I am looking for the title of a movie that may have been mid-late 60's
or early 70's, it may have been a comedy.. the only fact I have is one
scene where a girl was asking her married friend how she got along so
well with her husband, and she replies "easy.. I just treat him like a
dog!" and proceeds to talk to her husband like he is a dog, stay, sit,
and so on... and it is all very funny.  I would like to get a copy of
this movie, but I have given up finding its title... perhaps the movie
geek could help here?

Hello Stevecolo,

Thank you for your question.

The movie you’re referring to is “If a Man Answers” a 1962 movie
starring Bobby Darin, Sandra Dee, Micheline Presle, John Lund, and
Stephanie Powers.

To locate the title of the movie I called my mother long distance to
Canada (I live in South America). I’ve never known a person to watch
more movies than she does. I read her the question and she recognized
it immediately from your description as she had seen this movie 2
months ago. She mentioned that it was Stephanie Powers (the girl) who
asks Sandra Dee (the married friend) how she gets along so well with
her husband. The part “just treat him like a dog” is the advice Sandra
Dee receives from her mother in the movie.

Here are a few excepts telling the story where you will see the part
about training him like a dog.

The Story

“Chantal Stacy is the beautiful product of her sophisticated French
Mother, Maman Stacy and her staid Bostonian father, John Stacey.
Chantal sometimes has as many as three engagement rings at the same
time. However, her wise mother always extricates her daughter from the
quicksands of romance.”
Bobby Darin Website
http://www.bobbydarin.net/ifman.html

“But Chantal, even after such a short association, has fallen in love
with Gene and is determined to marry him. However, Gene isn't
interested in marriage. But Maman takes a hand and with her expert
coaching on "how to hook a man", Chantal and Gene are married.”
Bobby Darin Website
http://www.bobbydarin.net/ifman2.html

“In fact, Gene has taken Chantal for granted for some time. So,she
runs home to mother and complains about Gene's transition since the
marriage. Maman has a strange solution. She tells Chantal to treat her
husband like a dog, literally. She gives Chantal a book, "How to Train
a Man's Best Friend", and instructs her to follow the book to the
letter in "housebreaking" Gene. And it works. Gene begins paying as
much attention to Chantal as in the pre-marital days.”
Bobby Darin Website
http://www.bobbydarin.net/ifman3.html

Here is a users comment from the Internet Movie Data Base:

“Sandra Dee married to photographer Bobby Darin, trying to make him
jealous to get his mind off the models--later attempting to train him
like a dog”

Source: Internet Movie Data base
http://us.imdb.com/Title?0056093


Here is an excerpt from the synopsis at Blockbuster:
 
“This lightweight, nearly zero-gravity comedy by director Henry Levin
(...) about how a woman can lie, manipulate, and generally deceive her
husband, all in the "art" of hanging on to him. Sandra Dee is Chantal,
married to Eugene (Bobby Darin, Dee's real-life husband), but first
comes the story of how she hooked him. Next, comes the story of how he
is trained to be a perfect husband, and then the final installment is
unveiled. She uses a variety of tricks to keep him wondering whether
or not he can trust her. For example, Chantal's mother calls her and
"if a man answers" she hangs up, leaving the unhappy husband to think
his wife has a clandestine lover.”
 
Source:Blockbuster Website
http://www.blockbuster.com/bb/movie/details/0,7286,VID-V++++96230,00.html


I was not able to locate a copy of the movie to purchase as it has not
been released on video.

“One of many unreleased movies on video of the 1960's is Universals
"If a Man Answers" starring Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin. Made in 1962,
the movie was shown frequently on television. By the 1980's and early
1990’s, the Family Channel on cable aired "If A Man Answers" many
times. When the Family channel changed to The Fox Family channel in
1997, "If A Man Answers" mysteriously dropped out of sight and has not
been shown since.”
http://www.bobbydarin.net/manscene.html


Unfortunately this film is not available for rent or purchase at
Blockbuster.
http://www.blockbuster.com/bb/movie/details/0,7286,VID-V++++96230,00.html

Users comments:

“If you can catch this classic on TMC or AMC, do so because it is not
available on video.”
“Sad to see it's not on video.”
http://us.imdb.com/CommentsShow?0056093

Additional information that may interest you:

Bobby Darin discussing the film in real audio.
http://www.bobbydarin.net/bdman.rm

More real audio clips.
http://www.bobbydarin.net/manscene.html

"IF A MAN ANSWERS" Black and White Pictures
http://www.bobbydarin.net/manpictures.html


Search Criteria:

“Sandra Dee” “Bobby Darin”
“If a man Answers”


I hope you find this helpful and if any part of my answer is unclear,
please don't hesitate to ask for clarification.  I'll be happy to be
of further assistance!

Best Regards,
Bobbie7-ga

Great Research ! Sounds like th movie I had in mind, Unfortunate it is
not out on video yet!  I set a high price thinking it would not be
answered, but pleasently surprised ! Will try the service again if I
need more trivia !