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Man's Favorite Sport?

Man's Favorite Sport?

Comedy · Romance · 1964

Roger Willoughby is a renowned fishing expert, who, unbeknownst to his friends, co-workers, or boss, has never cast a line in his life. One day, he crosses paths with Abigail Paige, a sweetly annoying girl who has just badgered his boss into signing Roger up for an annual fishing tournament.

Movie details

Man's Favorite Sport?

“It takes a girl to supply the answer!”

1964 Comedy · Romance 2h 0m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.0 / 10

Community rating

Roger Willoughby is a renowned fishing expert, who, unbeknownst to his friends, co-workers, or boss, has never cast a line in his life. One day, he crosses paths with Abigail Paige, a sweetly annoying girl who has just badgered his boss into signing Roger up for an annual fishing tournament.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Man's Favorite Sport??

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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That Touch of Mink

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Grumpier Old Men

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A family wedding reignites the ancient feud between next-door neighbors and fishing buddies John and Max. Meanwhile, a sultry Italian divorcée opens a restaurant at the local bait shop, alarming the locals who worry she'll scare the fish away. But she's less interested in seafood than she is in cooking up a hot time with Max.

Watching the Detectives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Howard Hawks

Written by

Steve McNeil · Pat Frank · John Fenton Murray

Rock Hudson

Rock Hudson

Roger Willoughby

Paula Prentiss

Paula Prentiss

Abigail Page

Maria Perschy

Maria Perschy

Isolde 'Easy' Mueller

John McGiver

John McGiver

William Cadwalader

Charlene Holt

Charlene Holt

Tex Connors

Roscoe Karns

Roscoe Karns

Major Phipps

James Westerfield

James Westerfield

Policeman

Court is in session

Put Man's Favorite Sport? on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Sentimental Softie

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.