Please Don't Eat the Daisies

[Jas1]

In addition to the sterling acting, I just love how Doris looks in this film and how her apartment and house looks - I could easily [even today] live in those surroundings - love classic decor - particularly love the house when it's finished and even that kitchen in the apartment - perfection - to me!

Just one thing though - never noticed the twin beds in the bedroom -with 4 kids? Was so again in Thrill of it all - surely the production code was not that strict - Doris was playing a married lady in both - wonder if this was part of Marty's control in keeping just a little bit prim about the image he wanted to project for Doris?

[webmaster]

That might be taking a conspiracy theory a touch too far, Jas. Would he be able to tell the director what to do? Also, "Julie" was far from prim as far as Doris' role was concerned.

[Jas1]

Just a thought Bryan, not a theory...after Pillow Talk, wasn't Marty Ex Producer in Doris' films-maybe not all?

Who do you mean by "Julie"?

[webmaster]

Like my reply (Just a thought) - "Julie" was kind of a 'rough' film - undertones of dark sexual passion that Doris' character had embroiled herself in - an obsessive stalker-husband out to kill her - not your typical doris day film if you were trying to maintain the 'girl next door' image - and that was one he selected for her himself, I've read.

[Jas1]

Yes I understand Bryan and there was Love me or Leave me too- however post-Pillow talk- I think there was a conscious effort to portray Doris as the sexy, but "good" - i.e. not too overt/sexy screen persona.

[webmaster]

You're no doubt right there, Jas - hence the turning down of the role in "The Graduate" - I can't quite see her in that though - it would have been playing too much against type and there wouldn't have been that 'moral payoff' that a lot of her films delivered.

[Jas1]

The Graduate is one that divides us all - but debate / different opinions are good - expressed respectfully. I think Doris could have done this superbly - it would have been a natural evolution of her screen persona as Love me or Leave me had been 12 years before. She would have looked similar to how she did in Glass Bottom Boat- now that would have been one sexy Mrs Robinson - and Dustin - or Robert Redford [original choice] could not have resisted...

[Peter Flapper]

Hi all,

Came across this radio announcements for Please don't eat the daisies.


Enjoy,

P

[Jas1]

That's interesting, thanks for sharing Peter.

[webmaster]

I had to stop on the 5th one! But thanks, Peter - and please don't eat the daisies!

[Johnny]

I came across this bit of trivia. The song Anyway The Wind Blows sung in Please Don't Eat The Daisies is the title that Doris' husband Marty Melcher wanted to use for the title in Pillow Talk.

The director Charles Walters is highly skilled in making the film amusing, touching and rememberable. He bring out the very best in the cast.

Please Don't Eat The Daisies has a brilliant supporting cast that includes the very funny Janis Paige who was in Doris' first movie Romance On The High Seas. Spring Byington is fantastic as the mother along with Patsy Kelly as Maggie. There is also Jack Weston, and the excellent Richard Haydn. They really help every scene in this film sparkle. The four boys, (Doris' children) in the film are fantastic.

[Jas1]

I agree Johnny, this is a wonderful film and sometimes forgotten among the gems in Doris' career- a fabulous film.

So glad though Marty did not get his way to call Pillow Talk- Anyway the Wind Blows!!

[Johnny]

When Please Don't Eat the Daisies was released, there were two major advertising campaigns launched:

The first campaign was by Columbia records, who declared April, Doris Day month, to promote Doris 'records. It was the largest campaign they had ever undertaken.

The second campaign was a Please Don't Eat the Daisies National promotion that was a tie-in with the breakfast cereal, Quaker Oats. There was one free admission to Please Don't Eat The Daisies for any child under 12 years of age accompanied by an adult. It was designed to attract families to attend. I don't think this promotion happened in Canada.

[Johnny]

Please Don't Eat The Daisies was shown on TCM on Monday night. My favourite scene is the opening one with Doris and her four boys. It brought to mind a train trip I made to Toronto from Kingston with my parents and my aunt. It was in April 1960. While we were in Toronto, we went to see Please Don't Eat The Daisies at the Hollywood Theater. I remember looking at the opening scene of the four boys with their mother and hearing my father say to mother, our three boys are quite enough. She thought the scene was perfect and I still remember her laughter. My mother remarked on the train on the way back, that Please Don't Eat the Daisies was one of Doris' best films. Some similarities with my family and the Daises family are my father was English, I was the youngest of three boys, my mother's name was Doris. My mother had a great sense of humour like Doris' character Kate Mc Kay.

The most important part of this memory is that Please Don't Eat The Daisies was the last Doris Day film that I saw with both my parents. In June of that year my mother became ill and died in December. I treasure the memory of seeing Please Don't Eat the Daisies all these years later. It is a beautiful film and like my mom said, It is one of Doris' best films.

[Musiclover]

What a sweet memory, Johnny. Thanks for sharing it. I agree with your mom that Daisies was one of Doris's best films. I can watch it again and again without ever tiring of it.

[Jas1]

Yes thanks for sharing Johnny. A very precious memory.

[Ania]

Ania

[Johnny]

Please Don't Eat The Daisies is now showing on Turner Classic Movies as part of their Mother's Day tribute line-up.
I have lost count of how many times I have watched this incredibly charming film. On each occasion there is always some moment to appreciate again. The supporting cast sparkles, especially Spring Byington,Janis Paige, Patsy Kelly and of course the children. The dialogue is crisp and funny. Doris is terrific in her role as the mom to four boys.
The rest of TCM's Mother's Day tribute includes, Imatation of Life-1934- Mildred Pierce, Light In The Piazza, Sounder,and I Remember Mama.

[Jas1]

What a wonderful [and diverse] "Mama" feast on TCM North America- I so wish the UK TCM would follow suit- ours has constant Westerns etc. - if is flick on TCM and see "Gunsmoke" one more time...!

[jmichael]

I never grow tired of PDETD. It stands as an all too rare example of a family comedy that doesn't stoop to sentiment or rely on annoyingly cute kid actors to score points. The direction, writing and all of the performances are top notch. Contrast this film with My Six Loves starring Debbie Reynolds a couple years later for a case study of gooey overkill and annoying child actors.

I caught Light In The Piazza for the first time in many years on Mother's Day. It was charming and entertaining, although George Hamilton's Italian accent was embarrassing.

Michael

[Johnny]

While rereading Considering Doris Day I came across a striking passage about Doris'

Please Don't Eat The Daisies

excellent work in Please Don't Eat The Daisies.

"In Please Don't Eat The Daisies, Doris Day gives a nearly pitch- perfect comic performance. The film's opening, where she gets ready for a night at the theater with Laurence, is not only a terrific depiction of modern- day motherhood circa 1960 but also a lesson in comic acting for any aspiring film actress: This sequence is as good as it gets. In this hilarious start to the movie, youngest son Adam, egged on by his brothers, is dropping water balloons on unsuspecting passersby below. Trying to organize the four boys, who are wreaking havoc with both the phones and the lamps, giving instructions to deadpan maid Maggie (Patsy Kelly), attempting to slip into a new form -fitting black dress ("I even lost five pounds"), Kate Mc Kay is a mother with too much to do and too little time. As she puts on her dress, the four boys drop everything to stare at their mother. Sighs Doris\Kate in exasperation"Just once I would like to get dressed without an audience". Day's inflections are so perfectly calibrated that she manages to convey layers of meaning with just this one sentence......

Doris Day, the world's number one movie star, had evolved into an expert and successful comedian, and in the process registered as one of a few film actresses of her generation whose very presence conveyed intelligence. She is believable in all the roles required of Kate Mc Kay: wife, mother, loving daughter.

Please Don't Eat The Daisies remains a timeless classic that I hold with deep affection. I never tire of seeing it.

[Johnny]

In The Doris Day Scrapbook by Alan Gelb, there is a testimonial by supporting actor Jack Weston on working with Doris Day in the film Please Don't Eat The Daisies.

Jack Weston writes " I wasn't a co-star with Doris Day in Please Don't Eat The Daisies. It was my first "big" picture in Hollywood and I was just a lowly but grateful supporting player.

I remember Doris being sweet and terrific and solicitous every morning we would come to work--- and I remember many production pressures that occurred during the film. But she had that sunny outlook and was nice and I wondered --- How can she be like that all the time? She must be a fraud--- because at heart I am a cynic --- but I bumped into her quite a few times in the ensuing years --- she never fails to be the same dear lady--- always takes time to check to see how things are going -- always concerned.
She dynamite person and deserves more than the s... she's taken along the way. I love her.

A nice testimonial and that kind of feeling was what made Please Don't Eat The Daisies such as a pleasant movie experience.

[Jas1]

Thanks for that Johnny, we all know what a gem DD is but it is always lovely to hear it from those who knew her and worked with her.

[Johnny]

While reading David Kaufman's book, Doris Day The Untold Story of The Girl Next Door, I came across this information about Doris' film Please Don't Eat The Daisies.

Doris received $200.000 for fifteen weeks of work on Daisies. As associate producer, Melcher received $45,000 and the Daywin music company, a branch of Arwin took in an additional $12,500 for the use of "Que Sera Sera", " Any Way The Wind Blows", and Joe Lubin's title song.

David Niven was paid $125,000. He had recently won the Academy Award for best actor in Separate Tables.

Doris was given $5000,00 to buy her own wardrobe which would remain her property.

The total budget for the picture was $ 1,979,071 and came in slightly over at $2,021,406.

[JayWint]

We watched this last night. Enjoyable in spots with Doris trying her best to create chemistry with Niven. She looks lovely as always and how Niven could even think of cheating on her! The blatant sexism detracts but I guess those were the times. Supporting cast is good.