She Wouldn't Say Yes

She Wouldn't Say Yes has a real, glaring problem; the script isn't funny. After a promising start -- a young, un-credited Darren McGavin as a war-weary GI sets up the main thrust of the plot -- the story starts to unravel. Yes, the premise is dated - and the ending is predictable by the second reel - but those aren't the problems with the film.

Rosalind Russell performance is wonderful. I'm not sure Lee Bowman is up to the task as our hero, it's hard to tell since his character's motivation waffles in and out - but I know that the supporting cast does a fine job.

The script seems to lose it's way, piling on needless twists. Scenes seem to go on forever .. the "I want to marry you" scene, obviously built upon a "who's on First" type misunderstanding, goes on forever, without much payoff.

Characters walk in and out of sets as if they each have skeleton keys, just showing up to add their 2 cents.

The wrap-up is abrupt -- Our heroine's change of heart is forced and un-motivated. And, for a "Screw-ball comedy", the pacing is lack-luster.

All in all - this film is disposable, unless you are a Rosalind Russell completist.

The bite had gone out of the Columbia comedies by the time they got around to having Roz Russell, in her Travis Bainton wardrobe, front this one as a psychiatrist who assures army hospital patients that we don't get shell shock anymore. According to formula, her self sufficiency has to be wiped out by the final reel and the agent of change here is a less than sparkling Lee Bowman, serviceman cartoonist whose Nixie strip character banishes inhibitions.

The studio's most prestigious technicians give things a smoothness that doesn't make them any more plausible. Best element is the forties atmosphere - train, clothes, cars.

Russell and Hall got better results with MY SISTER EILEEN.

as many comedies from same period, it is a nice film. not perfect,not real convincing, using a lot of clichés but nice. and that fact saves it. a film about tension between a woman and a man, few amusing scenes and few good performances, Rosalind Russell in a role who use the experience about same type of character, Lee Bowman in a seductive role who has the fundamental problem to have a great ignored potential , Adele Jergens as the perfect choice for a lovely character. it is easy to criticize it. but it has the virtue to propose not only a story who seems be more a sketch but to use interesting cast. and that fact remains useful. for remember a form of cinema with special flavor.

'She Wouldn't Say Yes' could and should have worked, am actually quite sad that it didn't. The cast is a talented one and Rosalind Russell is always worth watching and makes any film she starred or featured in better, although some of them were a lot better than others. Alexander Hall was an inconsistent director but did make some entertaining films, sadly 'She Wouldn't Say Yes' is not one of those. The story did sound somewhat interesting on paper.

There is not much really to add to what has been said already about 'She Wouldn't Say Yes', others have cited very well the numerous things wrong with the film and why it doesn't work. Is 'She Wouldn't Say Yes' a bad film or a complete bust? No, there were moments and there are a few crucial things that are done right. Overall though it is a misfire and has a lot wrong with it, all of which much more crucial to execute well. Something that the film does not, at all.

As said, good things are here in 'She Wouldn't Say Yes'. It looks good, very slickly shot, there is a real sense of period created with a careful eye for detail and the clothes are beautiful, Russell's are a knockout. Russell herself gives her all to her part and has a luminous charm, she has been much better in role that do better showcasing her personality but at least she tries.

Charles Winninger and Adele Jurgens also do their best, with Jurgens being very alluring and looks like she's having fun. And yes, it was interesting seeing Arthur Q. Bryan (voice of Elmer Fudd) in a small uncredited part, an uncommon chance to see him on film.

Lee Bowman sadly is completely out of his element, he is very bland and doesn't look like he is enjoying himself one bit. There is no chemistry whatsoever between him and Russell, no spark and they just don't gel together, it was like seeing them in two different films. While Winninger and Jurgens are fine, the rest of the cast struggle to bring much to stock roles, it was more walking on set, do their thing with not much distinction and that's it. Didn't find myself feeling for any of the characters and didn't find them interesting or well developed, none of them come over as real.

Do agree that 'She Wouldn't Say Yes' is not funny. It is very predictable humour, both in dialogue and gags, lacking in sharpness or wit and is very forced and over-silly throughout. It really didn't have to try as hard as it did, you could literally see and feel the strain going on trying to make it work. Some of the better-faring material did come from the marrying judge subplot, but there was a lot of trying too hard there too. The story is incredibly daft, credulity strained to the limit, and gets very over-complicated and contrived. The ending is too abrupt.

All in all, lacklustre and not worth saying yes to. 4/10

Rosalind Russell is doing some sub par material in She Wouldn't Say Yes. Once again she's a professional woman, this time a psychiatrist who does yeoman service counseling soldiers suffering from shell shock. That part of the film was serious and quite real. In fact I wish Roz had done a serious film with her in that kind of role. With what she later did in Sister Kenny, Russell could definitely have handled a serious part like that.

Instead she meets up with Lee Bowman, A GI traveling cross country on a train to head for the Pacific Theater. And for reasons I still can't fathom, Charles Winninger who is both Russell's father and also a psychiatrist is trying his level best to hook his daughter up with Bowman.

Adele Jergens gets to strut her sexy stuff as temper tantrum throwing diva from Bolivia and I'm sure the men in the audience were given reason to come to this 'women's picture' because of her. There's a definite lack of chemistry between Russell and Bowman. But I'm not sure Tracy and Hepburn could have pulled this one off.

For dedicated Rosalind Russell fans only.