Tockinit
not horrible nor great
SeeQuant
Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction
Bergorks
If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.
Staci Frederick
Blistering performances.
wes-connors
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
brefane
The 60's weren't too kind to Doris Day. She reportedly turned down The Graduate, and did Caprice(67) Jumbo(62) Send Me No Flowers(64) Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?(68) Do Not Disturb(65) The Glass Bottom Boat(66) The Ballad of Josie(67) and Move Over, Darling(63) instead. With Six You Get Eggroll, what an awful title! is the last, though not necessarily the least of the dreary bunch. This was Barbara Hershey's first film and Doris' last and that's about the most interesting thing about this poky sitcom posing as a theatrical film. Similar to The Brady Bunch, Yours, Mine and Ours(68), and Day's own TV series, With Six YOu Get Eggroll was released the same year as 2001:A Space Odyssey, Rosemary's Baby, Faces, Planet of the Apes, Wild in the Streets, Pretty Poison, and The Night of the Living Dead, and it's a dull and witless comedy that was a relic even in 1968. And the gratuitous appearance of the Grass Roots, and the hippies in the background are a hopeless attempt to seem up to date. Talented Brian Keith takes a back seat to a bunch of "cute" kids, George Carlin, and a dog. Starting with an animated title sequence, the whole thing looks cheap and ugly, and the supporting cast made up of familiar faces from TV is unappealing and forgettable.
theowinthrop
WITH SIX YOU GET EGGROLE had the timing misfortune of coming out in the movies at the same time as YOUR, MINE, AND HOURS, the Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball comedy about two people who get married and try to bring their individual broods of three kids each together. Here it was Doris Day and Brian Keith, trying to bring her three sons (John Findlater, Richard Steele, and Jimmy Bracken) and his daughter (a young Barbara Hershey) together, and finding it nearly impossible. Both Day and Keith are widowed, and they knew each other earlier, but their lives drifted apart. She became successful as an lumber yard owner, and he is a successful professional as well. Her sister, Pat Carroll, is trying to get her to remarry (one wonders why - Day's comment that she has a house full of sons and is not lonely, happens to be perfectly sensible...it's not like nobody is in the house since her husband died). Carroll forces the issue by calling Keith up and strong arming Day into inviting him to a dinner party mostly for her Day's clients. And, of course, things click perfectly between the two, until they "elope" to Las Vegas and marry without warning their kids. But that is just it: the kids' reactions to the marriage can make or break it.The kids are he normal bunch, with Findlater self-centered enough about his dates that he ignores his chores keeping his eyes on his brothers, and Hershey having become chief housekeeper for Keith. Naturally the two oldest ones clash all the time, as they are unused to having someone of their own age being suddenly in the way. Hershey keeps slighting Day, seeing her as a rival to her...until a fed up Day, when she hears Hershey complain about how she was a better house keeper, assigns Hershey all the chores for the day (a Friday) while Day goes out shopping. Ghostley (who was off that day) is a housekeeper who is constantly commenting on being overworked (but also quick to remind her boss Day that certain days she's off - or that Day is butting into Ghostley's personal time. Day is also aware of the gorgeous next door neighbor of Keith's (Elaine Devry) who has had her eye on Keith for some time too. Day is not thrilled to hear that Devry was Hershey's baby sitter in the past.The plot is identical to that of the Fonda - Ball film, although the twisted resolution is not quite the same (except in results). Watching it now is like seeing a major film that had many people in it who had substantial careers...but not necessarily on the big screen. Carroll was in several sit-coms in the the 1950s - 1980s. So was Herb Voland, who played her husband here. Alice Ghostly is recalled for BEWITCHED and DESIGNING WOMEN (although she did appear in other films, like THE FLIMFLAM MAN). A young George Carlin plays the manager of a drive in restaurant here - hardly showing his great stand-up wit. He was better in later film parts like OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE. Two flower children in the film would later reappear together and gain television immortality in M.A.S.H. as "Cpl. Klinger" and "Father Mulcahy" (Jamie Farr and William Christopher). A belligerent chicken farmer whose truck is crashed into twice by Day and Findlater is Vic Tayback, "Mel" on ALICE. And in his only major film credit, Alvin Melvin appeared as a put upon police officer listening to everyone yelling in his station at the end. Not quite as good as his roles in YOU'LL NEVER GET RICH, GOMER PYLE, or ARCHIE BUNKER'S PLACE. It is easy to recall that with all their fine movie work, both Day and Keith had decent successes in television too (in THE DORIS DAY SHOW and FAMILY AFFAIR). Actually the only star of the film with a substantial movie career after it was made was Hershey, as Day did retire from the screen...although Keith would still be available for movies up until the end, when his poor health led him to a tragic suicide.
Neil Doyle
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.