Pillow Talk Review

Messages: Despite its old-fashioned questions -- Will she or won't she? Is the arrogant womanizer to be envied, laughed at, or tamed? Will the bevy of beauties courted by that womanizer ever catch on and find self-respect? Can a single woman be fulfilled without a man in her life? -- the heroine ultimately stands up for herself, her belief in monogamy, and finds true love. 

Role models: Very 1950s gender roles. Men have power, are womanizers, and allowed great freedom. Women, for the most part, are sexual objects, lovesick, and in need of a man to take care of them. The heroine, however tentatively, veers from the stereotype and almost takes control of her life. There are jokes that fun of homosexuals and overweight women. No characters of color.

Violence: A friend slaps the leading lady to stop her hysterical crying. A punch is thrown; the male victim has a dark bruise and loosened teeth afterward. Both incidents are meant to be funny. And, a young man forcibly tries to kiss the heroine; she briefly struggles, saving herself from his unwanted advances.

Sex: No nudity or actual sexual activity, but sex, or the lack thereof, is the motivating force of the film's story. There's some passionate kissing, lots of flirting, and many implied sexual encounters as the handsome hero has a keen eye for beautiful women and successfully woos a number of them in his apartment, which is designed for seduction. The leading lady is accused of having "bedroom problems" and the leading man is called a "sex maniac." A young man takes the heroine to Lover's Lane, forcefully tries to kiss and embrace her, but she forcefully refuses.

Language: No swearing or coarse language, but lots of sexual innuendo and double entendres. 

Consumerism: Multiple signs in scene backgrounds: Pabst, Michelob, Schlitz, Canadian Club, Admiral, Circle Line Tours, and several New York clubs and restaurants.

Drinking, drugs and smoking: Drunkenness is a source of humor and is used to define some characters: The heroine's female confidante shows up for work every morning with a hangover; several people get very drunk and pass out or collapse. Multiple scenes include smoking and social drinking either at home, in restaurants, or at nightclubs.