Teacher's Pet

Journalism and romantic comedy make strange bedfellows, which may explain why Howard Hawks' His Girl Friday is such a delightful anomaly. Who knew pounding the typewriter and working the phones could be so sexy, but Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell turn the newsroom into a substitute for the bedroom, and their rapid-fire banter lofts Hawks' hilarious battle of the sexes into the classic realm. Teacher’s Pet, directed by George Seaton (The Country Girl, Miracle on 34th Street), tries its best to recreate the formula, but writers Fay and Michael Kanin can't replicate the crackling dialogue of Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, and their preoccupation with preachy messages douses any romantic sparks. They also fail to maximize the rich comic possibilities inherent in the casting of screen Casanova Clark Gable opposite the movies' eternal virgin Doris Day. Though well-suited to their roles, Gable and Day spend more time sniping than smooching and never create the steamy chemistry so vital to this type of film.

Part of the problem is the pair's 23-year age difference, but Day's prim nature also doesn't mesh well with Gable's machismo. The actor always worked better with more bawdy dames like Jean Harlow, Joan Crawford, and Ava Gardner, and the 57-year-old's prurient interest in Day makes him seem - for the first time - like a dirty old man. And though Day's character, Erica Stone, possesses far more dimension than the cardboard stereotypes she would almost exclusively portray after the premiere of Pillow Talk the very next year, she's definitely a preview of coming attractions.

Erica teaches a night course in journalism at a New York community college and invites Jim Gannon (Gable), the tough-as-nails city editor at The Chronicle, to address her class. Jim, who never finished high school and sees little purpose in education (he believes work experience is far more valuable and enriching), shoots Erica a blistering written rebuff. Outraged by his behavior, Jim's managing editor (Harry Antrim) demands he apologize to Erica in person, yet when he shows up at her class, Jim - who expects Erica to be a wizened old spinster - finds himself dazzled by her comely appearance. She, in turn, mistakes him for a student, setting in motion a masquerade that the smitten Jim is only too happy to perpetuate.

Jim, of course, quickly becomes the star pupil, amazing his professor with his aptitude and writing skills. Erica can't understand how someone with so little training can be so accomplished and, much to Jim's lascivious glee, offers to privately mentor him. During their tutoring sessions, Jim tries to break down her defenses, but their ideals still clash. Erica's literary collaboration with the freewheeling Dr. Hugo Pine (Gig Young) incites some jealousy and adds further complication, but after an inordinate amount of give-and-take and take-and-give, the couple finds common ground.

Clocking in at two hours, Teacher's Pet overstays its welcome in an effort to add substance to its thin plot. Issues of truth and psychology, coupled with the characters' tireless efforts to impose their principles on each other, turn a cute love story into a drawn-out debate, with each side grudgingly giving an inch here and a foot there before at last calling a truce. The exhausting bickering and introspection sucks any seeds of passion from the story, so it's not surprising the film forgos the requisite fadeout kiss in favor of a chummier, Tracy/Hepburn-like ending, which doesn't quite work. Spence and Kate might have been able to pull it off, but in the hands of Clark and Doris, it looks like a cop out.

Still, Teacher's Pet contains some amusing moments and a few genuinely funny lines. (Although how the screenplay ever earned an Academy Award nomination is beyond comprehension.) Gable lays on the mugging a bit thick, but his weathered face produces a multitude of great expressions, from eye-popping incredulity to cocky smirks and painful cringes. He seems to enjoy returning to comedy after a lengthy hiatus from the genre and believably embodies a crusty newspaper editor.

Day, one of Hollywood's most underrated and least affected actresses, files her usual perky, earnest portrayal (and sings the bouncy title tune over the opening credits), but seems a little intimidated working with The King. As a result, we never feel the same level of attraction from her as we do from him. Gable usually has little trouble pulling off May-December screen romances, but Day proves too frosty an icicle even for the studly Clark to melt.

Young received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his fine performance as the jilted boyfriend who helps Erica and Jim patch up their relationship. Although he doesn't appear until halfway through the movie, he makes up for lost time, milking a hangover to the hilt and dispensing words of wisdom with a welcome sardonic edge. Quick glimpses of Jack Albertson and a young Marion Ross, as well as a novelty number from sexpot (and former Howard Hughes protégé) Mamie Van Doren, also spruce up the proceedings.

Yet despite all the talent involved, Teacher's Pet never makes the dean's list of film comedy. Like so many of Erica's students, it has potential, but remains maddeningly average.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray
Teacher's Pet arrives on Blu-ray packaged in a standard case. Video codec is 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 and audio is DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono. Once the disc is inserted into the player, the static menu without music immediately pops up; no previews or promos precede it.

Teacher's Pet may not be the best movie, but it just might boast the best transfer KLSC has ever released (and that includes their 4K UHD editions). VistaVision, the enhanced definition format that produced eye candy for moviegoers in the 1950s and '60s, certainly plays a role in the success of this 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 transfer, but it's Paramount's brand-new HD master struck from a 6K scan of the 35mm VistaVision original camera negative that really ups the ante and dazzles the senses. The black-and-white cinematography by five-time Emmy nominee Haskell B. Boggs isn't anything special, but this transfer makes it look like a million bucks. Grain is almost completely resolved, yet the image still exudes a palpable film-like feel. Clarity and contrast are pitch-perfect and produce a vibrant, glossy picture that draws us into the narrative and holds our gaze even when the plot sputters during the draggy second half. All the details in the messy newsroom are discernible, as are the weaves, patterns, and textures of both men's and women's wardrobes. The image is so crisp you can even read all the individual, small-print listings on a shot of a phone book page.

Blacks are dense, whites are bright and stable, and wonderfully varied grays provide essential contours. Shadow delineation is quite good and razor sharp close-ups highlight Gable's trademark mustache, bushy eyebrows, and myriad wrinkles and the faint freckles hiding under Day's make-up. The spotless source is free of all the imperfections that plagued the 2005 DVD, which is rendered obsolete by this spectacular presentation. Bravo, KLSC! 

The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono track pumps out clear, well-modulated sound that's enhanced by superior fidelity. Excellent dynamic range helps Roy Webb's music score fill the room with ease, strong bass frequencies add weight and resonance to a bongo solo, and all the dialogue is easy to comprehend. Sonic accents like printing presses, ringing phones, a whistling tea kettle, and doorbell chimes are distinct and no age-related hiss, pops, or crackle disrupt the purity of this high-quality track.

An audio commentary and trailer are the only extras on the disc.

• Audio Commentary by film historian/writer Julie Kirgo and writer/filmmaker Peter Hankoff
• Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2 minutes) - In addition to the film's original preview, a slew of trailers for other KLSC classic releases are included on the disc.

No apples for Teacher's Pet. This tepid and far too preachy romantic comedy just barely makes the grade, and though it may please fans of Gable and Day, viewers expecting a bouncy lark will be disappointed. The disc, however, earns high marks on its technical report card, with an A-plus transfer struck from a 6K scan of the 35mm VistaVision original camera negative and marvelous remastered audio. Teacher's Pet rates a B with a generous curve, but KLSC's A/V presentation makes the honor roll. Recommended.