Afouotos Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

ActuallyGlimmer The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Lucia Ayala It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

Skubishack333 Clicking through an endless guide that contained the typical TV offerings I was drawn to this by the description for such an older movie. I was interested to see what would be the content of such an older film with it's steamy description. To my surprised it was extremely entertaining and lighthearted... or am I just hardened by the times that we live in. Anyway... I enjoyed the situational comedy which in some ways reminded me of an Elvis Presley movie called "Live a Little, Love a Little" in the way that it changes pace but keeps the main characters interesting as they carry out the story. I also enjoyed seeing the way that a playboys life in the early 50's was perceived and I also enjoyed going back in time and seeing the behavior of the characters as they related to the story and it's topics. Had the industry not been so hard with its rating for this film... I think it could have been turned into a wonderful sit-com for TV in the 1950's... but that's just my opinion. Overall it was an enjoyable, light hearted comedy about sex (or lack of) that made me happy that I found it so late at night with all the other offerings that could have detoured my attention. This was only a few years before my days began but I could easily see these kinds of characters living out the story in real life as it was back in those days. The writers did a fantastic job with their use of language especially because had this been remade today most young people probably would be at a tremendous lost for words to make this type of film work as well as it did. There is much to learn about using language properly to tell a story... one that would have worked just as well if it were only on radio. Todays film values are all too visual and sorely lacks verbal entertainment which this film provides in great quantity and quality. I am glad to have found this gem in the rough.

dougdoepke A slightly kooky young woman tantalizes two bachelors with her innocence.Considering several drawbacks, the movie remains rather charming, thanks mainly to Audrey Hepburn look-alike McNamara. Still, the staging is 99-minutes of talk, with maybe two or three sets, only three players, and absolutely no action. Add an obsolete attraction of taboo words like "virgin' and "seduce"-- words now found across the TV dial— and the stage-bound film dates itself. Nonetheless, the three principals play off one another well, along with some fairly sprightly dialog. Then too, director Preminger gets to indulge his penchant for extra-long uninterrupted scenes. I count one scene at about ten minutes without a break. However, catch how adeptly the actors maintain their act during these extended takes. Actually, Preminger occupies an important place in the evolution of mature movies—especially with this film and its challenge to public watchdogs of the time, who apparently came out in force to protest the suggestive dialog. (Also key to the evolution—drug addiction in Man With The Golden Arm {1957} and sexual explicitness in Anatomy of a Murder {1959}, both Preminger projects.)Reading about McNamara's brief life is rather sad. Her performance here as the slightly kooky Patty is eye-catching, in my book, at least. Yet her career appears to have sputtered not long after. Perhaps it was the decade's preference for voluptuous leading ladies, which she definitely was not. Nonetheless, the movie manages some entertaining virtues, aside from remaining an historical curiosity, and can be viewed at either level.

bkoganbing Watching The Moon Is Blue today is watching a rather ordinary comedy that had a respectable run on Broadway (924 performances in the 1951- 1953 season) that got blown totally out of proportion because of the attendant publicity.More tickets were sold for this film, more publicity was generated for this film than the hype of a dozen press agents by the actions of the censors, in this case the Catholic Legion Of Decency who objected to the words 'pregnant' and 'virgin' being in the script. But isn't that always the case, tell people something is banned and they flock to see it out of curiosity if nothing else.Otto Preminger directed the play on Broadway and brought it here to the cinema and expanded it a bit for the screen. The roles of the cab driver Gregory Ratoff, the TV singer Fortunio Bonanova, interestingly enough the daughter of David Niven, Dawn Addams did not exist in the original play. It was a four person comedy with a cast that included Barbara Bel Geddes, Barry Nelson, Donald Cook, and Ralph Dunn playing the parts that went to Maggie McNamara, William Holden, David Niven and Tom Tully.However Maggie McNamara did play the lead in the national touring company and Preminger did bring her to Hollywood. She even received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress, but lost that year to a very similar actress in a similar role, Audrey Hepburn for Roman Holiday.The wolfish William Holden spots McNamara leaving his building and follows her up to the top of the Empire State Building observation deck. You know the old saying, he pursued her enough until she decided to let him catch her. They go back to his apartment where she also arouses the interest in an old roué in the person of neighbor David Niven. Holden was going out for a bit with his daughter Dawn Addams. The two pursue her for the rest of the film and you figure out who she winds up with.This is the plot of a gazillion comedies and the mere use of a couple of forbidden words elevated The Moon Is Blue to something way beyond what it actually merited. The Moon Is Blue also got Oscar nominations for the title song and for film editing.This film did not lead to a brilliant film career for Maggie McNamara. That tragic woman did a couple of better films Prince Of Players and Three Coins In The Fountain and then Otto Preminger also cast her in The Cardinal. All of those were better than The Moon Is Blue for which she was nominated.Looking at that film almost 60 years later, you scratch your head and wonder what the big deal was with his movie.

Brevity Yes, it does seem silly today, the controversy. It almost seems as though they are saying, "Look what we're not afraid to say"; but I don't know, so I won't say they are. But beyond these evil words, is there anything? Yes, but nothing special.It's based on play and thus play-like. Problem? Slight. There is many a flaw in the script. The film drags in places and, in others, borders on the tedious. The character of Cynthia works on no level whatsoever.But there is much good as well. Some nice - and funny - dialogue. Solid performances from the main trio. Holden is good here between much superior Wilders, and McNamara's debut is of quality. The most amusement, however, comes from Niven's schtick - and it is, indeed, amusement. Nothing more, nothing less.Of the title song, then, I won't say a thing.