Dated date scene?

I found this scene odd as well. In fact, I found it odd to the point of unbelievable. I guess it's hard to say what reasons some people have for ever being attracted to some others to begin with. He played off charm and having it together well enough but I still always asked myself, "what does she see in him". I suppose that was the point.

What does she see in him?

What does a high school girl see in a handsome jock with the brain of a door knob?

What does a mature woman see in a muscle bound neanderthal working with a jack hammer?

Kirsten reacted to him the same way women react to the cute smile of a Jack Nicholson, or the perfect face of a Paul Newman. They overlook the obvious faults until they are snared into a situation where it is no longer possible to refute the truth.

Also, you are looking at Kirsten as a perfect woman with intelligence far beyond what she actually possessed. Kirsten was a wounded soul and she reached out for love and affection when it finally came within her grasp.

That is why the scene worked for me.

To God There Is No Zero. I Still Exist.

In most movies in the 60's and the 50's they never seemed to get it right portraying the era correctly. This film covered a span of 6 years judging by the cars. Joe driving a 56 Ford Fairlane convertable in the beginning and borrowing Jack Klugmans 62 Mercury Comet wagon near the end. In the beginning during the 50's the dress costumes, style of buildings were all 60's flavored. The first 60's mobvie that portrayed the era correctly was Bonnie & Clyde. Todays era movies are like a time warp. It's almost like being there in the prewar era.

He gave her the rush. He showered her with attention. For someone as mousy as she was, that was enticing. She didn't see him with the experienced and cynical eye of the serial dater. He was an entirely new type for her. She was vulnerable and far too trusting. Most of us go through that stage without such cruel consequences.

Bring peanut brittle to her as a present?

heckles; In agreement, but LEMMON's act would not play even back in the 1950s', except in Hollywood. This delusion though predates films of the 60s' and goes back to the Silent Era. After all Harold Lloyd made a career of playing such characters and very successfully.

Definitely dated. . . but still plausible, for the time. (The OP was funny, describing how those same moves would later be the exact opposite of seductive.)


There were some other elements to the "sheik's yacht" part that were jarring by today's standards. I laughed when all the girls were swathed in fur even though they're at a warm beach venue. Fancy!

I was somewhat horrified when Jack Lemmon was missing two girls for the trip home and settled for another man's statement that those girls had decided to stay a little longer. Umm, yeah, or maybe those two are in the middle of a gang rape going on below deck. Oh well, no sweat, you can always get more party girls at the Party Girl Store.

Minor point, but I saw the peanut brittle as a good move, with some thought behind it. It was an offering with a light touch, whereas chocolates would have been a more serious statement, i.e. you typically gave a big box of chocolates to a sweetheart. (Same as you wouldn't show up with a bouquet of red roses on the first date--flowers were expected, but red roses spelled "LOVE.")

It doesn't matter how pretty she was, they were both broken people. it was a tragedy they ever met.