger" and "Father Mulcahy" (Jamie Farr and William Christopher). A belligerent chicken farmer whose truck is crashed into twice by Day and Findlater is Vic Tayback, "Mel" on ALICE. And in his only major film credit, Alvin Melvin appeared as a put upon police officer listening to everyone yelling in his station at the end. Not quite as good as his roles in YOU'LL NEVER GET RICH, GOMER PYLE, or ARCHIE BUNKER'S PLACE. It is easy to recall that with all their fine movie work, both Day and Keith had decent successes in television too (in THE DORIS DAY SHOW and FAMILY AFFAIR). Actually the only star of the film with a substantial movie career after it was made was Hershey, as Day did retire from the screen...although Keith would still be available for movies up until the end, when his poor health led him to a tragic suicide.

This fun family film came out a few months after Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball's "Yours, Mine and Ours". As a youngster, I liked that picture better because it was FULL of kids (18 to be exact). These days, "Yours, Mine and Ours" gives me a headache and I avoid it at all costs. "Eggroll" creates the same step-family tension and only utilizes four children. What a bargain! Besides that, Doris Day wafts through this sitcom like a spring daisy. She was probably in her mid-40s here (and in her last movie to date), but she's fresh and funny throughout. I loved it when she spies Brian Keith in a go-go club with "a young chick" (his daughter) and says to sister Pat Carroll, "Why take a bus when you can fly?" There are big laughs and some thoughtful scenes and I enjoyed them--until the final 15 minutes when the picture goes to hell in a handbasket. Into this semi-realistic brew of changing houses and coming to an understanding, we get hippies, bikers, a chicken-truck driver and Brian Keith in his boxer shorts. It's a ridiculous turn of events triggered by a too-serious marital quarrel, and almost mitigates the sweet nature of the main characters. Nothing can derail Doris, though: she's so grounded in reality that you buy every emotion, every double-take, every line of dialogue. She's one of Hollywood's most underrated actresses. It may be "With Six You Get Eggroll", but Day plays the material like it's "Love Me Or Leave Me". **1/2 from ****