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They All Kissed the Bride (1942)

*** (out of 4)

Writer Michael Holmes (Melvyn Douglas) sets out to write a book on evil bosses and the poor workers who have to suffer under them. Michael sets his eyes on business woman Margaret Drew (Joan Crawford) who runs several companies surrounding truck drivers. As Michael begins to crack her business practices, the woman finds herself having feelings unlike ever before. THEY ALL KISSED THE BRIDE has sadly been forgotten over the years since it's been rather hard to see but the movie is certainly worth being re-discovered for a number of reasons. It's worth noting that this movie was originally meant for Carole Lombard but that star was killed shortly before the film went into production so Crawford asked to take over the role in respect. MGM let her go to rival Columbia for this picture and legend has it that the actress gave her salary to the Red Cross. Back to the film, it's certainly a very entertaining little gem that is pretty silly but at the same time the cast just makes it so much fun. Crawford was extremely good in the type of role that clearly wasn't written for her. I thought she did a good job with the "tough" boss role but also during the comedy bits when they'd come along. There's a running gag dealing with her getting weak at the knees and she makes this very funny. Douglas is also extremely good in his part and there's no question that the two stars do a fine job playing off one another. Allen Jenkins adds some good comedy as a truck driver and we also get nice turns by Billie Burke and Roland Young. The film actually has quite a few funny scenes but the most memorable is one where Jenkins is drunk and just grabs Crawford and throws her onto the dance floor. The high speed that they're dancing is quite impressive but more so is the fact that Crawford keeps a straight face throughout the whole thing.

Joan Crawford and Melvyn Douglas star in "They All Kissed the Bride," a 1942 battle of the sexes film also starring Allen Jenkins, Helen Parrish, Billie Burke, and Roland Young. Crawford plays a ruthless business woman, M.J. Drew, after the scalp of a critical reporter, Mike Holmes (Douglas) who is getting inside information from one of her employees. Unfortunately for M.J., when the two meet, it's instant chemistry, though each one doesn't know who the other is.

This is a light, entertaining movie with some great moments (particularly the jitterbug competition). It's particularly interesting to see the message hammered home in so many of these films: M.J. is a tough business woman because she's "frustrated" and has "never been a woman." Crawford does an excellent job in something a little different for her. She's not an actress with a light touch, but it works well here. She plays her part very seriously, and because it's an amusing script and well-directed, she comes off as quite funny. Her clothes are amazing, and she looks fabulous. Melvyn Douglas - how many of these breezy comedies did he just sail through before anyone realized what a profound, magnificent actor he was? He didn't get the opportunity to show his stuff until old age - and then, watch out.

Very entertaining. Predictable, but fun.

Good Old Fashioned Romance. Although a little dated, with the plot line that a woman can't have a career and be married at the same time, but overall an enjoyable film. Melvyn Douglas is a great leading man, and also very funny.

Joan Crawford is a businesswoman who owns her own trucking company, and Melvyn Douglas is a reporter determined to write a book about her. As this is a light comedy one knows that these two will fall for each other sooner or later, and that complications will abound. Crawford is quite good as the lady executive, and Douglas most expert in the kind of role he had played dozens of times before. Both stars are in their prime, and just young enough to pull this slight story off. This movie is no classic but is extremely pleasant to watch. Made in the early days of World War II, it is the kind of picture that would soon go out of style, as the pressures of war would produce a different kind of comedy, less subtle and sophisticated, more obvious and at times more outrageous. They All Kissed the Bride is light and leisurely in tone, coming as it did between the end of the great Depression and the start of global war, its refusal to take itself too seriously must have been a tonic in its day, and if one is in the right mood it can still work its magic.

I was startled by this movie, because as a rule Joan stuck to a pattern. In the 20s, she was a flapper. In the 30s, a shopgirl. 40s, put-upon drama queen and so on. This movie, a 1942 film, doesn't conform to any Joan pattern. It's a comedy, with Joan actually being funny. The plot is simple, with Joan being a stern trucking company owner who is "transformed by love." How is this done? A very frantic jitterbug, lots of mistaken identity, and a delightful drunk scene. Listen to Joan try to say "speech of acceptance" while more than a bit tipsy. This is a very good movie and highly recommended by this Joan fan.