Pas de pitié pour les maris

The usual misunderstandings and bickering between husband and wife keep things adrift in TELL IT TO THE JUDGE, a comedy that actually sparkles once in awhile but is sometimes too trite to be more than a passable screwball comedy.

The most charming sequence involves Russell and Cummings finding themselves on the doorstep of a lighthouse run by CLEM BEAVER and having to stay the night, sleeping apart, with Cummings forced to spend much of the night shooing away the huge dog that takes a liking to him. But most of the time, the comedy gets bogged down in a series of misunderstandings that could easily have been cleared up if somebody told the truth once in awhile.

ROSALIND RUSSELL, as the judge trying to protect her reputation, does her usual fine job with a comic flair that has her handling fast dialog with her usual dexterity. But in this case, it's ROBERT CUMMINGS who gets some of the best moments, proving how adept he was as the bumbling kind of man who gets caught up in screwy situations.

The breezy script has them fighting throughout before the misunderstandings can be cleared up. MARIE McDONALD and GIG YOUNG are thoroughly wasted in supporting roles, but it doesn't matter because most of the comedy is carried by ROBERT CUMMINGS in one of his best light comedy roles. GIG YOUNG does manage to be amusing in a couple of well played sequences but fortunately had better roles in romantic comedies later on in his career.

Passes the time pleasantly enough with some nice chemistry between Russell and Cummings.

This is a fantastic comedy, fast, dynamic, clever and played extremely well by Rosalid Russell and Robert Cummings. Their chemistry is what makes comedies like this work so well, not a moment of boredom, pure laughter!! It's a real pity this is not available on DVD in Europe, I would buy it straight away!! Well...I would buy any movie with Rosalind Russell, especially her comedies. Such actresses are rare to find, she was absolutely great, one of the best and is a real pity that she is so forgotten today. Her timing and skills were absolutely unique, not many actresses are able to carry a comedy like she used to! Also Robert Cummings was very effective, don't know this actor much but I think I will try to find out more about him now!

a nice film. seductive for the flavor of "40. and for Robert Cummings. for naive story and the amusing scenes. and, sure, for the unrealistic script. short, a nice film about a love story not original as duel between him and her but for few scenes who are good chances to remain, for long time, memorable. one of the temptations, at first sigh, could be the presence of Rosalind Russell. unfortunately, only at first sigh. because her performance has two sides - too loud, too bizarre in front with the partner work. but , in essence, it could be perceived as a page of history. this is the key of a charming film about the fight in couple.

one from many romantic comedies from the 40's . not extraordinary but nice. and lovely for the seductive performance of Robert Cummings. a film about true love and the situations who transforms it in project. absurd in many scenes, lovely at all, it is the genre of film who seems be open window to a past period. because it has the innocence, the great, the flavor of lost age. Rosalind Russell could be the only challenge for viewer. because it is only a decent option for the role of judge but her rhythm is very different by Cummings' and that gives some fake nuances to the story. an inspired presence - Harry Davenport in a small role. short, a lovely movie. from the heart decade of a magnificent period for cinema.

Thin comedy rests solely on the appeal of the stars, and Rosalind Russell and Robert Cummings are a very companionable screen-team. She's a smart, sharp, yet somewhat clumsy lady lawyer--being nominated for judgeship--whose career may be hindered by her association with Cummings, the no-goodnik ex-husband still in love with her. Some funny set-pieces (such as Roz's bit involving a lipstick mistake) and a predictably sunny, smooth supporting performance by Gig Young as a dashing Romeo make it tolerable, but the script and characters are really second hand. There's a curious, but ridiculous skiing sequence that serves no purpose (except to make Cummings look foolish) and Norman Foster's direction is balky. ** from ****