The Opposite Sex (1956)

My main problem with this musical remake version of The Women is that it was not just confined to The Opposite Sex. When Clare Booth Luce wrote her original work with only female roles it was not just as a gimmick. She wanted her viewers to use their imaginations especially in the roles of the husbands as to what these men were like and whether The Women should let them go or fight for them.That is now lost with the men being flesh and blood now. Leslie Nielsen in the role of Steven Hilliard (formerly Haines) is in an impossible job and he comes off as insipid. One wonders whether June Allyson wants him back for himself or just to reassemble the American family for the sake of her daughter Sandy Descher.Jeff Richards can't compare to the imaginary Buck Winston we have in our minds from the first version. In fact he's more Joe Buck than Buck Winston.Joan Collins in her salad years is just getting into those femme fatal roles she took out a patent on. Of course she's no Joan Crawford, but who is. And Dolores Gray carries right on from where Rosalind Russell left of as Sylvia Fowler.No great songs from writers Nicholas Brodzsky and Sammy Cahn are in this score.It's not a bad film, but in comparison to the original this is like a summer stock production.

Apathetic musical remake of 1939 classic The Women. Despite addition of songs and technicolor it actually winds up being less interesting than the original. If anything the 1950s trappings hurt the film. '50s films often had a stuffiness about them, due to the conservative fashions I suppose. Anyway this one has an OK cast but it's not a patch on the original. Ann Sheridan and Joan Blondell, two of my faves, were past their primes by 1956 unfortunately. Still, Sheridan probably stands out most of this cast. June Allyson is not an actress I was ever very big on and that opinion doesn't change with this performance. And what was with that terrible makeup they had her wearing in the second half of this movie? Yuck. Joan Collins gets the juiciest role here. The same role Joan Crawford did so well at in the 1939 film. Well I think just stating the obvious -- that Joan Collins is no Joan Crawford -- should suffice as a criticism. In short this is a bland remake of a very good film. See it for the assembled stars and curiosity factor but do yourself a favor and see The Women first.

June Allyson is not naughty enough for her husband, so he goes for Joan Collins, who has a roving eye of her own. They have to decide, in the end, which twosome is preferable. What seems like a million other characters move in and out of the story, all focused around Ms. Allyson. Some of the characters are interesting and recognizable, some are not… all become tiresome, eventually. It does sound, like others have commented, that Doris Day sings one of Allyson's songs (early-ish in the movie). I've been watching TCM's tribute to Allyson, and some of these films are strange indeed! It's nice of TCM to show them, though.Allyson often wears something to match her lipstick. Ms. Collins likes to smoke in her bathtubs. *** The Opposite Sex (10/26/56) David Miller ~ June Allyson, Joan Collins, Dolores Gray, Ann Sheridan

I have to say I am baffled by the trashing of this film. Are we watching the same movie? I have watched both The Women and The Opposite Sex, all within the span of a week on Turner Classic and though the Women was cleverer, The Opposite Sex was not really in the "Chopped Liver" category either.Yes, it's true. Given a choice, I would rather watch The Women too.But the Opposite Sex has adequate acting, women in gorgeous gowns and sticks quite faithfully to the original story-line whereby the 1st Wife gets her revenge against the 2nd wife. Who doesn't love the lucked-out-housewife-wins-the-day-story-line? I know I do.And I do enjoy looking at Jeff Richards as the hunky singing cowboy, Buck.If you have the time, why not check it out yourself.