Mostly this is a glorification of a wealthy businessman, appropriately named Cash McCall (James Garner), who has amassed his fortune by buying up businesses and then turning them around for a profit. In this movie, Cash is indeed King, much to the detriment of telling a good story, or having a compelling romance with his love interest (Natalie Wood). I mean, you've got Natalie freakin' Wood here, five years after Rebel Without a Cause and one before Splendor in the Grass, and yet you give her a middle-aged hairdo and focus on businessmen talking about how damn savvy and clever the apex predator is in this capitalist world.
Oh Cash McCall is virtuous, a straight shooter, and full of confidence as he has his people look at Wood's damaged car and whisks her off (slash kidnaps her) in his private airplane (jesus, gag me). When he complains about how the tax code strangling businessmen or the press unfairly vilifying men like him, the film wants us to believe that we can bet he's speaking the truth (arggh). He is the bachelor to catch, and so naturally Wood's character, who is pleasant but one-dimensional, falls for him after a single meeting. In fact, everyone here is squeaky clean, except the assistant manager at the hotel (Nina Foch) who deviously tries to get Cash for herself, leading to some ridiculous melodrama (oh thank goodness you stood up to the evil temptress Cash! Ugh).
This is a conservative fever dream, propaganda for big business that's not even good propaganda, as talky as it is. Don't bother following the convoluted business dealings that comprise 95% of the plot, as nothing clever comes of it, despite the film's fervent wish that you think so. The only scene that held any interest for me was the flashback when Wood came out of the rain and disrobed in front of the fire, though even that is marred by Garner's silly narration. Otherwise, this is a complete snooze.
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