COME SEPTEMBER was released in Pakistan sometimes during 1962-63, initially at Karachi’s RIO CINEMA (largest in Pakistan then with seating capacity of 1100).
COME SEPTEMBER starring; Rock Hudson, Gina Lollobridgeda, Bobby Darin, Sandra Dee and Walter Slezak, instantly became the darling of the youth (like us) then. Rio Cinema ran packed shows for first three months. Later it introduced students concession scheme and hall was seen thronged with the then teenagers of Karachi Grammar School, BVS Mama Parsi High, St. Patricks, (my school Cantt Public), St. Josephs, St. Lawrence, St. Pauls and Happy Home…
The movie was fun throughout–based on the story of an American Billionaire Robert Talbot (Rock Hudson) who has a dream villa at the outskirts of Rome-Italy where he spends summer with his Italian friend Liza (Gina Lollobrigeda) and his italian manager (Walter Slezak) is the caretaker of the villa. But when Talbot is not there–he uses the huge villa as a motel by the name of Dolce Vista.
One day Talbot arrives in Italy without informing his manager—who comes to know through his friend a restaurant owner–as Talbot passes through the restaurant in his Rolls Royce…on way to villa. The manager immediately puts things in order—and Talbot arrives—who later sees a bunch of American teenage girl students casually walk in his villa…and inquires from his manager who informs that the girls couldn’t find any hotel in Rome so he has just put them in for two nights.
Later Liza arrives and gets friendly with the girls..while some four boys (their lead being Tony played by Bobby Darin) from Connecticut-USA are also on summer vacations n Italy on their hired Willys Jeep. They have booking for DOLCE VISTA but Talbot turns them out and the boys camp out in front of his villa as the girls are also interested for summer fun like going to dances and scooter rides with boyz…and Talbot, a senior and elder/responsible person…feels his duty to monitor the girls and boys…and the clean and hghly exciting–full of humor, music and songs—movie proceeds beautifully till a very interesting end.
The Foxtrot dance by Talbot and Liza at an Italian Disco, the song by Bobby D`arin (which hit the charts and Radio Pakistan’s Hit Parade then) MULTIPLICATION became ever popular–while the theme music of COME SEPTEMBER was like a pillow talk on every lip.
Later—years later—we saw the copy of Come September by India in shape of a good movie titled *AIK BAR KAHO ing: Shabana Azmi, Navin Nischol, Anil Kapoor..but with some minor changes. That also followed Pakistani film *DIL DIYA DARD LIYA ing: Muhammad Ali, Zeba, Allaudin, Rangeela, Masood Akhtar..etc doing almost 80% copy of COME SEPTEMBER..the movie which still rules the hearts and joys of the then–teenagers–now veterans and the teenagers of today!
Get a DVD and watch the movie…while SEPTEMBER lasts for three more days.
Khush Rahein…
-Raju Jamil (Teenager-cum-Veteran..when it comes to COME SEPTEMBER!)