Bachelor In Paradise (1961)

A best selling author (Bob Hope) on love making around the world, who has been living in Europe for 14 years, must return to the United States because of taxes owed to the IRS. In order to pay off his taxes, he goes undercover to a suburban community in Southern California to write a book on how Americans deal with sex and romance. Directed by Jack Arnold (CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE), an unlikely director for a sex farce, the film is a typical Hope vehicle but more sophisticated than his usual fare. Oh, he still has the one line zingers but he's venturing into Rock Hudson/Doris Day territory here and the plot isn't as thin or far fetched as some of his comedies. Lana Turner in a rare foray into comedy plays straight man to Hope but she loosens up enough to do an amusing Tahitian dance while drunk. The talented supporting cast all seem up for the hi-jinks including Paula Prentiss, Jim Hutton, Janis Paige, Agnes Moorehead, Virginia Grey and Don Porter. The cocktail lounge score is by Henry Mancini, whose title song received an Oscar nomination.