WILLIAM SMITH in:
THE MATING GAME
1959


Directed by GEORGE MARSHALL
Screenplay by WILLIAM ROBERTS
Novel by H.E. BATES

Cast

DEBBIE REYNOLDS  as Mariette Larkin
TONY RANDALL as Lorenzo Charlton
PAUL DOUGLAS as Pop Larkin
FRED CLARK as Oliver Kelsey
UNA MERKEL as Ma Larkin
PHILIP OBER as Wendell Burnshaw
PHILIP COOLIDGE as Rev.  Osgood
CHARLES LANE as Bigelow
TREVOR BARDETTE as Chief Cuthrie
WILLIAM SMITH as Barney
ADDISON POWELL as De Groot
RICKEY MURRAY as Lee Larkin
DONALD LOSBY as Grant Larkin
CHERUL BAILEY as Victoria Larkin
CARYL BAILEY as Susan Larkin


Mating Game Video Box
 Lorenzo Charlton is an uptight, strait-laced tax collector.  While investigating tax fraud against the Larkins, he reluctantly falls under the spell of the lively Mariette Larkin.  Bill's part in this is rather ill-defined.  The opening scenes show his character and two other studly lads chasing after Mariette with her full cooperation.  Later on he acts more like a thug who plans to have his way with Mariette whether she consents or not.
Barney's first scene is on horseback
Barney picks up Debbie in a possessive sort of way
Barney & friend find the two lovers in the barn
Bill has three scenes and is not a huge presence in this comedy.  The "fight scene" near the end requires us to suspend our disbelief long enough to swallow Debbie and Tony overpowering Bill and his two friends.  Only in a comedy.
Barney isn' t happy to find them in the hay together
Tony Randall v. Bill Smith and it's Bill with the backup
Bill makes a grab for Debbie
When the "fight" begins all the Larkins join in and the slapstick ensues.
NiteOwl Review:  This was a funny movie for it's time.  Whether it holds up depends largely how the viewer feels about the two main stars.  For those of us who always found Tony Randall hilarious from these early comedies through The Odd Couple to his occasional guest appearances on Letterman this movie holds up well.  Those who find him irritating probably won't like this movie.
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