Really Surprised!

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Doris Day's last feature film is a pleasant success, although it somehow isn't recalled as a such. Backtracking for a moment… Ms. Day's 1960s "sex comedies" were very big at the box office. The best of these films were critically acclaimed at the time, and are fondly remembered today. But, by 1967, Day began receiving scripts that lacked the wit (and hit potential) of earlier films. Day knew this, but found herself committed to a few unworthy movies, by manager/husband Martin Melcher. They weren't the first "bad" movies Day did, but they did come at a time when she was a "superstar". Day was able to make these bad movies better through her presence; as usual, she put a good effort into each assignment.By 1966, Day was firmly entrenched in the "Quigley Top 10" poll of box office stars, and had become a very dependable, consistent attraction. The films she didn't care for were responsible for Day falling out of the "Ten Best" list, in 1967. She saw "With Six You Get Eggroll" as an improvement. And, it was. Day's last films heralded a return to form; and, she appeared at a very respectable #14 in her final 1968 "Quigley Poll" appearance. It was a CBS-TV series deal that prevented Day from continuing her film career. She was in demand, and would have had to continue in films (she needed the money). But, Day was committed to work on the television series, against her wishes, by the now deceased Mr. Melcher.Seeing the success of the earlier released Lucille Ball comedy "Yours, Mine and Ours" (1968), the studio promoted "With Six You Get Eggroll" as similar fare. Actually, this film is a little better, overall (both are good movies). Herein, lumber yard owner "Abby McClure" (Day) is resigned to being single, after being left with her deceased husband's business, and three sons. But, she is "lonely" (a euphemism), as director Howard Morris clearly highlights with the overhead shots of Day on her bed. Day reluctantly accepts self-professed sex-minded sister Pat Carroll's arrangement of a date with widow Brian Keith (as Jake Iverson). Their courtship is marvelously depicted, thanks to fine scripting and performances.Some have debated whether or not the characters played by Day and Keith have pre-marital sex. Everything about in the characters' behavior suggests that they do. If fact, the biggest reason for the marriage is that they find it increasingly frustrating to "sneak around" and be "alone" (more euphemisms). The rest of the film deals with the inevitable problems the marriage causes in their living arrangements. Now, considering Day's business (which she's good at), you've got to wonder they didn't just build another bedroom for one of the children. Unfortunately, the business sense of Day's character is left standing at the alter. The plot question becomes: Will the children learn to get along, or break up the newlyweds? Representing the opposing fronts are her son John Findlater (as Flip) and his daughter Barbara Hershey (as Stacy). Youngsters Jimmy Bracken and Richard Steele handle their roles (and surprising bathtub scene) very well. Sounding like a cross between "Under My Thumb" and The Zombies, The Grass Roots do an original, exceptional, and very sixties-sounding song called "Feelings"; listen to them as Day visits a youth nightclub. Stand-up George Carlin turns up as fast-food patron. Two future "M*A*S*H" regulars lead a mob of tripping hippies. And, you can have a lot of fun picking out sit-com favorites. By the third act, the film has become more unfocused and ordinary, but it never really obliterates its appeal.******* With Six You Get Eggroll (8/7/68) Howard Morris ~ Doris Day, Brian Keith, John Findlater, Barbara Hershey

Unless someone persuades the 84 year old Doris Day to do an appearance in a Gloria Stuart like Titanic role, With Six You Get Eggroll will be her farewell big screen appearance. Not exactly the greatest film to go out on.Anticipating The Brady Bunch by a year, With Six You Get Eggroll is a pleasant enough family comedy about another lovely lady only she's the one with three boys of her own. Doris is a widow with sons Jimmy Bracken, Richard Steele, and John Findlater who's getting a lot of static from her sister Pat Carroll about her social life or lack thereof. Going through the Rolodex Brian Keith's name comes up. He's an old friend of Day's late husband who wouldn't you know it, is now a widower with a teenage daughter, Barbara Hershey. The inevitable romance blooms and they get married.Getting the respective families adjusted to step relations is a whole other matter. If you've seen episodes of The Brady Bunch, Step By Step, and Life With Derek, I think you'll get the idea where the rest of this film is going. Keith and Day look so comfortable together you do kind of wonder what their respective late spouses were like. Look for George Carlin to make his big screen debut as an obnoxious fast food stand owner and Vic Tayback as the poultry truck driver whose repeated run-ins with both sides of the family brings them finally together. And in that rather anarchistic climax note the presence of Jamie Farr and William Christopher as a pair of hippies who help the course of true love.With Six You Get Eggroll is an average screen comedy, but with all the blended family TV shows that have come and gone since, it's nothing no one hasn't seen before.

It's another variation on the oft-told tale of two people getting married and having to share their brood of kids. WITH SIX YOU GET EGG ROLL is directed by Howard Morris (from television) and it shows, because it's the kind of tale that plays like a half-hour situation comedy padded out to feature film length--but with a scarcity of laughs, or to put it differently, only the number of laughs that would have been possible within the half-hour limits of a TV show.DORIS DAY decided to call it quits after this film--and it's rather easy to see why. Even the presence of some fairly reliable actors in the cast doesn't help. BRIAN KEITH, BARBARA HERSHEY, PAT CARROLL and ALICE GHOSTLEY do their best, but the script is the real problem and should have been left untouched for the big screen.Nothing much can be said in favor of it. Skip it and see Miss Day in any number of her more worthwhile films.

My mom always tells me about how idiotically bad Doris Day's movies were: Day always played wholesome women who never had sex. I guess that Day figured that her final film appearance should be something more realistic. She plays widow Abby McClure, who hooks up with widower Jake Iverson (Brian Keith), and they get really close."With Six You Get Eggroll" - so called because of a scene in a Chinese restaurant - seems like a precursor to "The Brady Bunch" (accentuated by the presence of Allan Melvin, who played Alice's hubby Sam in the latter). It's not a great movie by any stretch, but it is pretty humorous in some scenes - namely the "yellow" scene. Also starring are Barbara Hershey, George Carlin, Vic Tayback, and Alice Ghostley (aka Esmerelda on "Bewitched").