Love Is a Ball

Plot

Etienne Pimm (Charles Boyer) has an unusual way of making a living: he arranges for impoverished European aristocrats to marry unsuspecting rich people. He is then discreetly compensated for his matchmaking. His latest target is Millicent "Milly" Mehaffey (Hope Lange), newly arrived on the Riviera. Pimm and his assistant Janine (Ulla Jacobsson) begin grooming the penniless Grand Duke Gaspard Ducluzeau (Ricardo Montalban) for Milly, hiring Julian Soames (John Wood) to teach him manners and English. As their target fancies herself a race car driver, Pimm recruits John Lathrop Davis (Glenn Ford), a (retired) champion many times over, to teach Gaspard to drive.

Pimm "accidentally" meets Milly's uncle and guardian, Dr. Christian Gump (Telly Savalas, cast against type as a cultured gourmet) and invites him to a dinner prepared by his personal, world-renowned chef, Maurice Zoltan (André Luguet). Gump cannot resist. After dinner, he is introduced to the handsome young duke, well prepared after weeks of intensive training. As Pimm had hoped, Gump begs him to bring the duke to a party he has arranged for Milly, confiding that he hopes they fall in love and that his troublesome ward will settle down.

Meanwhile, Priory (Laurence Hardy), another of Pimm's minions, has gotten himself hired as the chauffeur, to spy on the family. When a polo ball hit by Gaspard breaks Priory's arm, a reluctant Davis takes his place. Davis is openly contemptuous of Milly's unrealistic plan to compete in the International Grand Prix, causing clashes with his spoiled employer. As they spend more time together though, her initial dislike turns into love.

With the romance between Milly and Gaspard not proceeding very well, Pimm suggests to Milly that the young couple spend a romantic night together at his private villa. She takes him up on his offer, only with Davis, not Gaspard.

The next morning, Milly learns the truth and is at first outraged, even though Pimm confesses that Davis was not the intended groom. For revenge, she decides to marry an oafish suitor named Freddie (Jean Parédès). However, on her wedding day, her wise grandmother (Ruth McDevitt) convinces her to reconcile with Davis. This is just fine with Gaspard, as he has fallen for Janine.

Cast

Production

The novel was published in 1959. Rights were bought by Martin H. Poll of Gold Medal Enterprises; Poll owned Gold Medal Studios in the Bronx, facilities which were hired out to movie makers. He had decided to move into film production. The screenplay was originally written by the author of the novel.

Blake Edwards was originally attached to direct. Glenn Ford and Hope Lange were signed to star early on. Eventually David Swift came in to write and direct. Ulla Jacobsson signed to make her American debut with the film.

The film was shot on the French Riviera. Glenn Ford and Hope Lange were a real-life couple at the time.

The film had its world premiere at Las Vegas.

Reception

Bosley Crowther, critic for The New York Times, panned it, writing that "If 'Love Is a Ball,' somebody fumbled." He found it "predictable nearly every step of the way" and "laboriously arch in tone, broadly played in general and directed with slapdash aimlessness by Mr. Swift." He noted that the "sun-kissed scenery, though, should set anyone drooling". He mentioned the "determined, good-natured attitude of a game cast headed by Glenn Ford, Hope Lange and Charles Boyer", and in particular found Montalban and Jacobsson "entirely disarming."