BACHELOR FLAT, directed in 1961 by teaser Frank Tashlin, was co-written by Tashlin and Budd Grossman, taking Grossman’s British stage lark “Libby” and mixing in a rework of Tashlin’s 1954 hit Susan Slept Here into a Malibu-set vehicle for England’s great farceur Terry-Thomas and two ‘hot’ home-grown younger players, Tuesday Weld and Richard Beymer. Let’s agree that ‘hot’ applies a good deal more to precociously aware nymphet Weld, 17 going on 30, than the anxiously dorky Beymer, 23. Thomas, 50, keeps the nonsense bearable, with a bubbly assist from supporting minx Francesca Bellini.

Anthropology professor ‘Bruce Patterson’ (Terry-Thomas), though engaged to ‘Helen Bushmill’ (Celeste Holm) is—because he’s British and has an accent—the subject of blatant desire from his female students (and every woman in the area). He deals with it, and puts up with his cynical young law student neighbor ‘Mike’ (Beymer), but things go extra bananas when Helen’s wildcat daughter ‘Libby’ (Weld) shows up, barges in and complicates things for everyone within leer range. After about ten minutes into the plot, it’s hard to miss how it’ll turn out, just whether the charming gap-toothed comedian can keep you sticking around until it’s gasped to a finish.

Thomas is adept, Weld is shrill, Beymer trying, Holm wasted. Dancer-turned-actress Bellini, 24, provides smiles, giggles and wiggles. Made for $1,500,000, returning $3,700,000, likely getting a bump from Beymer being in West Side Story and perhaps nudged by Weld’s well-publicized private life as well as a slew of film and TV gigs (Because They’re Young, Sex Kittens Go To College, High Time, Return To Peyton Place). *

91 minutes, with Howard McNear, Roxanne Arlen, Alice Reinheart and Stephen Bekassy. John Williams (then still Johnny) provides a perky score.

* Much as we like Terry-Thomas, there are certainly better movies to enjoy him in. And it’s not Weld’s finest hour. The selling point for this piffle (watching it anew after six decades) is the delightful Francesca Bellini, and then finding out more about her. Along with being in West Side Story (and numerous other flicks, including The Carpetbaggers), she became a very successful stage manager, handling shows like Days Of Our Lives, as well as large-scale pro sports events. Fun interview here—https://www.dga.org/Craft/VisualHistory/Interviews/Francesca-BelliniDeSimone?Filter=Full%20Interview

Francesca