Send Me No Flowers

In "Send Me No Flowers" Hudsons performance was certainly as good as Stanley Holloway's in "My Fair Lady" that same year, 1964.
This proves that comedy acting hadn't at the time and doesn't today, get the respect it so richly deserves. Similarly, Janis Paige was certainly nominee-worthy for her 'Deborah Vaughn' in "Please Don't Eat the Daisies".
Instead, the Academy gives awards to people like first time nominee, Laugh-In's "sock-it-to-me girl", Goldie Hawn for "Cactus Flower", which was certainly not Oscar-calibre acting.
Even Miss Hawn commented that she "appreciated the award" but wishes that she had "gotten it for something else".
After six nominations, the legendary Thelma Ritter ("All About Eve" and "Pillow Talk") was still Oscar-less.

"Send Me No Flowers" has been described as a "dark comedy" probably because of its subject matter, hypochondria.
Why George Kimball (Rock Hudson) has developed this condition is not explained. We know from his doctor, Ralph Morrissey (Edward Andrews) that he has complained about everything since he became his doctor.
His medicine cabinet is filled with prescription bottles and he pops pills like a dope fiend.
His wife, Judy (Doris Day), seems to be a happy housewife living in "the burbs" who takes her husband's "health problems" with a grain of salt. She seems to find it amusing.

Always feeling that he "has something", George visits the doctor for a check-up.
While he is taking a pill in the rest room, he overhears the doctor discussing another patient, one who is terminally ill and about to die.
This being a screwball comedy, George immediately believes the doctor is talking about him. Distraught, he confides in his best friend and next door neighbour,

Arnold (Tony Randall) who falls completely apart and starts drinking to deal with the impending "tragedy".
The whole thing is a bunch of nonsense.
A must see for all Doris Day & Rock Hudson fans.