Millionaire businessman Dean Martin (as Ray Hunter) buys a ritzy hotel in Rome, where he sings a few songs and attracts beautiful Italian women. The first is lady reporter Eva Bartok (as Maria Martelli), but Mr. Martin arouses her teenage sister Anna Maria Alberghetti (as Nina) much a-more. She proposes and he agrees, but they are told that family tradition dictates young Alberghetti's three older sisters must marry first. So, the plan is to get everyone hitched. "I have to marry four girls," says Martin. His pilot is around to help, but Dewey Martin (as Mike Clark) may want the same girl as his boss...
This film opens with a sexy blonde, in bed, inviting us to see, "Dean Martin in Ten Thousand Bedrooms." Later, we later learn the elicited promiscuous thoughts are wrong - the title actually refers to Martin's character being in the hotel business. This was Martin's first film without former partner Jerry Lewis. Everyone expected the funny half of the comic team to do well, and Martin to fail. Of course, Martin had something Jerry did not have - a successful recording career. That, too, seemed in jeopardy with the advent of rock 'n' roll. Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" is heard herein, although not sung by Martin...
Surprisingly, Martin did very well in the movies and exceptionally well on television. Not only did he survive Elvis Presley and the early rockers, Martin continued to sell millions of records throughout The Beatles' era. His career was in better shape than anyone thought, especially after this film. In "Ten Thousand Bedrooms", Martin seems awkward. It doesn't make sense, because he had a affable screen presence - maybe it was just the pressure of having to carry a film on his own. No matter, Martin honed his style - act like you just drank a martini and are looking forward to sex and a big plate of spaghetti.
**** Ten Thousand Bedrooms (4/3/57) Richard Thorpe ~ Dean Martin, Anna Maria Alberghetti, Dewey Martin, Eva Bartok
