Love Is a Ball

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Love Is a Ball
Hope Lange and Glenn Ford on the soundtrack album cover
Directed by	David Swift
Produced by	Martin Poll Harry Caplan (assoc.) Shirley Mellner (assist.)
Written by	Lindsay Hardy (book) David Swift Frank Waldman Tom Waldman
Starring	Glenn Ford Hope Lange
Release date(s)	1963
Running time	111 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
IMDb profile

Love Is a Ball is a 1963 romantic comedy film starring Glenn Ford and Hope Lange. It is based on the book The Grand Duke and Mr. Pimm by Lindsay Hardy.

[edit] Plot summary

Etienne Pimm (Charles Boyer) has an unusual way of making a living: he arranges for impoverished European aristocrats to marry unsuspecting rich women. He is then discreetly compensated for his efforts by the husbands. His latest target is Millicent 'Milly' Mehaffey (Hope Lange). Pimm and his assistant Janine (Ulla Jacobsson) begin training the penniless Duke Gaspard Ducluzeau (Ricardo Montalban) to attract Milly. As their target is a racing enthusiast, Pimm hires John Lathrop Davis (Glenn Ford), a former champion car driver, to teach Gaspard to drive.

Pimm "accidentally" meets Milly's uncle and guardian, Dr. Christian Gump (Telly Savalas, cast against type as a cultured gourmet), and introduces him to the duke. After gaining Gump's trust, Pimm suggests trying to arrange a match between the two young people. Gump enthusiastically agrees, hoping it will help settle down his troublesome ward.

When there is an opening for a chauffeur for Milly, the schemers have the reluctant Davis take the job, to spy on her. Davis is openly contemptuous of Milly's amateurish attempts to compete in a professional race, causing clashes with his spoiled employer. As they spend more time together though, their mutual dislike turns into love. Eventually Davis quits, unable to continue the masquerade any longer.

Milly finally learns the truth and is at first outraged, but when she realizes that Davis was not the man who was being groomed for her, she runs after him. This is just fine with Gaspard, as he has fallen for Janine.