In the Cool of the Day (1963)

If fashion and Mediterranean scenery tend to dazzle you about a movie then you'll likely be all up in the clouds dancing over this one. For the rest of us who desire somewhat more from our hours invested in a movie, In-the-Cool-of-the-Day falls far short of the mark I'm afraid.It's your basic "Two people married to other people fall in love on a romantic European trip, having been put together alone due to circumstances and also the situation in each of their marriages." In Fonda's character's case she's simply not in love with her doting and rather 'doormattish' husband. In Finch's character's case his wife (Landsbury) is a miserable joy-killing shrew of a woman who is playing ever the martyr and guilt-tripping him over a past tragedy in their lives. While Fonda's husband can't make the trip, Finch and Landsbury end up fighting and she walking out, leaving he and Fonda to continue on alone.The back story on Fonda's character is that she has been sickly since early childhood, having had multiple surgeries on her lungs and nearly dying. In any normal family of the time that would mean the only sensible course of action, that being no one smokes near her. But in THIS film the production (writers, director, producer, etc) all thought it was no big deal to just have all involved puffing away like steam engines including Jane's character herself.While the view on smoking was a little different back in '63 than it is today it is still fairly unthinkable that a physician would raise major concern over a trip by car through the mountains due to a little rain yet have no quarrel whatsoever about a girl with serious respiratory ailments smoking like a chimney.As for the ending all I'll say is I found it abrupt, unsurprising, and disappointing, Fonda herself is absolutely gorgeous. The vistas and views of the countryside are spectacular. The acting is decent. The story and plot is where this film falls flat.4/10

The story is not what I expected, which is good, but it left me feeling there was a lot missing that could have made it more satisfying. The actors dealt with the soapish material very well and that is what made me like the film. The characters they played were either appealing (Finch and Fonda) or entertaining like Lansbury. Now to the plot, so look out for spoilers ahead! Fonda falls for Finch and eventually so does he for her. It just takes ages for them to even kiss once! In between there is a lot of beautiful travelogue showing spectacular views of Greece. The three leads wander about gazing at the sights and Finch and Fonda never kiss while Lansbury is aware of the attraction. Why did they bring her along if they wanted to be alone together? She finally leaves on her own accord and they still don't kiss until much later. Then Fonda leaves for no reason, goes back to her dull husband and dominating mother that she wanted to flee. Then she dies. Finch never has any confrontations with either his wife or Fonda. The film ends. The film consists entirely of lovely views of Greece, Lansbury bitter remarks and Finch's and Fonda's longing. That's it for the plot. It's all very entertainingly presented until the abrupt ending just ruins the picture.It's interesting to see how the producers wanted to invoke the scandalous Liz Taylor/Richard Burton romance from that era in the film. Fonda wears a Cleopatra wig for the entire film, Finch resembles Burton and speaks with a British accent and they walk among Greek ruins by the Mediterranean sea. Fonda can bring life to any film and I have never seen her so glamorous as she is here.

A backdrop in Greece significantly helps this unsuccessful soaper depicting an affair between Murray Logan played by Peter Finch and Christine Bonner played by Jane Fonda. Fonda is married to Arthur Hill, dutiful but overprotective Sam Bonner who gets assistance from his good friend Murray Logan in finding Fonda. Finch is married to a physically scarred Sybil Logan played by Angela Lansbury who clearly is no longer in love with her husband. Hence, the floodgates open and Finch and Fonda are off to vacation in Greece with Fonda's mother Constance Cummings pestering to find out what's going on.Despite Fonda's enthusiasm in the role, there is absolutely zero chemistry between her and Finch, and Fonda's ridiculous hairdo is distracting at times. The colorful location footage does help, which includes the Acropolis in Athens. Director Robert Stevens is more known as a television director and it shows in the pedestrian execution of the script written by Meade Roberts, which may have been an attempt to portray a Greek tragedy in its natural setting. The story was based on Susan Ertz' novel. John Houseman produced. The supporting cast is pretty much wasted, including Constance Cummings as Fonda's mother. Nat King Cole sings the title tune. ** of 4 stars.

Peter Finch and Jane Fonda play a pair of unhappy marrieds who run off to Greece for a fling in In The Cool Of The Day. With this film Jane takes on a role back in the day would have been played by her father's first wife Margaret Sullavan who was always playing tragic heroines in the glory days of Hollywood.Fonda plays a sickly woman much like Sullavan in Three Comrades. But that doesn't mean she doesn't want to live and experience life. Her husband Arthur Hill is overprotective as she sees it, treating her like a hothouse plant. As for Finch he's married to a bitter and reclusive Angela Lansbury.As Finch is a Hellenophile it's off to Greece for them where we experience In The Cool Of The Day's biggest asset, colorful location cinematography of some of Greece's best attractions. The second thing In The Cool Of The Day has going for it is the title song written by Greek composer Manos Hadjidakis who got an Oscar three years earlier for Never On Sunday. Nat King Cole's recording of it over the title credits is still warm and glowing.But who gave Fonda that hairdo for this film ought to have been canned. Al Bundy used to call Marcy Darcy, sergeant Carterhead for her do on Married With Children and this one kind of reminds me a bit of it. If you like the players or are a Hellenophile than you should In The Cool Of The Day.