Mary, Mary

I watched this film a number of months ago for the first time and have been watching for it to come back on since. Excellent movie. The story line is great and it really made me think that anything is possible. A+++

Jean Kerr, whose husband, Walter, was a preeminent New York theater critic, enjoyed quite a success on Broadway with the play on which Richard L. Breen's tidy little script is based. (Jean had previously had a big best-seller with her "Please Don't Eat the Daisies!", a highly fictionalized tale of her married life, filmed at M-G-M in 1960, starring Doris Day and, in my view, a miscast David Niven. M-G-M's coffers enjoyed a handsome refilling when that audience-pleaser rang boxoffice bells.) It was said that a negative word from Mr. Kerr sounded the death knell for a play that had made its way to the Great White Way, and a glowing review under his byline was jubilantly good news for a show's backers. He, no doubt, passed on reviewing "Mary, Mary" when it came to Broadway, but his wife's sophisticated, for its day, comedy-of-manners didn't need his praise.

When Warner Brothers gave Mervyn LeRoy the directorial reigns on their Burbank soundstages, Debbie Reynolds was awarded the title role, co-starring with Barry Nelson who had appeared in the stage version. It was always the way, when the studio system still held sway, that the obvious and only choice was a bonafide Hollywood movie star to headline a project such as this, and so the very appealing Barbara Bel Geddes, who had played Mary McKellaway on the stage to excellent notices, was not to repeat her role before the Technicolor cameras. Debbie, as she had in her previous M-G-M starring roles, didn't disappoint, however, and she was ably supported by Mr. Nelson, the gorgeous Diane McBain, and, in a witty turn (and a departure from the usually more serious roles assigned to him), Michael Rennie.

An acquaintance of mine worked in the sound editing department at Warner Brothers when this was being filmed and he confided to me that Ms. Reynolds played an anxious visit to a screening/editing room during filming, somewhat concerned that her performance wouldn't strike just the right comical note. I seem to recall that she was reassured by that technician and his coworkers and the reviewers and the film's audiences were eventually in agreement.

Yes, it is obviously based on a play. Director Leroy has made no attempt to open it up, but this adds to it's effectiveness. It concentrates on the characters and the very witty dialogue. It's greatest strength lies in the outstanding performance by Debbie Reynolds in the title role. It is unlike anything she had done before and combines intelligence, wit and an amazing vocal technique. She tosses off great one-liners with relish and proves an admirable partner for co-star Barry Nelson. He had been in the original Broadway cast, and brings his own brand of understated comic playing to the role. Michael Rennie has a lovely time, sending himself, (and Hollywood), up. Wit is sadly in short supply in today's comedy movies so it is a pleasure to see this beauty again. The play's author Jean Kerr, was reportedly very happy with with this adaptation. Thanks to Miss Reynolds and company, so should you. That is, if you like the adult, witty approach to comedy!

I'm very fond of this film. Debbie Reynolds stars as a woman trying to settle the final details of her divorce from her husband -- a man she's separated from, but with whom she still has great chemistry. Their potential reconciliation gets both hampered and facilitated by the husband's new girlfriend, an attractive society girl, and by a handsome actor who takes a fancy to Debbie. In certain ways this is a slight movie -- like a play, it's all talk, not much action -- but the wit and charm of the actors make it a lot of fun. It's an intelligent, bubbly little romantic comedy; I'd recommend it to anyone who likes that genre.

Recently-divorced couple in New York City, he a book publisher and she a magazine column editor, are reunited for tax reasons and find that old spark still burning beneath the constant insults. Freely adapted from Jean Kerr's popular play, this trite material relies heavily on the dropping of famous names and places to help fill in the backgrounds of these otherwise-unreal characters (as soon as Debbie Reynolds enters, we learn that she shops at Schraff's and spends endless hours at Elizabeth Arden). This is the kind of 'cozy' movie wherein everybody has money and free time to spare, but no looming work schedule. Reynolds breathlessly keeps pace while seemingly channeling Bette Davis; it's not a bad performance, however the clucking, one-dimensional writing leaves Reynolds without the shape or the semblance of a real woman to play. The male suitors on hand (Barry Nelson as the former hubby and Michael Rennie as a movie idol) do what they can, though neither seems particularly well-suited to Debbie, and their constant back-and-forth verbal bouts are tiresome. The film is dizzyingly claustrophobic, while the few funny bits are almost buried by the plastic set-up and inert direction. ** from ****