It wants to be "Libeled Lady" or "His Girl Friday" or "Blessed Event," but 1958 is a little late in the game for a screwball newspaper romance, and it's certainly late in the game for Clark Gable to be playing a hard-bitten managing editor who runs around chasing Doris Day and Mamie Van Doren. Day, maintaining her dignity while being forced to wiggle her bottom a lot, is a journalism teacher who's encouraging her prize pupil, a masquerading Gable, to quit his supposed job in wallpaper and pursue a news career. You want to say to her, look, he'll be retiring in a few years anyway. Their chemistry is nil, and the Fay and Michael Kanin screenplay, though Oscar-nominated, has some Act Three problems. Gig Young, who's quite funny as Day's other possible paramour, does some fine drunk scenes, but there's no reason to be believe that this rival for Day's affections would suddenly become a best bud to Gable, who's been terrible and devious to him. There are also some good ideas, like a debate on what's better for journalists, education or experience, and some lovely supporting work, especially by Nick Adams as a copy boy and Vivian Nathan as his worried mom.Mamie is quite decorative in her extended scene, and the black and white Vistavision canvas is appealing. But it's far from the classic it aims to be.
Review of Teacher's Pet
