Send Me No Flowers (1964) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The film takes place in an affluent American suburb of the early 1960s, with key scenes at a polished country club, golf course, and the couple's suburban home. These locations reflect the postwar American dream setting that frames the story's comedy and domestic stakes.

• suburbs
• country club
• golf course
• setting
• location

The film is set in the early 1960s, capturing a world of postwar affluence and conventional social mores. The sleek, modern setting and social rituals of the era amplify the humor around marriage, divorce attitudes, and domestic life.

• 1960s
• early 1960s
• postwar
• time period
• era

The film examines a marriage strained by George’s hypochondria and fears of infidelity. The story uses jealousy and miscommunication to test trust between George and Judy, with suburban expectations and social image framing their choices. Forgiveness becomes the turning point that leads to reconciliation.

• marriage
• marriage themes
• marital trust
• jealousy
• spousal relationships

George’s mistaken belief that he has a terminal illness drives much of the comedy and action. His fear of death leads him to contrive elaborate scenarios, revealing his deeper need for control and reassurance. The humor comes from how mortality anxieties shape marital dynamics and absurd decision-making.

• mortality
• death
• fear of death
• terminal illness
• hypochondria

Deception fuels the entire plot as characters hide motives and fabricate stories. George creates a fake affair, enlists a mysterious Dolores Yellowstone, and uses a burial plot ruse, all creating a cascade of misunderstandings. The comedy critiques social performance and the masks people wear in romantic relationships.

• deception
• lies
• misunderstanding
• masks
• social performance

George Kimball is a devoted but anxious husband portrayed by Rock Hudson, known for his chronic fear of death. His hypochondria leads him to displace anxiety into elaborate schemes to control his marriage's outcome, making him the driving force of the farcical comedy.

• george kimball
• rock hudson
• husband
• hypochondria
• anxiety

Judy Kimball, played by Doris Day, is George's practical and perceptive wife who navigate love, loyalty, and suspicions with wit. She struggles with George's hypochondria and the various schemes that threaten their marriage, ultimately seeking forgiveness and a renewed bond.

• judy kimball
• doris day
• wife
• marriage
• loyalty

Bert Power is Judy's former college beau, a successful Texas oil magnate played by Clint Walker. He represents a glamorous alternative for Judy, stirring jealousy in George while offering genuine appeal as a stable partner. His presence tests whether Judy’s marriage to George is truly compatible.

• bert power
• clint walker
• texas oil magnate
• former beau
• rival

Arnold Nash, played by Tony Randall, is George's wry confidant who helps brainstorm solutions to keep Judy from leaving. His dry humor and sharp observations provide comedic commentary while amplifying the emotional stakes of George's romantic dilemmas.

• arnold nash
• tony randall
• confidant
• friend
• comic relief

A visit to a funeral home bookends the plot, serving as both a practical plot device for George's schemes and a thematic anchor. The funeral home setting represents George's mortality fears in a tangible way, allowing the comedy to explore his anxieties about death and what will happen to his wife after he's gone.

• funeral home
• burial plot
• death
• funeral setting

The country club serves as the social hub where much of the action unfolds, reflecting mid-century suburban routines and the polished appearance of the era's affluent class. It represents the social expectations and image-consciousness that constrain the characters' choices and fuel the comedy of social performance.

• country club
• social class
• social expectations
• suburban life
• status