"Love Is a Ball" is a very strange sort of matchmaker movie. Instead of doing things the NORMAL way, Etienne Pimm (Charles Boyer) is one sneaky guy! He finds poor members of nobility and pairs them up with super-rich spouses. However, he IS sneaky....and doesn't tell the rich folks he's doing this. Instead, he and his crew are actors who ingratiate themselves to the rich family and covertly arrange for the pair to meet and fall in love! It's all very mercenary and Pimm is really good at his job. However, in the care of Millie (Hope Lange) he has an unexpected problem...over time, instead of falling for the poor nobleman (Ricardo Montalban), she starts to fall for her new chauffeur (Glenn Ford)! What's next in this cute little romance? See for yourself...This is a nice and inconsequential romantic comedy--the sort of date film that is fun to watch with someone you love. It won't change your life but will make you smile...unless, of course, you're a nasty jerk-face who doesn't like happy endings and romance.

The real reason to see this movie is the CARS. Shot in the early 60's, I actually remember seeing a promo on the Carson show. It takes place during the Grand Prix, but in addition to the race cars, you can see what are now classics, 3500 GT Spyder Maserati, 300SL cabriolet, Rolls Royce cabriolet, 50's Corvette, Mercedes gullwing, the list just goes on. For any REAL car nut, this movie is a gem!

Tremendously entertaining and fun romantic comedy, set on the Riviera, filmed in warm sunshine with a top cast of real professionals. Saw it at the Royal in San Francisco, 3-31-63; co-feature was the Stewart Granger swashbuckler SWORDSMAN OF SIENA. Walked to the theatre from my apartment on a pleasant evening, for a comfortable evening at the movies, in a well appointed neighborhood house, for which I had a Pass. In the old days, one could expect a good time at the movies most times out, and always get value for money. In my case, it was a cinch

Having never seen LOVE IS A BALL (really insipid title), but reading IMDB reader's glowing comments of the film, I watched it in letterbox on TCM. The first thing that struck me was, why was a movie that had so many MGM contract players released by United Artists. The movie certainly immediately displayed handsome production values (though, a lousy score). Also, David Swift (POLLYANNA, THE PARENT TRAP, GOOD NEIGHBOR SAM) has always been a favorite. After a few minutes watching, I understand if MGM really did pass on this one. I'm willing to cut a comedy (particularly a funny one) a GREAT deal of slack. HOWEVER, the idea of an eccentric millionaire running a clandestine matchmaking service to get together "poor" nobility and "rich" commoners is a bit munch. How long could such an operation stay secret, the first successful match or (more likely) the first disasterous failure. Rich people STAY rich by carefully checking out ANYONE whom approaches them. Couple that with the idea that a champion race car driver (Glenn Ford) would go along with this nonsense rather than going back into racing to get his boat out of hock. And that the "madcap" heiress (a surprisingly charmless Hope Lange), herself a racing car enthusiast, would not recognize either Ford's face or his name. Is one really expected to believe titled nobility (Ricardo Montleban, very good) would have to be taught virtually ALL the social graces? Or that Lange,rebelling against the setup, would offer to marry the repellent count?Even with its problems, the movie improves a great deal in the second half. Hope Lange gets better as her wardrobe improves (its goshawful in the first half). By films end, she does generate chemistry with Ford. However, this is WAY too late to save the movie.Perhaps the best reason to see this movie is to see Telly Savalas when he still had a little hair.Love IS a Ball; Too bad this movie isn't...