It Started with a Kiss (1959)

Lack of good storyline.

Dreadfully Boring

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Debbie Reynolds is exposed in her undergarments, escorted out by air force sergeant Glenn Ford just as Cary Grant escorted out Katharine Hepburn in "Bringing Up Baby". The next thing you know, they're married and he's overseas. She has to follow him overseas when he wins a car that brought them together after the sweepstakes booth that she was working at. But her arrival in Spain isn't met with the joy she hoped for as she gets him into all sorts of trouble. When they become friendly with a dashing bullfighter, more problems ensue as the car and her lavish lifestyle brings them attention that doesn't sit well with the military. If there is an older movie where the word " pregnant" is uttered, then I was not paying attention. It's a sign that the 1934 production code was lightening up, but that doesn't make this a good film. There's never any reason to indicate that there's any real attraction between Reynolds and Ford other than the fact that they meet under auspicious circumstances, fight and suddenly wed. Certainly, it's a case of "Taming of the Shrew" where the military is behind the taming. There's talk about obvious intentions of sex, which does add some amusement, but the situation seems truly forced.Beautiful location Spanish footage helps make this visually interesting, as do a few of the squabbles between Reynolds and Ford. A fun supporting cast including Fred Clark, Harry Morgan and Eva Gabor (whom Reynolds would amusingly do imitations of in her nightclub act) also brings some class. But the situation is never entirely believable, which lowers the score even though it has many admirable qualities.

"It Started With a Kiss" is a movie that has several funny story elements but the overall picture never quite works. Much of it is because the characters (particularly Debbie Reynolds') don't make much sense and were poorly written.When the film begins, an Air Force sergeant tries repeatedly to pick up a model working at a charity event. Joe (Glenn Ford) is boorishly persistent...something considered acceptable in films back in the day, though with changing attitudes he'd DEFINITELY fall into the category of a sexual harasser today! Maggie (Debbie Reynolds) isn't impressed and repeated tells him to get lost. In a last ditch effort to get her, he kisses her...and apparently is such a stud that she falls for him and they immediately marry. Does this make sense? No.Two days later, Joe is flown to duty in Spain and she is to follow a month later. During this time period, she learns that Joe's lone raffle ticket from the charity event was THE winner...and he's the new owner of the Ford Futura--a one-of-a-kind concept car*. She writes Joe that she has a huge surprise for him. He, oddly, assumes that means she's pregnant...but considering they only were apart a couple weeks at this point, you can only assume Joe is a total moron and knows nothing about sex education. Even if she WAS pregnant (which she wasn't), she wouldn't have known for sure for at least a couple months. Does this make sense? Nah.While in Spain, the Air Force personnel are told to not be ostentatious about money and be conservative...and then Maggie shows up with the spectacular car! However, when Joe's commanding officer tries talking with her, she repeatedly treats him like crap...and with open contempt. So, your husband is a sergeant and your wife is mouthy with the Major. Does this make sense? Nope.After Maggie arrives, she has the bright idea that because they really didn't know each other AND because they have little in common other than sexual attraction. Because of this, she insists that they sleep apart. Does this make sense? Not much...and there are a lot of scenes showing a VERY frustrated Joe!Soon, the couple learns that they are in serious trouble with the Internal Revenue Service. Why? Because they won a $40,000 car (probably worth about $200,000-300,000 in today's money)...and they owe $17,000 in taxes on the car...on a sergeant's salary!! They never even thought of this!! Does this couple seem like they have a brain between them? Nah...especially when Maggie doesn't seem to understand that they cannot keep it!Later, the General is upset (and understandably so) because not only has the Sergeant been showing off by driving around with the car but he sells it to a bullfighter for $17,000. So, Joe just eats the $23,000 difference...and the bullfighter was 'willing to pay ANYTHING to get the car'! And, now he's in trouble with the General. So what dumb thing do they do? Maggie begins yelling at the General and threatening him!The film goes on and on like this...with two really incredibly stupid people doing incredibly stupid things. This makes it difficult, if not impossible, for the audience to care about these dodos...especially Maggie. The bottom line is that the film has amusing moments but the overall picture just doesn't make sense or work well. All you know is that Joe and Maggie are stupid...but have great sexual chemistry together. All in all, a very disappointing film with little to recommend it other than the car!*This bright red Futura went on to become very famous. Hollywood paid to have it completely restyled and repainted and it became the Batmobile on the "Batman" TV show! I am sure today it's worth considerably more than $40,000. In fact, it recently was sold for $4.62 million!!!

It Started With A Kiss is the first of two successive films that George Marshall directed Glenn Ford and Debbie Reynolds in. The second was The Gazebo which I like much better. Not that this service comedy is without merit.Ford plays an Air Force Sergeant on leave who both buys a raffle ticket from Debbie and then winds up marrying her. The prize is this $40,000.00 car which would now be worth about $200,000.00 in today's money value. When Ford goes back to Spain where he's stationed, Debbie follows him and the car follows Debbie.Debbie's having a few second thoughts about her hasty marriage and has put the brakes on the sex part of her relationship with Ford, trying now to get to know the guy she's married to. Each of them gets some temptation thrown their way, him with Eva Gabor, her with bullfighter Gustavo Rojo. But the biggest problem is that car. They can't drive it around as they are warned against ostentatious displays of American prosperity. Glenn finds he can't sell the thing and on top of that as the prize in a lottery, it's subject to taxation like quiz show earnings. What to do?In Peter Ford's recent biography of his father, he says that this film with Debbie Reynolds and The Gazebo that came after was at a critical time for both. He was ending his marriage to Eleanor Powell and Debbie was the odd girl out in the Elizabeth Taylor-Eddie Fisher-Debbie Reynolds triangle that was front page for months. The two did a lot of commiserating on both sets.Peter Ford also mentions that his father loved working with director George Marshall. I've done some reviews myself of their joint collaboration and have said they are an unfortunately unheralded actor/ director collaboration.Fred Clark has a nice part as a most harried Air Force general who has to deal with Ford and Reynolds marital and motor problems as well as a visiting Congressional delegation. Long time Ford friend Edgar Buchanan does well as an acerbic Representative.It Started With A Kiss is not as good some of the other Ford/Marshall collaborations, but it has a few good laughs and should satisfy fans of Glenn and Debbie.

Half-price showgirl in New York, pining for a millionaire husband, marries lovestruck, underpaid Air Force Sergeant on the eve of his leaving for peacetime duty in Madrid; she follows, bringing misunderstandings, comic embarrassments, and a "car from the future" with her. Sex-based shenanigans for stars Glenn Ford and Debbie Reynolds is pleasant enough, particularly for the first forty or so minutes; after that, it deflates. Debbie, thinking she and Ford married for the wrong reason (sex), decides they should be platonic for a month--leaving Glenn to sleep on the sofa (when he's not taking cold showers). Movies based on misconceptions between characters have to be awfully smart to keep our interest (and keep us laughing), but this script by Charles Lederer, based on a Valentine Davies story, seems about ten years out of touch with the times. Ford thinks Debbie means she's pregnant when she writes that she has a big surprise, even though they've only been married for a month. When he meets her at the airport, she tells him the surprise could arrive the next day...and he STILL thinks she's talking about a baby! It's all in good fun, but these actors are much too smart to palmed off as dummies. ** from ****