Silver Screenings

Do Robert Goulet and Nancy Kwan share the same hairstylist?

We can’t believe we watched this entire movie.

Did we say “watched”? We were fascinated by it. Every aspect was mesmerizing:

• Robert Goulet, with his slicked-back hair and oily demeanor.
• The weird dance sequence by Nancy Kwan that occurs without warning and for no particular reason.
• Keenan Wynn, who is always so much fun as the hypocritical boss-man.
• Whether or not the hotel operator was one of the Mrs. Kravitzes in the old TV series, Bewitched.

We suppose there is a plot; however, we admit we were greatly distracted by the 60s-era furnishings and the unexpectedly contemporary hairdos. (Except for Goulet’s plastic-Lego-person hair. In one scene, he lays on a bed and rolls over, and his hair doesn’t even move.)

Oh right, the plot. When a man’s wedding is called off, his womanizing roommate (Goulet) takes him on a trip to a tropical island. Unbeknownst to them, the hotel they’ve checked into is for honeymooning couples only. This is where things get a little crazy.

We have to hand it to Jill St. John, who is such a good sport here. She plays the required ditz and is terrific at the physical comedy. She also has the best line in the movie. When Goulet asks her how she arrived at the tropical island, she says she flew in a big silver bird with champagne. “It’s only three bottles from New York!” she announces gleefully.

The acting in this movie is really good – way better than it needs to be – and this includes Goulet. (It was unfair of us to go on about his hair, wasn’t it?) Honeymoon Hotel depends on an over-the-top main character and Goulet carries the movie with seemingly no effort at all.

Ultimately, we can only recommend this movie if you have a peculiar interest in 1960s romps, or if you’re sick in bed and hopped up on cold medication.

Starring Robert Goulet, Nancy Kwan, Jill St. John and Keenan Wynn. Written by R.S. Allen and Harvey Bullock. Directed by Henry Levin. MGM, 1964, 90 mins.