A baby is abandoned at the United Nations headquarters in New York by a mother who heard the UN's Frank Larrimore speak out on behalf of children's rights via a radio show. Found by UN guide Lisette, she brings the baby to the security office.
Because the baby is in international territory, her nationality unknown, Frank (a proud bachelor) is begrudgingly forced to take the baby back to his apartment until a proper home can be found. His landlord forbids kids, so Frank smuggles the child into his apartment.
Lisette initially finds Frank to be abrasive and unfit to take care of a child, and believes Frank and his pal Randy are using it as a way to meet beautiful, wedding-minded single women. But, Lisette eventually reads his proposal for the "Universal Rights of a Child', and they fall in love. After a series of mishaps, Frank finally earns her forgiveness and love, and they adopt the baby.[1]
According to biographer Dana M. Reemes in Directed by Jack Arnold (1988), the pre-production, production and post-production of A Global Affair were fraught with conflicts involving director Arnold, actor Bob Hope and producer Hall Bartlett.[2] A controversy first arose during pre-production when "Bob Hope and MGM insisted on having Jack Arnold as the director against producer Hal Bartlett's wishes."[3]
Casting for the leading lady was delayed by Bartlett until three days into the shooting. When French actress Michèle Mercier appeared on the set, Arnold discovered that she could not speak a word of English. A translator was engaged, and Mercier was coached to deliver every line phonetically as each scene was shot, delaying production.
Arnold also struggled with comedian Hope to elicit an engaging performance. Arnold made these observations regarding Hope in A Global Affair:
Bob Hope lives in his own world. He comes in, he does his work, and he doesn't socialize with any of the cast, which doesn't mean that he's mean, or doesn't joke around with people; it's just that he's a very self-centered gentleman. He doesn't bother to even learn the script, and sometimes, I think, he hadn't read it...[4]
Hope, who required cue cards, was walked through the scenes without cameraman Joseph Ruttenberg rolling film, until Hope memorized the lines so his eyes would not be seen scanning the cards.[5]
Critic Leonard Maltin noted that "Hope's annual screen endeavors became increasingly erratic ... Such films as Bachelor in Paradise (1961), Call Me Bwana (1963) and A Global Affair buried Hope's one-time reputation as a reliable movie laugh-maker."[6]
According to Arnold, Hope "hated the producer" and would retire to his dressing room when Bartlett came on the set. Hope did not discover that the picture had been filmed in black-and-white, rather than in color as he had assumed, until after the movie was completed.[7]
The ultimate clash between director Arnold and producer Bartlett occurred over the editing of the film.
[8]
According to Reemes, Arnold expected to be consulted if any significant changes were made to his final cut of the film, as provided by Directors Guild of America regulations. Arnold accused Bartlett of making major alterations to the film, such that Arnold demanded that his name be removed as director on the credits.[9]
A Global Affair was released with the Bartlett edits in January, 1964.[10]
A Global Affair still holds together disarmingly as the ambassadors woo the child in the hero's bachelor apartment. Then comes a parade of nationalistic beauties. The pretties is Michelle Mercier. There is one deft bit with Mr. Hope deflating a clinical-talking Russian belle, well-played by Lilo Pulver.Sadly, and rather feebly, the curvaceous cavalcade goes on and on till it reaches the bedroom, striking a dull, smutty snag. Just in time, under Jack Arnold's limp direction, the picture is yanked back to the United Nations for Mr. Hope's climactic plea for world unity, symbolized by the child—and what a doll! If only the film had remained on the premises and permitted a beloved clown and tiny seductress to turn the place upside down for its own good.[11]
^Reemes, 1988 p. 145, p. 148-149, pp. 152-154: Reemes provides extensive interview passages from Arnold, undated, presumably personal interviews with the author.
^Reemes, 1988 p. 148: Arnold reports that he thought Bartlett had notified Hope that it was a B&W picture: "I thought [Hope] knew or I would have told him."
^Reemes, 1988 p. 193: "...an uncomfortable degree of producer domination" in the making of A Global Affair.
^Reemes, 1988 p. 148-149: Arnold: "It's not the picture I made, I want my name taken off it..."
^Reemes, 1988 p. 145: "...the film released as A Global Affair is not the film that Jack Arnold made" due to Bartlett's extensive edits. And p. 218: Filmography for date of release.
