No Time for Love

Claudette Colbert is a photographer who takes pictures for Mirror Magazine. a current events and topics sheet of a kind. When she's sent on assignment to cover "sandhogs" who are tunneling for the city's sewer, etc. she discovers sweaty, shirtless men underground and Fred MacMurray is one of them. Of course, they do not hit it off well in the beginning. With his swagger, ego, and his obvious gruff way with women, the viewer can see he's used to a certain type of woman and to taking what he wants. But his he-man attitude is lost on her. Or so, she says. She winds up dreaming about this man that his co-workers call "Superman." Of course, the irony here is that Fred MacMurray would be the model that the creator of Captain Marvel took for his inspiration. But, getting back to the movie, this is quite a brisk and fun comedy, with enough sex appeal and quick dialogue to keep the viewer entertained and alert! While no classic, it's still a lot of fun with Fred and Claudette bickering and waiting until the last frame to kiss and make up. And, in the end, someone, who wants to visit them, asks "Can I come tomorrow night?" Claudette responds, "No. Not tomorrow night." Get carried away with people who think they've "no time for love."

I have seen this movie many times and am searching for a copy. It is a favorite. Those who have loved Colbert and McMurry in their other pairings will thoroughly enjoy this romp. These two had an on-screen chemistry second only to Hepburn ad Tracy. If you loved "The Egg and I", you will enjoy "No Time for Love". Ilka Chase fans will enjoy her role as she always played her characters with such ease and reality. Colbert, like Roz Russel, always played the woman in command of her life who eventually gives into her leading man. The viewer must remember that "No Time for Love" was a contract movie cranked out at rapid pace by the studios for profit and in an era of war. These movies were needed to lighten the spirit of America and they still do that today.

Sexy sophisticated photographer Colbert falls for lunkhead tunnel worker. A variation on the old independent city girl falls for ordinary joe that worked in both Mr. Smith and Mr.Deeds Goes to Town. The scenes inside the construction tunnel are pretty well done and Colbert is always great . McMurry is a little hard to swallow as the hunky construction "Superman!?" I think I'm in better shape and I'm 59. Still both are excellent comedy actors so it makes this enjoyable enough.

No Time For Love finds Claudette Colbert as an acclaimed news photographer who draws an assignment shooting pictures of the sandhogs digging a new river tunnel. When she photographs a beefy Fred MacMurray in a fight with some fellow workers, he draws a suspension and she falls for him.

But he's not part of her world, in fact she's engaged somewhat to Paul McGrath who is the publisher of the magazine she works for. But the two of them can't seem to get enough of each other's company, even with MacMurray putting some moves on burlesque dancer June Havoc.

MacMurray and Colbert were a pretty good screen team with films ranging from the very serious Maid Of Salem to the sophisticated Gilded Lily to the rustic The Egg And I. But No Time For Love just doesn't quite measure up to those other movies. At times the story just seems silly rather than funny.

Highlight of the film is the musical chairs game played sandhog style. Let's say this is a party game these guys both take seriously and party hearty with. There's also a nice scene where Colbert hires body builder Jerome DeNuccio to pose and make MacMurray jealous and he also deals with him sandhog style. Richard Haydn also has a nice part as a friend of Colbert's who thinks she and MacMurray are really suited for each other, try as they might to fight against it.

No Time For Love is a good film, but not up to the comedy standards the leads have both separately and together.

High-minded famed modern photographer Katherine Grant (Claudette Colbert) quits Mirror Magazine once again after arguing with the editor. Publisher Henry Fulton has a crush on her and forces him to apologize. She insists that she doesn't get preferential treatment and the editor promptly sends her into the tunnel construction under the river. Her presence causes an accident leading to meathead sandhog Jim Ryan (Fred MacMurray) getting into a fight. She starts dreaming about the hunk and decides to confront it. Henry releases a picture of Ryan fighting causes him to be suspended. Katherine hires him as her assistant and rom-com chaos ensues.

I like the pairing of Colbert and MacMurray. The actors have a nice chemistry with physical comedy and biting lines. The main drawback is that MacMurray doesn't fit the meathead role. He can play clueless but once he put on a suit and bow tie, he no longer fits the blue collar superman hunk character anymore. I would love to see this remade. This is a fun silly little rom-com.