Watch Phffft For Free

Good movie but grossly overrated

Fantastic!

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

This is a very good comedy about marriage, divorce and remarriage. Judy Holliday is Nina Tracey (nee Chapman), and Jack Lemmon is her husband Robert. Robert's best friend is Charlie Nelson, played by Jack Carson. They had been officers together in the Navy during WW II. Now they are both attorneys. Kim Novak is Janis, a girl in Charlie's black book whom he lines up with Robert after Robert and Nina get a divorce. The couple had been married eight years but boredom set in and they decided to divorce. This happens early in the film, so that the rest is a nice blend of comedy and romance as Robert and Nina try to adjust and get back in the dating game. Of course, that doesn't work for either one, and romance returns between them. The rest of the small cast are fine in their roles.This isn't a challenging film or top flight comedy with much witty dialog and situations. But, it's a pleasant story with some fun scenes that most should enjoy. The cast for "Phffft" is a first rate list of comedy actors in the 1950s. Jack Lemmon and Judy Holliday played in some of the best sophisticated comedies of the time, although Holliday's career was a short one. Jack Carson for many years was one of Hollywood's best supporting actors, especially for comedies. He co-starred here along with Kim Novak, in just her third film. Novak was very good and won a Golden Globe as most promising female newcomer. Holliday had won an Oscar for the comedy-drama "Born Yesterday" of 1950. She had two more smash comedies after that, including another hit with Lemmon in early 1954 – "It Should Happen to You." Holliday made only 14 movies in her career, but won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for film, and a Tony Award on Broadway. The Tony came in 1956 for the Broadway smash hit, "Bells Are Ringing." Holliday's last film was the movie version of "Bells Are Ringing" in 1960. It's a great comedy-musical with Dean Martin, Jean Stapleton and Eddie Foy Jr. Holliday died at age 43 in 1965 after a five year battle with breast cancer.Jack Lemmon was one of the great actors of the silver screen for nearly five decades. But, he got his start in TV in 1949 and was in several TV series through 1954. Those included dramas and comedies. "Phffft" was just his second movie and followed the smash hit earlier that year with Holliday, "It Should Happen to You." Of course, he would go on to win two Oscars and have six more nominations. He also won four Golden Globes for acting, with another 17 nominations. Lemmon won three BAFTA awards, with four more nominations; and he won two prime time Emmy awards with four more nominations. Lemmon was equally adept at drama and comedy. Some of the funniest and most endearing comedies he made were later in life and his career with long-time friend Walter Matthau.

PHFFT (what a strange title) does belong in the 50's as today it's very dated. In the 50's it was probably considered a little daring. JUDY HOLLIDAY could do no wrong. Here she plays a character somewhat like she'd played in MARRYING KIND and FULL OF LIFE. Not quite as ditzy as her lovable Billie in BORN YESTERDAY, her trademark role, although she stole the Oscar from Gloria Swanson. Oh well. One who is familiar with the writer George Axelrod can certainly see some similarities with SEVEN YEAR ITCH, a far better screenplay. KIM NOVAKS impersonation of MARILYN MONROE is right on and reminds one of the dialogue with TOM EWELL. I guess one can't help to copy one's success. JACK LEMMON is fun and clicks well with HOLLIDAY as he did in IT SHOULD HAPPEN TO YOU. SPOILER ALERT: Even though the film starts off with a divorce between the two leads, one KNOWS they're going to wind up together at the end. THEY DO!!. A great little gem of a performance is by the actor who played the "soap opera" Doctor. His two scenes are gems and should not be overlooked. All in all this is worth a look as part of the JACK LEMMON collection.

This is a very simple film with a pretty ordinary plot, yet because the film was so well-handled, it's very worth seeing. Basically, it's a reworking of the plot from THE AWFUL TRUTH or MR. AND MRS. SMITH--a couple breaks up but it soon becomes obvious that they still love each other. The writing is fresh and original (despite the idea having been recycled) and much of this is due to the little touches throughout the film (such as the cute character played by Kim Novak and the 'whooshing' bed). Jack Lemmon and Judy Holliday are also wonderful in the leads, as they have a certain sweetness about their characters. They are vulnerable and a little annoying, but you also like them and want to see them live happily ever after. Because of all these elements, the film just seemed to breeze by and I could easily forgive that the ending was predictable. A lovely little film and a terrific "date film".

It's sort of like "The Awful Truth" as re-imagined by a '50s screenwriter with a smutty mind: Married couple divorce, try other partners, reunite. The high-school-boy-giggling-about-sex tone gets pretty heavy, but try to overlook that, because the film has so much to recommend it: New York location filming, early Kim Novak in a small part, and most of all, Judy Holliday and Jack Lemmon. Was there ever a greater romantic comedy team? She's hysterically funny and amazingly touching at the same time, and he partners her perfectly. They're even sexy together -- it's not a quality you usually associate with either actor. Watch the "mambo" sequence, with their shifting feelings about each other played out in dance: a classic scene.I'd rate these two over even Tracy and Hepburn. How sad that they made only two movies together.