Hollywood Sex Comedies 1953-1964

<p> The Hollywood sex comedy--a feature-length film in which sex motivates the storyline and the laughs are triggered by sexual situations--came into its own with the 1953 release of the once-controversial <I>The Moon Is Blue</I>. That film received very positive critical and audience response despite being denied a seal of approval from the Production Code Administration and receiving a Condemned rating from the Legion of Decency. (These two formidable watchdog agencies would continue to be challenged--and audiences would continue to be convulsed--by the abundance of sex comedies still to come.) </p><p> The present informal survey focuses on 25 selected examples of the genre released between 1953 and 1964. Along with such familiar works as <I>The Seven Year Itch The Tender Trap Pillow Talk</I> and <I>Kiss Me Stupid</I> several lesser-known sex comedies like <I>I Married a Woman The Tunnel of Love Happy Anniversary</I> and <I>Period of Adjustment</I> are documented analyzed and placed in context with their times. Some are masterpieces others mildly amusing and a few downright awful but all are fascinating artifacts of a bygone era in popular entertainment.</p>