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I saw this movie for the first time on TCM, interested because of the pairing of Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. It's really boring, with a silly, unbelievable plot.

Worse than that, Grant looks and act in such a peculiar manner. He appears to be bone-thin, with his suits just hanging on him. And his expressions and body language border on the effeminate in some sequences. This is not the dashing, debonair, sophisticated Cary Grant we've all become accustomed to seeing in so many movies over the years.

Kerr has a brief drunk scene that is unusual for her screen persona. Aside from that, there's not much to her character that can save this dreary flick.

The one thing worth noting is the movie's benign portrayal of Islamic rulers. Was it really like that 50 years ago, or were we just too ignorant to know any better?

Only in the 1950s could a movie like Dream Wife be made! Cary Grant is engaged to strong, career-woman Deborah Kerr, but he expresses his desire for a more meek, stereotypically feminine companion. He breaks off the engagement and decides to marry Betta St. John instead. However, since Betta is a real princess, the State Department assigns Deborah to act as official chaperone between the two until the wedding!

While the plot is pretty thin, the best part of this film is the banter between Cary and Deborah. They have fantastic comic timing together, and they reprised their pairing later in An Affair to Remember and The Grass is Greener. One of my all-time favorite lines comes from this film: the pair is arguing about all the things they hated about each other when they were a couple, complaints they're now allowed to voice since they're not on good behavior anymore. Cary says he always hated Deborah's perfume. "My perfume? But you always used to ask me to put it on!" Deborah exclaims. He replies, "You always wore it! What was I supposed to do, ask you to take it off?" If you're laughing, rent the hilarious The Grass is Greener. Dream Wife has a few funny lines, but it probably won't end up being your favorite old movie.

In a Middle Eastern country on business, successful traveling salesman Cary Grant (as Clemson "Clem" Reade) become acquainted with desirable young Betta St. John (as Tarji). Her father allows the princess to perform a sexy dance for Mr. Grant and indicates Ms. St. John would be a devoted and subservient wife. Her main goal in life is to please a man. Engaged to another woman, Grant passes on the offer. He returns to the US, where he reunites with attractive fiancée Deborah Kerr (as Priscilla "Effie" Effington). Grant wants to get romantic, but Ms. Kerr is constantly interrupted by business matters. She has an important job in the US State Department...

Grant is frustrated with his busy fiancée and decides to wed the subservient St. John...

Directed by Sidney Sheldon, "Dream Wife" can be described as "I Dream of Jeannie" without the magic. The later TV series was created by Mr. Sheldon, with the underlying theme enhanced by giving the young woman magical powers to please her master. Reportedly, Grant was unhappy with "Dream Wife" and almost retired. He appears to either be trying out a thinner "look" or recovering from an illness. His comic timing is fine, but often channeled improperly. Cast with bad contrast, second male lead Walter Pidgeon (as Walter McBride) makes Grant look smaller. Fortunately, Grant returned to the screen, with a more robust "look" assisted by better make-up and coloring.

**** Dream Wife (1953-06-19) Sidney Sheldon ~ Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, Betta St. John, Walter Pidgeon

I really enjoyed this movie. Yes, the premise is silly, and there are some dated notions, but the execution is very good. Cary Grant once again displays superb comedic talents. His timing, vocal inflections and facial expressions couldn't be better. He also displays his physical comedic skills in the very funny fight scene.

The supporting cast was also good.

In Stewart Granger's memoirs he mentions that after seeing future wife Jean Simmons in Black Narcissus, he was so overcome with sexual desire that he felt he had to marry her. It's almost as if Sidney Sheldon had a few drinks with Granger and was told this story years before it came out and decided it would make a great movie plot.

Cary Grant is an oil executive and Deborah Kerr a female diplomat in the previously all male world of Foggy Bottom in the not too distant past. In negotiating for oil leases with the mythical kingdom of Bukistan, Cary is really bowled over by the fact that Princess Betta St. John is so unlike the career minded Kerr. A few words here and there and the engagement between Grant and Kerr is off and between Grant and St. John is definitely on.

Of course the culture clash occurs and it ain't quite what Grant envisions. And Kerr starts to work on St.John and she's got some new ideas sprouting in her head.

The Fifties were so different than now. Those kind of ideas in some Moslem countries would have gotten St. John killed now. Relations between the west and the Moslem world has certainly changed over 50 years.

Grant and Kerr make fine leads and notice should be paid to Walter Pidgeon as Kerr's State Department boss and to Eduard Franz as the King of Bukistan who turns out to be a very wise fellow indeed.

I wonder what Stewart Granger must have thought in seeing this film?