A Reel Retro Review: KISSES FOR MY PRESIDENT (1964)

Reel Speak’s Retro Reviews will randomly review a classic film from the TCM library every week, with the intention of introducing some overlooked and perhaps forgotten screen gems from the past to those of us who may be unfamiliar or unawares of their existence. 

 

Last week, history was made when Kamala Harris was sworn in as America’s first female Vice President; a position that is first-in-line in Presidential succession. The idea of a woman in the Oval Office has been played with in Hollywood and TV for decades, with Curtis Bernhardt’s 1964 comedy KISSES FOR MY PRESIDENT one example of how not to do it. 

 

Leslie Harrison McCloud (Polly Bergen), is elected as America’s first President. She moves into the White House to assume her duties with her husband Thad (Fred MacMurray), and two children. As President McCloud begins her stressful, time-consuming days, Thad struggles to find something to do with his time. 

 

The bulk of KISSES FOR MY PRESIDENT concerns itself with Thad finding his way in his new lifestyle; a lifestyle that is typically reserved for First Ladies. The early goings are not unexpected, as Thad gets lost in the spacious White House mansion, finds himself in a bedroom and office with feminine decorations, and discovers that he would have a lot of time on his hands. It’s an expected theme of male insecurity, and at first it seems the film is right on track. 

 

Director Curtis Bernhardt, whose career stretched all the way back to the silent era, doesn’t seem to realize the monumental importance of a woman in the Oval Office, and shifts most of the focus of the film to Thad. While we do see the pressures that Leslie has to endure, which range from a Central American dictator (Eli Wallach), to a corrupt Senator (Edward Andrews), her problems only seem to be there to trickle down to Thad; the more time Leslie has to spend putting out fires, the more upset Thad seems to get. 

 

Despite the misguided message, the film is still quite funny. The script is very sharp and witty, and comedy sequences between Thad and the dictator are a hoot. Fred MacMurray gets the best lines, although his character can’t seem to shut up for more than 10 seconds. Polly Bergen is a force on the screen; exhibiting strength and fortitude while getting harangued by insecure men for most of the film. Eli Wallach, only two years before he would face off against Clint Eastwood in THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY (1966), shows his talent for comedy. 

 

KISSES FOR MY PRESIDENT is certainly dated by today’s standards, and the film ends on an outrageous note that is sure to send anyone with a love for progress into a minor rage. The film is definitely a product of its time, and although Thad is showing feelings and behavior that would be expected, they go to places that make the film feel like it was made 200 years ago. This is worth a look as an example of what not to do, and how far we have come. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it 

 

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Reel Facts: Fred MacMurray would star in several Disney films, and would go on to play Steve Douglas in TV’s MY THREE SONS (1960 – 1972). He passed away in 1991 at 83. Polly Bergen also had a successful run on TV, hosting THE POLLY BERGEN SHOW which ran from 1957 to 1958. She would later appear on TV’s THE SOPRANOS and DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES. She passed away in 2014 at 84.