Thorkell August Ottarsson’s review published on Letterboxd:
Pillow Talk (Michael Gordon: 1959)
Back in the 50s you could not show a couple naked together in a love scene (they could not even be in the same bed with their clothes on and their feet in the bed). Some tried to get around the rules. This scene from Pillow Talk is one of the best (and sexiest) examples:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYVgQwvziTA
The film is also interesting for the fact that Rock Hudson plays a New York man who pretends to be from Texas. In the film Hudson (the New York guy) suggests that the Texas guy he is playing might be gay, and then (for a short time) plays gay in front of Doris Day (as the Texas man). Doris Day is shocked and terrified. I felt so sorry for Hudson playing that part, taking a stab at his own sexual orientation.
The film has some good laughs and innovative split screen scenes. Hudson is great but Doris Day is uneven. Thelma Ritter (the nurse from Rear Window) however steals the film from both of them, even though she only has a supporting role. She plays a maid with some serious alcoholic problems. The screen lights up like firecrackers when she enters!
A charming but quite dated romcom.