Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.5

The Facts of Life Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman April 2, 2015

We often tend to think that modern media are somehow more competent in portraying real life issues than tended to be the case during the over glamorized efforts of yore. This may seem especially true of films, at least when viewed through the prism of fare from the heyday of the Hays Office, when studios had to run a gauntlet of what a bunch of gray beards deemed “acceptable” to the public at large. And yet as most cineastes can detail, filmmakers were rather adept at making end runs around strictures on various content, and while sometimes supposedly “objectional” material was offered in somewhat masked forms, it was there, at least for those who deigned to look for it. To take just one salient case in point: marital infidelity. Modern films are filled to bursting with tales, sometimes sordid, sometimes merely dramatic, often even comedic, of married people finding temporary happiness with other partners. The freedom offered contemporary filmmakers presents a wide open canvas upon which to paint a supposedly realistic portrait of what happens in situations like these. And yet there are actually fascinating films going back to the earliest days of the film industry that, while perhaps not as explicit as current day offerings, still managed to get their point across, albeit at times discursively. Films as iconic as Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans and Brief Encounter (found on Blu-ray in David Lean Directs Noël Coward) dealt with affairs in a perhaps overly discreet but still emotionally devastating way. One would probably not think of a “standard” Bob Hope mid-century film as ever attempting anything along these lines, and yet there’s the curiously forgotten 1960 outing The Facts of Life, a film which paired Hope with his friend and infrequent collaborator Lucille Ball in a surprisingly adept account of two people who happen to fall in love with each other even while they’re currently married to others in their same basic neighborhood social group. The film frankly has little emotional heft, trading on some fairly tired sight gags and occasional ostensible heartfelt confessional material, but seen solely as a vehicle for two of the most iconic comedians of that era, it’s at least a really interesting break from the often formulaic pabulum that tended to be churned out on a more or less yearly basis to satisfy Hope’s fan base.

There’s an easy rapport between Hope and Ball, forged by years of both a personal and professional relationship, that helps to keep The Facts of Life from being overly smarmy. The two had already made Sorrowful Jones and Fancy Pants together, and in the early fifties each had guested on the other’s tv show (Ball along with Deci Arnaz on the Hope outing). Actually the two are so comfortable with each other that the film’s premise of two otherwise married individuals falling in love with each other after initially not really caring that much for each other never really resonates fully, since the two are so obviously compatible from the get go.

Perhaps for that reason, The Facts of Life begins in media res, and actually perhaps a bit further along than merely halfway through, detailing the surprise of Kitty Weaver (Lucille Ball) that she’s managed to get herself in such a predicament. The film then unspools the main conceit of the plot, namely that a gaggle of Eisenhower era suburbanites have had a history of taking their yearly vacations together, ostensibly to save a little moolah. Among the couples that Kitty, whose narration drives the plot arc of the film, and her husband Jack (Don DeFore) will be cavorting with are Larry Gilbert (Bob Hope) and his wife Mary (Ruth Hussey).

A series of contrived but not overly annoying plot machinations first put Mary and Jack out of the planned Acapulco vacation, and once the remaining four are there, finally removes the other couple due to a case of turista. That finally thrusts Kitty up against Larry, and the two find, supposedly “unexpectedly,” that their long distaste for each other has perhaps only masked a deeper feeling that they’re more compatible with each other than with their current spouses. The Acapulco trip includes an impromptu celebratory kiss once Kitty lands an improbably sized marlin, and that seems to emotionally seal the deal with the two, even if they’re not quite sure how to officially consummate their relationship.

The rest of the film details the continuing awkwardness between the two, first in Acapulco and then in a somewhat elided form after they return to their stateside lives and, ostensibly, their “real” mates. Finally Larry can’t stand it anymore and suggests another Acapulco-esque getaway, which finally cartwheels the film back to where it began with Kitty’s musings about her predicament. An era appropriate realization forces this would be pair to confront the reality of their situations, and the film settles for a somewhat conventional but actually surprisingly authentic feeling wrap up.

The Facts of Life is a rather unexpectedly unsentimental look at bored suburbanites trying to inject a little excitement into their lives, even if their methods of going about it are questionable at best. Hope is probably cast most toward type, with Larry exhibiting the “emcee” proclivities of the actor. Ball is commendably nuanced in this role, which requires her to be the “adult” in her relationships both with her husband and with Larry himself. Watch her great little moment right after she’s kissed Larry so unexpectedly on the boat scene for a nice little insight into Ball’s probably underappreciated cinema acting craft.

Frequent Hope collaborators Norman Panama and Melvin Frank don’t really play this film for nonstop laughs, and in fact some of their sight gags are a little tired. The film’s comedy is much sharper and more effective in little throwaway lines that are often coupled with a surprising amount of emotion, as in a late scene where Kitty tearfully confesses that she’s left Jack and just wants Larry to tell her he loves her and that she hasn’t made a mistake. Larry’s hilariously befuddled response is a great example of one inexorable fact of life—the stupidity of some men.

The Facts of Life Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Facts of Life is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Olive Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.66:1. This generally commendable if somewhat modest looking transfer offers good image stability and above average clarity, if sometimes variable sharpness. Elements have the typical age related issues, though they're rather minor in comparison to some other Olive releases culled from this same general era. Contrast is very strong, with good, deep blacks and well modulated gray scale. Grain is natural looking, spiking in a few optical sequences like dissolves. There is some silly stock footage included in the marlin fishing sequence that is pretty ragged looking. The opening title sequence, featuring animation by the redoubtable Saul Bass, is just slightly "dupey" looking in comparison to the bulk of this presentation.

The Facts of Life Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Facts of Life features a nicely robust sounding DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono track, one which capably supports Ball's frequent voiceovers as well as the film's dialogue. One of the film's perhaps unexpected five Academy Award nominations (it won for Edith Head's costumes) came for its ebullient theme song written by the great Johnny Mercer and crooned here by marrieds Eydie Gorme and Steve Lawrence.

The Facts of Life Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer (1080p; 2:41)

The Facts of Life Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Rather refreshingly unsentimental and clear headed in its depiction of the trials and tribulations of an at least attempted extramarital affair, The Facts of Life is a really welcome change of pace from the often pretty stale stuff Hope started to put out in the 1960s. He's extremely well paired here with Ball, who in fact kind of walks away with the picture with her nicely understated take on bored suburban Pasadena housewife Kitty. Technical merits are generally very good and The Facts of Life comes Recommended.