The Mating Game

Released Apr 29, 1959

1h 36m

Romance

Comedy

List

Reviews

54%

Audience Score

100+ Ratings

Uptight IRS man Lorenzo Charlton (Tony Randall) is ordered to investigate rural rancher Pop Larkin (Paul Douglas), who is significantly in debt to the government. Lorenzo arrives in the country and is shocked to discover that Pop and his family are so oblivious to financial concerns they haven't ever bothered to do their taxes. Some moonshine, however, and Pop's lovely daughter, Mariette (Debbie Reynolds), help Lorenzo learn to relax, and he decides to help the Larkins' find a legal loophole.

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Clyde Gilmour

Maclean's Magazine

...noisy but good-humored comedy.

Nov 5, 2019

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Dated bucolic romantic comedy, with a few funny moments.

Rated: C

Sep 21, 2016

Full Review

Steve Crum

Dispatch-Tribune Newspapers

Very dated (social mores) romantic comedy with Tony Randall paired with Debbie Reynolds.

Rated: 2/5

Jul 13, 2006

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Joyce L P

Strong ensemble cast carries this movie along with Debbie Reynolds, and Tony Randall. A hard time in Reynolds real life, Joey Fisher had just left her and her two children for Elizabeth Taylor. She still manage to do a bang up job in this film.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

08/08/23

Full Review

bearpawz

Perhaps a bit corny and somewhat far-fetched, but still.... it's cute and there's some comical moments. So many movie reviewers referred to the movie as "dated". Dated?!? What is this..... a movie or a house on HGTV? It's shown on the Classic Movie Channel, so of course it shows its date ... It's supposed to. Kudos to "Charlie" for learning how to lighten up in the end! :D

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/07/23

Full Review

Audience Member

LOL, the funniest 01 hour: and 36 minutes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

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Audience Member

Usual tax-collector-seduced-by-farmer's- daughter plot.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

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Audience Member

Debbie Reynolds' screen test for the part of Elly May Clampett in the Beverly Hillbillies. Tony Randall keeps on being the addle-witted Randall -- ever the comedic foible that Hollywood thought would make us laugh. This movie was a dizzying, and sometimes frightful, albatross with the only question being: "How can they possibly go lower than this?" But, rest assured, they always do.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

Full Review

joe m

Mildly amusing if somewhat standard boy-meets-girl from two different worlds with Randall as the stuffy city dude and Reynolds as the care-free country gal. Good cast and plot line, yet drags and is rather dated. Don't bother unless you're a fan of one of the stars or of this type of late 1950's rom-com.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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George Marshall

Director

Debbie Reynolds

Mariette Larkin

Tony Randall

Lorenzo Charlton

Paul Douglas

Sidney "Pop" Larkin

Fred Clark

Oliver Kelsey

Una Merkel

Ma Larkin

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Synopsis

Uptight IRS man Lorenzo Charlton (Tony Randall) is ordered to investigate rural rancher Pop Larkin (Paul Douglas), who is significantly in debt to the government. Lorenzo arrives in the country and is shocked to discover that Pop and his family are so oblivious to financial concerns they haven't ever bothered to do their taxes. Some moonshine, however, and Pop's lovely daughter, Mariette (Debbie Reynolds), help Lorenzo learn to relax, and he decides to help the Larkins' find a legal loophole.

Director: George Marshall
Producer: Philip Barry Jr.
Production Co: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 29, 1959, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 22, 2009
Runtime: 1h 36m

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