There are only two reasons why anyone should see this DVD release of the 1963 comedy “Promises! Promises!” and those reasons belong to Jayne Mansfield. Yes, the blonde bombshell’s trademark titties are on full display – literally. This was the movie where Jayne took it all off (or at least she took her top off) and gave her fans a glimpse of her girlfriends. This marked the first time that a major star went bare-breasted in a movie – although truth be told, Jayne’s star was already waning by the time this comedy was produced.
But beyond the breast appeal, “Promises! Promises!” has little to offer. It is basically a lame sex comedy about two dumb broads (Jayne and Marie McDonald) who go on a cruise with the respective mates. After much drinking and intermingling between the couples, the women discover (rather quickly) that they are pregnant. But which man is the father of what child?
The film does have some fun distractions: Jayne sings a loony song while soaking in a bubble bath. Jayne’s Hungarian bodybuilder husband Mickey Hargitay flexes his muscles and mangles the language as (oddly) Marie McDonald’s mate; nerdy comic Tommy Noonan, who co-wrote and co-produced this flick, plays Jayne’s man. Female impersonator T.C. Jones gets to camp it up in bad drag. A very young Richard Dawson can be spotted running about, and Imogene Coca (wife of director King Donovan) has a funny unbilled cameo.
And, of course, Jayne Mansfield is topless. Tits ahoy, Jayne!
