Review of The Pleasure Seekers

A tried and true formula (three girls living together and loving various men) gets a Spanish-flavored, musical treatment here from a director who had a clear affinity for the genre. Negulesco had already directed "How to Marry a Millionaire," "Three Coins in a Fountain" and "The Best of Everything" prior to this film! In Madrid, Spain, a print journalism company employs blonde Lynley, who has a thing for her married boss Keith while simultaneously being pursued by co-worker McKay. Her roommate is red-haired Margret who keeps busy as a singer and dancer for hire. They welcome Lynley's school chum, brunette Tiffin, who is there to experience life and art. Margret runs into (literally!) young doctor Lawrence and begins a tenuous relationship with him while Tiffin becomes entangled in playboy Franciosa's web of seduction. Amidst a crisp and strikingly beautiful Madrid, with great shots of some legendary artwork and some lovely scenery, the girls live and love, sometimes getting hurt along the way and, in Margret's case, occasionally belting out a song or two. Lynley is lovely and wears some simple and bright, but sexy, little dresses. Hers is an affected performance, but it's occasionally an effective one, too. Tiffin plays a dim bulb and does so rather shallowly with little real feeling, but she is, again, lovely to look at. Margret is very much "on" here, running, gyrating, emoting and slinking around as if her life depended on it. Fans of hers will not want to miss her fantastic body, luscious mane of hair or her musical performances, especially the flamenco dance in a snug pink dress. She does have one memorably preposterous scene in which she refers to herself as not wearing mascara while her eyelashes are thick and black with it! Franciosa is slick and slimy, working every angle to get women to do what he wants. McKay, who was no slouch in the looks department himself, is laid back in the extreme here, barely bothering to open his eyes all the way. Lawrence is appealing and attractive as well. Keith gives the sort of no nonsense, gruff performance he was known for with a touch of tenderness thrown in. His storyline is given a rather abrupt resolution, however. Tierney, in her final big screen performance, plays his sophisticated wife. She is barely given a chance to register except for a catty showdown with Lynley in the ladies room which was handily eclipsed a couple of years later when Patty Duke and Susan Hayward did battle in "Valley of the Dolls," another three girls against the world flick. Scotti plays a lascivious neighbor who delights in peeking in the windows of the girls' apartment and Elsom appears as Franciosa's wealthy and knowing mother. The film wasn't meant to be anything but a colorful and entertaining diversion and that's all it is. It's pat and familiar, but also quite enjoyable.