Film

Lover Come Back

Name: Lover Come Back
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Released: 1961
Cast: Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Tony Randall, Edie Adams, Jack Oakie

Screwball comedy
Light-hearted

A glossy 1961 romantic comedy about two cutthroat Madison Avenue ad executives who despise each other—until a scheme to sabotage a rival campaign forces them into close quarters. It's all champagne, sharp suits, and carefully choreographed sexual tension, with Rock Hudson and Doris Day sparring like pros. Perfect if you love witty banter, glamorous nonsense, and the particular pleasure of watching adults flirt while pretending not to.

TMDb rating

3.5

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy snappy, bickering battle-of-the-sexes comedy where two sharp professionals trade barbs and the banter does most of the work, with a light touch on the romance.

Skip it if you find the rom-com of the early sixties creaky, since its jokes depend on sly innuendo, a lot of cheerful contrivance and a lightly dated view of the workplace.

What it asks of you: At about 107 minutes it moves at a brisk, chatty clip and wants your full attention on the dialogue, since the gags land only if you keep up.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Breakfast at Tiffany's1961

Audrey Hepburn in New York, equally stylish and funny, with that same blend of romance, comedy, and gorgeous production design. The chemistry between leads and the city itself as a character will feel familiar.

But It's slower and sadder than it looks. The whimsy can feel precious if you're not in the mood for it.

Pillow Talk1959

Hudson and Day's previous collaboration: even sharper, even funnier, with the same sparkling chemistry and higher stakes. If you loved them here, this is essential.

But Dated sexual politics. The 'seduction through deception' plot depends on tropes that land differently now.

Singin' in the Rain1952

The gold standard of romantic comedies set in a glamorous industry. Perfect timing, perfect dancers, perfect cynicism underneath the gloss. Pure joy.

But It's so beloved that expectations can work against it. And the narrative is thinner than you'd expect from something this famous.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Lover Come Back

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?1962

Both films center on two women clawing for dominance in their respective worlds, but this one asks what happens when the mask slips.

Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, former rivals, playing sisters with a grotesque history. It's the dark mirror of the glamorous female competition in Lover Come Back—same arena, same venom, but with horror underneath. Utterly gripping and nasty.

But It's violent and cruel. No wink at the camera, no safety. If you're watching for bright escapism, this will wrong-foot you completely.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes1953

Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell sparring with wit and style in a glitzy, fast-paced romance. Same era, same energy, same shameless commitment to glamour and laughs.

But Monroe's persona can overshadow the actual plot. Some will find it one-note.

The Philadelphia Story1940

Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and Jimmy Stewart in the template for 'rival lovers forced together.' Smarter and more elegant, with better writing. Pure class.

But It's slower and more theatrical. Some viewers find pre-1950s comedies stiff.

Auntie Mame1958

Rosalind Russell at full volume, Technicolor excess, plot machinery that never stops. Same commitment to spectacle and style, different flavor of funny.

But It's exhausting if you don't buy into Russell's manic energy. The plot is threadbare.

Roman Holiday1953

Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, a romantic comedy that remembers romance matters. Elegant, touching, and funny without ever losing grace.

But It's more sentimental than Lover Come Back. Some find it schmaltzy.

It Happened One Night1934

The ancestor of all screwball: Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable, banter that actually sparkles, perfect construction. See where this came from.

But The pacing is slower. Black and white may feel austere after Hudson and Day's Technicolor shine.

Sabrina1954

Audrey Hepburn caught between Bogart and Holden in a comedy about class, desire, and figuring out who you actually are. Gorgeous and touching.

But Bogart is uncomfortable in a romantic role. The class politics feel dated and unexamined.

Notting Hill1999

Same structure—two smart, defended people forced into proximity until they admit they like each other—but the modern version winks at the audience about how unlikely it all is.

Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant as equals who need each other more than they're willing to admit. It's got the same lightweight romantic machinery, the same witty sparring, but it's self-aware about how artificial the romance plot is. A comedy that knows it's a comedy, without ever stopping being charming.

But It's built on Hollywood wish-fulfillment that it barely bothers to justify. The romance resolves by assertion, not persuasion.