‘The Pleasure of His Company’ (1961): Art Imitates Life

A cropped lobby card for the 1961 film “The Pleasure of His Company.” MovieStillsDB

Commentary

It is often said that “art imitates life.” That is certainly the case with “The Pleasure of His Company” and the life of someone who is very near and dear to me. This 1961 movie stars Fred Astaire, Debbie Reynolds, and Lilli Palmer.

A Sophisticated Story

The story begins when Jessica Poole (Reynolds) is trying on wedding gowns for her upcoming marriage, while her mother, Katharine (Palmer), and stepfather, Jim Dougherty (Gary Merrill), give their approval. Jessica asks Jim if he can send another telegram to her father, to which he replies: “There just aren’t any places left.” Jim has sent telegrams to all the major cities in the world, but they haven’t been able to track him down anywhere. Her father, “Pogo” Biddeford Poole (Astaire), is a globetrotting, eccentric millionaire who spends his life in the pursuit of happiness and pleasure.