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.

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.

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.

I really enjoyed this film. I found it funny and rather quaint. I would recommend this when you just want to relax and not think about anything to deeply! For me this has got to be at least 10 out of 10. I found it charming and watching it in 2021 it is a good history lesson in terms of how films were back then. Light hearted comedy. Not to be taken serioulsy!

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.