Die Findelmutter

How many of us can sympathize with this? Your job is hanging precariously, your social life is not what it could be, and customer service won't let you return a malfunctioning Donald Duck toy without a receipt in triplicate.

This is the irresistible comic situation for the forgotten classic "Bachelor Mother". A young, urbane department store worker happens to run across a baby left on a social office's doorstep. Under the circumstances she is confused as the mother of the baby. She flatly denies this but no one will believe her including her boss, a wealthy, prim David Niven. Following a comedy of errors reminiscent of a Shakespeare play these two are thrown together and Niven is then assumed to be the baby's father by his own father, the inimitable Charles Coburn. The movies dances dizzyingly from one comic scenario to another, including a scene where Niven misdirects Rodgers to rub baby food into the baby's navel, and the cathartic comic moment where Niven, the store manager disguised a customer, demands to have his Donald Duck toy returned, to no avail.

Niven: "What is wrong with our Sales Return desk?"

Rodgers: "They don't return anything!"

Filled with scintillating wit, bubbling chemistry and a feel-good plot it is the perfect comedy to enjoy over and over again.

Ginger Rogers, David Niven and Charles Coburn achieve intense comic chemistry under the direction of Garson Kanin. Hardly a dull moment in this stylish and breezy 1940's "department store" romance. The film is constantly funny, often hilarious and always engaging. Rogers and Niven are so stellar they transcend their era, their characters are as contemporary as they are classic. Overall, a brilliant effort by all concerned!

Apart from its originality (the somewhat risqué story, involving the various misunderstandings which arise over an abandoned baby, was even nominated for an Oscar) and reputation as a comedy classic (from an era crammed with them), this film is notable as a touchstone in the careers of all three protagonists – Ginger Rogers (her musical partnership with Fred Astaire now firmly behind her), David Niven (tackling his first starring role) and Charles Coburn (who practically spent the rest of his life playing wealthy and big-hearted eccentrics) – as well as marking perhaps director Kanin's most satisfying effort in this capacity (he is still best-known as a scriptwriter); incidentally, Rogers and Kanin would soon be re-united for the almost-as-good TOM, DICK AND HARRY (1941; http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034299/usercomments-11). Given the Christmas back-drop, BACHELOR MOTHER makes for ideal festive fare – adding to the already warm glow (but thankfully eschewing sentimentality) of its subject matter. The two leads exude a wonderful chemistry (they would be reteamed two more times over the course of almost 20 years) which lends conviction to their budding romance and, likewise, a greater sense of involvement to their wacky antics (particularly Niven's attempt to exchange a defective toy in his own establishment incognito, during a marathon dance contest and a New Year's Eve dinner in which department-store clerk Rogers is passed off before Niven's high-society peers as a Swedish heiress). When Coburn, playing Niven's tycoon dad, gets wind of his son's supposed parenthood (via an anonymous note, actually from vindictive employee and romantic rival Frank Albertson), he is overjoyed at the prospect of finally having a grandson – even after both Rogers and Niven produce alternative fathers (including Albertson himself)!; the ending, then, with the leads getting hitched with a ready-made child in tow (a common occurrence today but not back then I suppose), is pure Hollywood. For the record, the film was remade – in color and widescreen – as BUNDLE OF JOY in 1956...which, given the casting of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher (then a real-life couple), not to mention the addition of musical numbers, provided a distinctly unappetizing 'alternative' scenario for this viewer.

For some reason that completely baffles me, TCM rarely broadcasts this wonderful, romantic comedy of errors, but frequently shows the lame musical remake, Bundle of Joy. Which cast would you rather watch - Debbie Reynolds, Eddie Fisher and Adolphe Menjou, or Ginger Rogers, David Niven and Charles Coburn? For me, every member of the cast in this original version is far better than his/her counterpart in the remake. The original cast delivers a film with risqué overtones (with a wink to the Hays Office), while Reynolds and (especially) Fisher turn the remake into 1950's milk and cookies.

In Bachelor Mother a beautiful, young Ginger Rogers is at her peak. She portrays a wonderfully sympathetic character. She is strong and feminine; exasperated yet determined. David Niven delivers perfectly as a somewhat spoiled, sophisticated and yet befuddled scion of a wealthy department store magnate. And I always love to see Charles Coburn - in top form here as the blustery, but good-hearted department store magnate who desperately wants a grandson.

I like Debbie Reynolds fine, but Debbie doesn't deliver as nuanced a performance as Ginger Rogers. Eddie Fisher as an actor - No Way! The only time he is not completely painful to watch is in Butterfield 8 - where, incidentally, he doesn't sing. Adolphe Menjou is okay.

I get angry at TCM for showing the remake more frequently than this delightful original. I get angrier still that some Hollywood boob thought it would be a good idea to remake Bachelor Mother, filling it with some lame songs that only serve to interrupt the flow of the story.

For a terrific romantic comedy, accept no substitutes: check out Bachelor Mother. And tell TCM which film you prefer. Maybe it will start showing this film more often.

One of the best Ginger Rogers' movies....She proves to be a complete actress indeed, not only just a dancer (even if she was so talented!). The story and the script are witty and they work, not a bit of boredom, counting on the fact that certain things weren't quite disputable then. A "solo" mother was rather to blame....the movie brings in to question a tabù and it's done with class. It keeps a particular far-sighted way of seeing things they had in the late 30s....on my opinion of course. But they lost it after the war. Anyway about Rogers...well, she's great! Niven is one of my favourite actors and together they make a very fine couple....unusual but fine. Must see it! I highly recommend it