A gradual metamorphosis in American films took place during the 1960s,
as anything wholesome and non-controversial was subject to ridicule and
criticism. Popular music was being subjugated by rock 'n roll, the British
Invasion and the Motown phenomenon. The civil rights movement, the
sexual revolution, fashion trends and general social attitudes were changing.
Amidst all this, Doris Day was the Number One motion picture star in
the world, but her reign would soon be jeopardised.
Day's films by 1966 had fallen out of fashion and she unfairly
became the butt of many jokes based on her 'virginity' and wholesome image.
Film critic, Judith Crist joined the Day-bashing bandwagon in 1967 and
had a field day disparaging Doris Day in "Caprice" (saying she
looked like an ageing drag-queen in the picture) on the Today Show, after
it opened to mixed reviews in New York.
Listen to Doris sing "Caprice"
The picture debuted to throngs of loyal, adoring Day fans
and, in contrast to some of the reviews, the audiences clearly enjoyed
the film. It was by no means a perfect movie and a wiser director than
Frank Tashlin, would have edited out some of the 'cuteness' which was the
main element of Day's persona that was under attack. Without those components, "Caprice" would
have been a smart and well-received spy spoof.
Chosen to co-star with
Miss Day was one of Ireland's most distinguished actors, Richard
Harris. He, like Rod Taylor, James Garner
and Stephen Boyd elevated their film careers
by sharing the screen with the world's most
popular actress. Garner has commented that "to
appear with Doris Day could make your career".
Harris was the latest foreign actor to
grace the screen with her. She had previously
acted with David Niven (England), Louis
Jourdan (France), Rex Harrison (England)
and Rod Taylor (Australia).
"Caprice" begins dramatically with
an exciting ski chase down the slopes
in Switzerland, ending in the murder of an
Interpol agent on the trail of narcotics smugglers.
Doris Day plays Patricia Fowler, the agent's
daughter who is out to find the person who
killed her father.
The script is convoluted and confusing on first
viewing. Fowler is working as an agent
for Femina Cosmetics and hired to steal secret
formulas from a rival firm, May Fortune.
Ray Walston plays, Stuart Clancy, a copycat cosmetician
who worked unsuccessfully for Femina, but
is now being touted as a genius with May Fortune.
Sir Jason Fox (Edward Mulhare), his former
employer, knows that Clancy could not be
creating new 'miracle drugs' (for instance, a water
repellent hair spray) and wants to find
out who is actually behind him. This is Patricia's
assignment. A double agent, Christopher
White (Harris) is employed by both Sir Jason and
Matthew Cutter (Jack Kruschen), owner of
May Fortune, but in reality is a Federal Agent!
Somewhere in all of this, drugs are being
smuggled via some 'harmless' face powder, and Patricia
Fowler becomes 'the girl who found out
too much'. There is much, much more!
Confused? I was on first and second viewing.
Finally, after the film came out on video,
I had the luxury of stopping the tape, rewinding,
listening again and finally figuring out
this confusion. Doris Day gives a highly
spirited, professional performance and is
very attractive in mod attire, created by
Ray Aghayan. Richard Harris stated that he
learned more about comedy from Doris than
he could have learned in four years at the
Royal Academy. What a compliment! They worked
well together and both handled the slapstick
with aplomb. Their most exciting predicament
was a cliff-hanger in which Christopher,
in a helicopter, rescues Patricia while she
is being chased down the same slopes on which
her father was murdered, by a skier with
a site rifle! Pure Pearl White.
Watching Miss
Day is a study in great movie acting. Her scene on the private jet with
Edward Mulhare and the one where she visited
his home were particularly effective. Ray
Walston must have loved his scenes with her,
especially the one where he was in drag,
disguised as a cleaning woman and when he
gave her his maniacal cosmetics demonstration.
Very funny.
As usual, the supporting cast was strong. Lilia Skala as
Mme. Piasco, the real 'cosmetics genius' was interesting in her scene with
Miss Day and Michael J. Pollard was appropriately
weird in the movie theatre scene where he
tried to molest Patricia. The theatre incidentally
was showing Doris Day and Richard Harris
in "Caprice",
a nice Tashlin touch. Other familiar
faces included Larry D. Mann, Fritz Feld,
and Muriel Landers (the fat girl in "Pillow
Talk").
Shot in colour and CinemaScope, this
picture is not as dismal as is often reported.
With a few minor cuts, it can rank, entertainment-wise,
nearly as high as Day's most successful
movies.
I firmly believe that if "Caprice" had
been re-edited and partially rewritten,
it would have been a much better film and
maybe could have escaped the scathing criticism
it has received over the years. I
rather enjoyed it, anyway. Watching Doris
Day is always a pleasure and I think she
gave a polished, professional performance.
As a student of film acting, one must take
particular scenes and judge THEM on their
individual merit, especially with a picture
like this. Day was wonderful in most of
her scenes.
Ralph McKnight,New
York, June 2000.
Doris Day, Richard Harris, Ray Waltson, Edward Mulhare, Irene
Tsu, Lilia Skala, Jack Kruschen. 20th Century Fox 98 Minutes Released,
June 1967
More Reviews
Doris Day and director Frank Tashlin
were a winning combo last year in Metro’s “The Glass Bottom Boat” Together
again in 20th Fox ‘s “Caprice,” an Aaron Rosenberg-Martin
Melcher production, they are just as well matched, although quite a bit
more ambitious the second time around.
Their first film was strictly for
fun and laughs; this one is rather more involved, mixing romantic spy
adventure with the lesser comedy elements. But Miss Day, unfiltered for
change, in Leon Shamroy’s
first-rate DeLuxe color CinemaScope photography, is still a daffy screen
personality, even with the melodrama thrown in for added box-office drawing
power. And Tashlin can’t pass up a chance for slapstick such as Miss
Day hanging from the terrace rafters trying to cut an Oriental girl’s
hair. Aiding Miss Day in the Jay Jason and Frank Tashlin screenplay about
cosmetic spying and international narcotics traffic are England’s
Richard Harris, Ray Waltson, Lilia Skala, Jack Krushen and Edward Mulhare.
The production values are good and there is the title song by Larry Marks
and Devol for Miss Day’s singing fan clubs. Based on the leading
lady’s popularity, the slick production and the summer release campaign, “Caprice” should
be a solid general market hit.
Boxoffice Magazine
“Caprice is a grotesque exaggeration of her mid-sixties
image. She lowers the newspaper she is reading to reveal a platinum-haired
mannequin with enormous dark glasses where her eyes should be. She is a
walking advertisement for vinyl in her black and white checkered coat,
gold dress and hat.. Day’s
wax-like makeup completes the image of an artifact exhumed for public display… The
actress has never had a role that required so much physical exertion. She
falls out of a balcony of a movie theater, dangles from precipices, slides
down mountain-sides and is repeatedly shot at during an excitingly filmed
ski chase.”
George Morris, Doris Day
“A spy thriller, Caprice is a slick, handsome production for 20th
Century Fox presenting our heroine as her worshippers love her: looking
as young as springtime..All this adds up to a romantic comedy thriller
that will delight the popular star’s fans.” New York Daily
News
“Oh well, to paraphrase the old saying, another Day,
another Doris. Only trouble is, it’s the same Day and the same Doris.” -
New York Morning Telegraph
“In Caprice Doris Day is a kind of James Bond. She
is a spy, it seems, for the cosmetic industry, with smuggled cosmetics
turning out to be dope…Miss Day is not as young as she used to be
for this sort of caper but she does have the energy and I guess energy
is about the one distinction of Caprice.” - Today Show
This is one of four films that Doris did not enjoy making.
It was simply a commitment her husband had made for her. She followed through
on her obligations even though she knew in her heart that the script was
banal and not worth her extraordinary talents.
Additional material:
Derald Hendry
