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.
Back to trending 
Who's Minding the Store?
Comedy · 1963
Norman Phiffer, a proud man in a humble life, doesn't know that his girlfriend, Barbara, is heir to the Tuttle Department Store dynasty. Mrs. Tuttle, Barbara's mother, is determined to split the two lovers, and hires Norman in an attempt to humiliate him enough that Barbara leaves him. Will she ruin their love, or will he ruin her store?
Movie details
Who's Minding the Store?
“Look who's minding the store!”
1963 Comedy 1h 30m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.9 / 10
Community rating
Norman Phiffer, a proud man in a humble life, doesn't know that his girlfriend, Barbara, is heir to the Tuttle Department Store dynasty. Mrs. Tuttle, Barbara's mother, is determined to split the two lovers, and hires Norman in an attempt to humiliate him enough that Barbara leaves him. Will she ruin their love, or will he ruin her store?
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 Who's Minding the Store??
For the defence
The Sentimental Softie
“You came to feel something, and you will.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Cool Ironist
“Feeling things is a little embarrassing.”
Read their objectionThe 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.
Much Ado About Nothing
Comedy · 2013
A modern retelling of Shakespeare's classic comedy about two pairs of lovers with different takes on romance and a way with words.
Jingle All the Way
Family · 1996
Howard Langston, a salesman for a mattress company, is constantly kept busy at his job, disappointing his son. After he misses his son's karate exposition, Howard vows to make it up to him by buying an action figure of his son's favorite television hero for Christmas. Unfortunately for Howard, it is Christmas Eve, and every store is sold out of Turbo Man. Now, Howard must travel all over town and compete with everybody else to find a Turbo Man action figure.
Under Wraps 2
Family · 2022
As Marshall, Gilbert and Amy are preparing for her father’s Spooktacular Halloween-themed wedding to his fiancé Carl, plans go awry when they discover that their mummy friend Harold and his beloved Rose may be in danger.
Candy Cane Lane
Comedy · 2023
A man, determined to win the neighborhood's annual Christmas decorating contest, makes a pact with an elf to help him win. However, the elf casts a spell bringing the twelve days of Christmas to life, bringing chaos to the small, unsuspecting town.
Dog Gone
Comedy · 2008
A courageous boy battles a gang of bumbling thieves to rescue a dog carrying a fortune in stolen diamonds.
The Big Store
Comedy · 1941
A detective is hired to protect the life of a singer, who has recently inherited a department store, from the store's crooked manager.
The Cocoanuts
Comedy · 1929
During the Florida land boom, the Marx Brothers run a hotel, auction off some land and thwart a jewel robbery.
Thunderstruck
Comedy · 2012
After NBA star Kevin Durant switches talent with 16 year old Brian, the teenager becomes the star of his high school team, but Durant starts struggling and eventually learns an important lesson.
Sneakerella
Music · 2022
When El, an aspiring sneaker designer from Queens, meets Kira King, the fiercely independent daughter of legendary basketball star and sneaker tycoon Darius King, sparks fly as the two bond over their mutual affinity for sneakers. With a little nudge from his best friend and a sprinkle of Fairy Godfather magic, El finds the courage to use his talent to pursue his dream of becoming a ‘legit’ sneaker designer in the industry.
Dennis the Menace
Family · 1993
Mr. Wilson's ever-present annoyance comes in the form of one mischievous kid named Dennis. But he'll need Dennis's tricks to uncover a collection of gold coins that go missing when a shady drifter named Switchblade Sam comes to town.
Where it lives
Watch in your region.
Cinema release signals and current streaming, rental, and purchase options for your region.
Streaming availability data supplied by JustWatch.
Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Frank Tashlin
Written by
Frank Tashlin · Harry Tugend
Jerry Lewis
Norman Phiffer
Jill St. John
Barbara Tuttle
Ray Walston
Mr. Quimby
John McGiver
John P. Tuttle
Agnes Moorehead
Phoebe Tuttle
Francesca Bellini
Shirley Lott
Fritz Feld
Irving Catastrophe
Court is in session
Put Who's Minding the Store? on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
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.