Way...Way Out (1966)

The U.S. decides to send a married couple to man a space station on the moon. When they can't find an appropriate couple they tell the astronaut (Jerry Lewis) to select a wife between two qualified candidates and he chooses the more attractive one (Connie Stevens). The couple decide it will be a marriage in name only however. This dated cold war comedy is so 1960s! It's pretty flat for most of the running time but things perk up when a statuesque Russian cosmonaut (Anita Ekberg) and her lover (Dick Shawn) enter the picture. Their wild vodka foursome party is the film's highlight but when it's over, it's back to flat. Curiously, Lewis is rather subdued here, the role could just as easily have been played by Tony Curtis or Jack Lemmon. This is, of course, disappointing for fans of Lewis's inimitable brand of zany physical comedy. Hilyard Brown and Jack Martin Smith's futuristic set design is quite clever and Lalo Schifrin's ugly "swinging" score is typical of the era. Directed without any style by Gordon Douglas (where's Frank Tashlin when you need him?). With Robert Morley, Brian Keith, James Brolin, Dennis Weaver, Howard Morris, Linda Harrison (PLANET OF THE APES) and Sig Ruman.