The Moon Is Blue
| The Moon Is Blue | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Otto Preminger |
| Produced by | Otto Preminger |
| Screenplay by | F. Hugh Herbert |
| Based on |
The Moon Is Blue by F. Hugh Herbert |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Herschel Burke Gilbert |
| Cinematography | Ernest Laszlo |
| Edited by | Otto Ludwig |
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Production
company |
Otto Preminger Films (uncredited)
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| Distributed by | United Artists |
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Release date
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Running time
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99 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $400,000 |
| Box office | $3.5 million (US) |
The Moon Is Blue is a 1953 American romantic comedy film produced and directed by Otto Preminger and starring William Holden, David Niven, and Maggie McNamara. Written by F. Hugh Herbert and based on his 1951 play of the same title, the film is about a young woman who meets an architect on the observation deck of the Empire State Building and quickly turns his life upside down. Herbert's play had also been a huge success in Germany, and Preminger decided to film English- and German-language versions simultaneously, using the same sets but different casts. The German film version is Die Jungfrau auf dem Dach.
A comedy of manners, the film centers on virtuous actress Patty O'Neill, who meets playboy architect Donald Gresham on the top of the Empire State Building and accepts his invitation to join him for drinks and dinner in his apartment. There she meets Donald's upstairs neighbors, his ex-fiancée Cynthia and her father, roguish David Slater.
Both men are determined to bed the young woman, but they quickly discover Patty is more interested in engaging in spirited discussions about the pressing moral and sexual issues of the day than surrendering her virginity to either one of them. After resisting their amorous advances throughout the night, Patty leaves and returns to the Empire State Building, where she finds Donald who has missed her and worried all night about her. Donald declares his love for her and proposes marriage to her.
Johannes Heesters, Hardy Krüger and Johanna Matz, the stars of the German adaptation, briefly appear in the English-language version as tourists. Krüger and Matz appear the young couple waiting to use the coin-operated telescope at the top of the Empire State Building, cameo roles Holden and McNamara play in the German version.
Otto Preminger had directed the 1951 Broadway production of F. Hugh Herbert's play with Barbara Bel Geddes, Donald Cook, and Barry Nelson in the lead roles. Its successful run of 924 performances prompted him to contract with United Artists to finance and distribute a screen adaptation over which he would have complete control. He deferred his producer's and director's salaries in exchange for 75% of the film's profits.
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Wikipedia