Thick as a Brick

I just watched "One Sunday Afternoon" too. Maybe on the same channel as you! I didn't think he was stupid so much as immature. I believe that was intentional. I read a review praising the performance for being 'boyish' and I'd say this description fits. I liked Cooper's performance and the movie more than you did. I was interested in it partially because the '40s re-make ("The Strawberry Blonde") is one of my favourite '40s movies. I don't know if you would like it any better, as the two films have the same basic story. The biggest difference is that the other one never gets very depressing. It's pretty entertaining all the way through.

I admire how both movies are basically the story of a man growing up by realizing that a good girl who really cares about him is preferable to a hot bad girl. In this version of the story, coming to his senses about that takes much longer (and makes him look much dumber), but I think in both cases the ending makes the journey worth taking. The re-make is more fun and James Cagney's version of the character is a lot cooler. I think Cooper's childish stubbornness makes it extra satisfying when he finally realizes who is the better woman.

While I actually liked this movie a lot, but I have to agree that Gary Cooper's "Biff" was particularly thick in this version of the story.

I've seen the 1941 version, "The Strawberry Blonde," several times so I couldn't help comparing that film to this one. In the '41 version, Virginia is actually flattered by Biff's attentions and quite simply leads him on to allow him to continue to believe that his besotted infatuation will one day be rewarded. So, it's understandable why Biff can't let go of his unrequited love for Virginia.

In the '33 version, on the other hand, Virginia never signals ANY interest in Biff. She looks upon him as a blustering, low-class bully with an unimpressive dream of becoming dentist and wants nothing to do with him. That he can't get it through his head that she's just not interested is being "thick."

The funniest part is after she tells she never wants to see him again when he gets into a fight with three men, Biff literally orders her to go out on a date with him and even sets the time and place! (It reminded me of "Dumb & Dumber's" Lloyd Christmas happily rejoicing "So you're telling me there's a chance. Yeah!" upon his "love" informing him that his chances of their becoming a couple are "one out of a million.")

Of course, Biff's blindness to Amy's charms is in both films. How any man can ignore that the lovely Amy (whether played by gorgeous Frances Fuller or gorgeous Olivia de Havilland) is crazy for him and that she's also truly kind, loyal, and loving is going beyond THICK!

I just saw this on TCM and must agree it was more than a little excruciating to watch Gary Cooper playing clueless, and to be scrupulously fair here I was also unsettled to see the Frances Fuller character cast as a victim almost through the entire thing.

That said, it was made in an earlier era and depicted one still earlier, and if human nature hasn't changed, social mores, courtship and filmmaking have.

I do recall that in The Strawberry Blonde Olivia de Havilland and James Cagney were able to generate a definite spark, in part because the Amy character was a bit more independent and outspoken, though still sweet and even vulnerable.