Chasse aux maris

This movie had a plot of having a good screwball comedy. The selection of the stars was a I felt a bit wanting. Robert was (he was about 45 and looked so too) looked to be a bit too old for Ann. She was only 21, and on screen 19, and her personality suited the role, of a scatter-brained teenager (she did quite a few roles of this type, and successfully too). But probbaly he wanted it to be his vehicle (he was the director to this movie too), though not on the screenplay team for this movie, I wonder, why didn't Joan Harrison interfere ?

The movie was quite good, and without much hiccups for about one hour (which is two third of the movie), but the moment the two eloped, it (the movie) simply went to pieces and even till the end, they couldn't or may be didn't want to, gather them back.

To her credit, Ann did try to keep the things to some order, and was quite convincing as the scatter-brained teenager. I would rather say she lived in the imaginary world of pulp-romantic-novels, which in real life too some do, and with her personality, she could very successfully live it, without being an eyesore, and I said, while the scene was her, she did it.

But who disappointed (after the hour mark), was Robert, both as actor, but more so as director. One who had been put in sleuth job, can't be that idiot. In fact the movie had simply degenerated into a pulp from there. Whether the sequence of forcing a clearly uninterested stranger, into a police agent, the police party, clearly looking for them, missing the parked car in broad day light, and that too three times ? Or they having put only one 'Police Marker' for the 300 miles journey? What if they had been ambushed on the way? Which would have been the intelligent thing to do. Or the cycle overtaking the car (lifted from Katharina, Die Letzte , there it was necessary, and was justified by situation) ? Why didn't the heist-man shoot the prone and perfect target, hero in the first place? How the police, who were supposed to be on hot trail, and that too the MP, reach the site after not only everything is over, but also two other parties have traced to rescue/ save the girl from the lecherous hero, and many such sequences. All these were in fact not necessary, and with minor thought, movie would have reached the same conclusion, without becoming an eyesore.

Only for the sake of Ann Blyth, one can watch it, she looked quite charming as the almost-child "Killer" role, else,...

This movie is so cute! I'm a sucker for May-December romances, and when two good-looking people are the romantic leads it always makes a movie better, so I was all set to like this romantic comedy starring Robert Montgomery and Ann Blyth. Even if you don't have a crush on him like I do, the adorableness of the romance might win you over. It's very cute, and Bob and Ann are so darling together.

The premise is a little odd, but it has to be, so you'll expect and accept the oddness of Ann's character. Bob is a WWII veteran-turned-actor, and he's called in for a special government assignment because of his acting experience. He's tasked with seducing a young debutant, Ann Blyth, so that her ex-boyfriend, who's wanted by the government for stolen jewelry, will get jealous and surface from his hideout. Yes, it's odd, but when Bob meets Ann, it gets even odder, so you'll need to be prepared. Ann falls in love with him at first sight and becomes obsessed with spending every minute with him until they're married, preferably as soon as possible!

To me, it's not that unbelievable, because if I bumped into Robert Montgomery, I'd want to spend every minute with him, too. However, the hilarious dialogue makes sure every audience member is shocked, even me. Ann prances around in her pajamas, Bob turns his face away from a kiss, insisting she won't have any respect for him if he gives in, and they both have the audience in stitches before the movie's even halfway over.

Check out this adorable comedy that's a time capsule of the 1940s, that glorious time when couples had to get married to express their love and going away for the weekend was scandalous. You'll get to see two very adorable people, and Ann balances and transitions perfectly from child to adult, since she was very young at the time but starting to play romantic leads. Bob is cute and charming, and he directed the movie, too!

I'd never heard of this flick until I stumbled across it on a streaming service, but Ann Blyth is sensational as a strong-willed teenager who turns the American courtship ritual on its head. She takes romantic aim at a middle-aged lawyer/actor/Army investigator who's arranged to meet her under false pretences, then finds himself completely overmatched. Once Blyth takes control, ever-reliable star Robert Montgomery has little left to do except react to this remarkable character. A first-rate cast, hilarous script, and fine direction by Montgomery himself hand the audience a lot of laughs in a wonderful hour and a half.

After the turning point of NIGHT MUST FALL, Robert Montgomery (for the most time) came into his finest films and performances: HERE COMES MR. JORDAN, THEY WERE EXPENDABLE, THE LADY IN THE LAKE, RIDE THE PINK HORSE, THE SAXON CHARM, JUNE BRIDE. Even some of the failures he was in were interesting enough to be still watchable (RAGE IN HEAVEN, MR. AND MRS. SMITH). But Montgomery wanted to do more and more production and directing work. In 1949 he made what would be his last movie performance - he played Collier Lang, an egotistical movie star, who is dragged into helping the authorities do an investigation about a young girl's boyfriend.

Apparently my view of this film is a minority view. Most of the views given are favorable about it. I thought it was a dull, witless script, with Ann Blyth's groupie heroine not very appealing as a character. She admires Montgomery as a star, and this "helps" when he is called in to assist the authorities, but after awhile I found there was no chemistry between them. The script was also devoid of much fun, although Montgomery and Roland Winters did try. The only thing I recall to this day as a joke point was that Taylor Holmes is the wealthy father of Blyth, and he is an admirer of Winston Churchill. So he always dresses up as Churchill, and we see him wearing a floppy broad brimmed hat, smoking a large cigar, and painting (Holmes' bald head helps in the disguise). That was the most memorable joke from this film - not much of a real memory.

Montgomery went into early television, and finally won the attention and respect he always had deserved in motion pictures. His last contact with the movies was his direction of THE GALLANT HOURS about Admiral William "Bull" Halsey, starring his friend Jimmy Cagney. It is a far better film than this. For his overall film and television career, I will give this mediocre film a "4". That strikes me as generous.

I was surprised, "Once More, My Darling", had not generated enough votes (at this writing) for a "user rating". It's a "screwy" comedy I have enjoyed many times over the years. Robert Montgomery's mission places him in some very improbable situations, and he's just the man for the job. He maintains his trademark "befuddled" look throughout the film and hysterically, too. Ann Blyth plays his precocious/eccentric pursuer, who assumes a relationship that does not exist. Her character is kooky enough to warrant the unearned nickname "Killer", but remains cute and cuddly.

Among the glut of "B" movies from the late 1940's and 1950's, "Once More, My Darling" is a standout. This one is worth looking for....