Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell

4/26/2022

Acclaimed writer "Lynn Belvedere" (Clifton Webb) is on a lecture tour to support his latest book, when he alights on an home for elderly people. It's administered by "Rev. Watson" (Hugh Marlowe) with the help of "Harriet" (Joanne Dru) and populated by a curious collection of elderly individuals with varying degrees of neuroses and quirks. "Belvedere" decides that he is going to demonstrate to each of them, as well as to the obviously affectionate but don't know it yet pair running the place, that a lot of their ailments, worries and troubles are merely in their minds. It's got a certain feel-good nature to it, naive and simplistic, but still the message is meant to be positive and to that extent Webb's characterisation is quite charming, if a little pompous, and his acting adequate. Zero M