PROFILBARU.COM

The Lively Set
The Lively Set
	1964 theatrical poster
Directed by	Jack Arnold
Screenplay by	Mel Goldberg; William Wood
Story by	Mel Goldberg; William Alland
Produced by	William Alland
Starring	James Darren; Pamela Tiffin; Doug McClure; Joanie Sommers
Cinematography	Carl E. Guthrie; (as Carl Guthrie)
Edited by	Archie Marshek
Music by	Bobby Darin
Production; company	Universal Pictures
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	October 24, 1964;
Running time	95 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

The Lively Set is a 1964 American color action drama sport film directed by Jack Arnold and starring James Darren, Pamela Tiffin, Doug McClure and Joanie Sommers.^[1]

Plot

Casey Owens, a young mechanic, has developed a design for a turbine car engine, paving the way for a jet-powered auto certain to set a new land speed record. Wealthy playboy Stanford Rogers hires Casey to build the car for him to race in the Tri-State Endurance Run. Chuck Manning, an engineering student whom Casey had met in a drag race, discovers potential flaws in the car's design. After an unsuccessful test run, Rogers abandons the turbine-powered car for a traditional racing model, but Casey and Chuck rework the turbine vehicle to compete with Rogers in the endurance run. Chuck's sister Eadie becomes Casey's love interest.

Cast

James Darren as Casey Owens
Pamela Tiffin as Eadie Manning
Doug McClure as Chuck Manning
Joanie Sommers as Doreen Grey
Marilyn Maxwell as Marge Owens
Charles Drake as Paul Manning
Peter Mann as Stanford Rogers
Carole Wells as Mona
Frances Robinson as Celeste Manning
Greg Morris as Highway Patrol Officer
Ross Elliott as Ernie Owens
Russ Conway as Dave Moody
Martin Blaine as Prof. George E. Collins
Max Schumacher as Himself (as Captain Max Schumancher)
Dick Whittinghill as Himself
Mickey Thompson as Himself
James Nelson as Himself
Duane Carter as Himself
Billy Krause as Himself
Ron Miller as Himself
Dave MacDonald as Himself

Production

Filming started on 20 January 1964.^[2] It was the first film Darren made under a multi-picture film contract he had signed with Universal, for whom he was to make a film a year until 1970.(He also had a contract to make one film a year for Columbia until 1966.)^[3]

Bobby Darin was hired to write three songs for the film, but Universal was so pleased with the results that they enlisted him to write the entire score.^[4]

The film's release, originally set for July 1964, was delayed until October, and the film was heavily edited out of respect for Dave MacDonald, who played himself and was a stunt driver in the film. MacDonald died on May 30, 1964, during the Indianapolis 500 in a fiery crash that also killed Eddie Sachs, who had also been in some scenes, during the second lap. Scenes featuring Sachs and all but one scene featuring MacDonald were removed from the film, and neither driver's name appears in the on-screen credits. Some years later, MacDonald's son Rich contacted James Darren to put his father's name in the Internet Movie Database (IMDB).^[5] Chrysler mechanic George Stecher appeared in reshot scenes that had originally featured MacDonald.^[6]

The turbine car

The turbine car used in the film is the famous 1963 Chrysler Ghia Turbine Car developed by George Huebner and his team. The car's engine is realistically described in the film, particularly Chrysler's use of heat regenerators, which cooled the car's exhaust to a temperature even lower than that of a traditional piston engine.^{[citation needed]}

The Chrysler Turbine Car is mentioned in the opening credits of the film. Chrysler participated in the film's development as the car was its exclusive property and the patented engine design was extensively advertised as the "engine of the future."^[7]

Reception

The Los Angeles Times called the film "... the most awful little time waster."^[8]

Writing in The New York Times, critic Eugene Arthur wrote, "By the fadeout, everyone up there on the screen is positively beaming with joy. Before congratulating them on their acting ability, though, remember that they, unlike the helpless customers, were paid."^[9]

Awards

The Lively Set was nominated at the 37th Academy Awards for Best Sound Editing (Robert Bratton).^[10]

References

^ LIVELY SET, The Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 32, Iss. 372, (Jan 1, 1965): 25.
^ Ex-Tribunite, Too: Pamela Tiffin a Busy Actress, Model, Student and Housewife Pauley, Gay. Chicago Tribune 19 Dec 1963: e1.
^ "New York Soundtrack". Variety. 18 December 1963. p. 11.
^ Churchmen's Look at 'Far-Out' Urged: Films 'Can Reveal Values'; 'Lady L' Back in the Running Scheuer, Philip K. Los Angeles Times 21 May 1964: C11.
^ Facebook post by Rich MacDonald
^ Second Facebook post by Rich MacDonald
^ Racing Cars Get Stellar Treatment Los Angeles Times 16 Sep 1964: C11.
^ 'Lively Set' Anything but That Harford, Margaret. Los Angeles Times 30 Oct 1964: C16.
^ Archer, Eugene (1964-10-15). "The Screen: 'The Lively Set' Opens at Local Houses". The New York Times. p. 54.
^ "The 37th Academy Awards (1965) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 2014-03-15.