It's amazing sometimes how certain films get made and reading in both books about Doris Day and Richard Harris, how Caprice was made just might be a subject for a film itself. Ironically the motive for both these stars was economical.According to a recent biography of Richard Harris by Michael Feeney Callan, Caprice came between two big budget epics for Harris, Hawaii and Camelot both of which are better films. He and his then wife Elizabeth were living in the high end gated community of Bel Air and Harris was feeling squeezed. What to do, but take a film offer strictly for the money. As for Day this was one of many film offers negotiated by her Svengali of a husband Martin Melcher which she hated but as she later learned Melcher had depleted their savings with horrible investments.Also according to Harris since this film was about espionage, Day thought she was getting Sean Connery as her leading man. She plays an industrial spy who is double dealing a pair of cosmetics tycoons played by Edward Mulhare and Jack Kruschen. But she has another mission agenda. Her father was killed because he had found a narcotics smuggling ring working inside one of the firms. She's out to find the guy behind the ring who may have personally killed her father who was an Interpol Agent.Enter Richard Harris who plays a mysterious agent himself and keeps pulling Doris out of harm's way. Doris upon signing for the film had the parts switched so that she was the industrial spy, that was to be a male role originally. The film is the only one that calls for her to be an action hero.Caprice's biggest problem is that it can't seem to make it's mind up whether it is a spoof or somewhat serious. I can see why Doris would have wanted Sean Connery in the role, who better than the screen's James Bond for a spy film. Connery might have had the good sense to pass on this, but Harris needed the money.They did not like each other these two, but then again Harris got along with very few of his colleagues during his early hell raising days. He was quoted in the book as saying kissing Day was like kissing his old maiden aunt. Frank Tashlin who certainly did a lot better stuff in his career directed Caprice. The whole project reeks of indifference from its director and its stars.

Due to the convoluted nature of the plot, this film really holds one's attention as they try to figure out what in the world is going on.Miss Day makes the film with her bright screen presence. Richard Harris, although a fine actor, was not the best choice for playing opposite Miss Day in this particular role.Ray Walston overacts a bit and uses an acting style that would be better suited for a television show.But the film is not trying to cure cancer, is just an entertaining diversion and works well as such.To notch are the music and cinematography. The overall feeling of the film, however, is that is it is trying too hard to be "mod". You get this feeling from the onset, when Doris first appears on the screen dressed in an outfit designed for a nineteen year old, not a grown adult.The plot suffers from too many rewrites and becomes muddled. However once you start watching it, you can't break away.Several scenes provide real "belly laughs" and it is worth viewing the entire film just for these.It does have flaws, but it's still worth watching. It could have been better and Doris Miss Day should have been more assertive to her husband, Marty Melcher, in demanding some changes in the plot, costume design and casting. We can only wish that Doris had continued to make films. Few actresses can match her range, ability, screen presence and charm. Miss Day, we miss you greatly.

Someone mentioned that Doris Day looked every bit of 42 in this picture ("Caprice"). So, what's wrong with being 42 and looking great? How many ordinary women can look as great as movie goddess Doris and have THAT BODY besides Miss Day (who owned the BEST figure in Hollywood)?If you look at some of her later TV episodes where Doris wears tight-fitting jeans and pants, women all over the world would give anything to have a figure like her's. She's built like a brick sh**house! Ladies, don't be jealous! I understand from good sources that now in her 80s, her figure is STILL better than anything you'll see on the modern screen.

The talents of Frank Tashlin and Doris Day would seem to be a Hollywood combination made in heaven but, with "The Glass Bottom Boat" (made at M-G-M a year earlier than "Caprice') and this one, their fans were doomed to a certain degree of disappointment. The main trouble with this film is its impossibly convoluted and ridiculous script, giving little opportunity for anyone to shine, except, perhaps, the set and clothes designers, though one must appreciate that their efforts look very, VERY much of the dreaded "Mod" period when this one was conceived.Technical credits are, for the most part, top-notch, especially that old pro Leon Shamroy's lush cinematography (although I do recall that the back projections were very obvious when I saw this on a 40-foot wide CinemaScope screen when it was first released).I've never been a particular fan of Richard Harris and he was most definitely miscast opposite Doris. His too-clipped delivery of some of his lines can be attributed, I suspect, to Mr. Tashlin's rather slack direction (unusual for that comic master).All in all, when one considers that producer Martin Melcher, Doris's husband, was, at the time, squandering her hefty paychecks in unwise investments, it's easy to understand why Ms. Day has since been content to retire form the screen and allow us to remember her better, earlier efforts.