Dream Wife

I saw this movie for the first time on TCM, interested because of the pairing of Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. It's really boring, with a silly, unbelievable plot.

Worse than that, Grant looks and act in such a peculiar manner. He appears to be bone-thin, with his suits just hanging on him. And his expressions and body language border on the effeminate in some sequences. This is not the dashing, debonair, sophisticated Cary Grant we've all become accustomed to seeing in so many movies over the years.

Kerr has a brief drunk scene that is unusual for her screen persona. Aside from that, there's not much to her character that can save this dreary flick.

The one thing worth noting is the movie's benign portrayal of Islamic rulers. Was it really like that 50 years ago, or were we just too ignorant to know any better?

A big disappointment considering the two legendary leads, Grant and Kerr. And that's despite a rather promising opening. There's comedic potential in a jilted love translating a guy's flowery affections to a non-English new amour. As a result, the movie's best passages involve Kerr doing just that. Here, however, the idea's bound up with Middle East intrigue, and distinctly non-comedic mid-eastern types. There's also comedic potential in watching a woman transition from traditional subservience to modern freedoms. Trouble is these themes fail to catch fire in what amounts to a sloppy screenplay.

Too bad too that Grant appears to be walking through his role in very uncharacteristic fashion. There's none of his usual bounce or spark. Apparently, he was on the brink of retiring and would not make another feature for two years. So there may well be an inside story to the MGM production. Kerr too seems too dour to be droll in a rather thankless role. At the same time, the results look like director Sheldon had no feel for the antic material, being more a popular writer than director. At least there's a winsome Betta St. John as the Arabian princess, an aptly commanding Walter Pidgeon as a government honcho, and a fearsome Buddy Baer as a towering enforcer. All in all, however, I expect this was not a movie Grant would like to be remembered by, nor one that his fans will revere him for.

(In passing—Iran's Prime Minister of the time, Mohammed Mossadegh, gets a quick mention in the dialog. No wonder, because he had just nationalized the country's oil production and would quickly be deposed by a notorious CIA plot. These events culminated about the time this movie was in production, ie. early 1953, and may well have inspired the premise.)

I really enjoyed this movie. Yes, the premise is silly, and there are some dated notions, but the execution is very good. Cary Grant once again displays superb comedic talents. His timing, vocal inflections and facial expressions couldn't be better. He also displays his physical comedic skills in the very funny fight scene.

The supporting cast was also good.

In a Middle Eastern country on business, successful traveling salesman Cary Grant (as Clemson "Clem" Reade) become acquainted with desirable young Betta St. John (as Tarji). Her father allows the princess to perform a sexy dance for Mr. Grant and indicates Ms. St. John would be a devoted and subservient wife. Her main goal in life is to please a man. Engaged to another woman, Grant passes on the offer. He returns to the US, where he reunites with attractive fiancée Deborah Kerr (as Priscilla "Effie" Effington). Grant wants to get romantic, but Ms. Kerr is constantly interrupted by business matters. She has an important job in the US State Department...

Grant is frustrated with his busy fiancée and decides to wed the subservient St. John...

Directed by Sidney Sheldon, "Dream Wife" can be described as "I Dream of Jeannie" without the magic. The later TV series was created by Mr. Sheldon, with the underlying theme enhanced by giving the young woman magical powers to please her master. Reportedly, Grant was unhappy with "Dream Wife" and almost retired. He appears to either be trying out a thinner "look" or recovering from an illness. His comic timing is fine, but often channeled improperly. Cast with bad contrast, second male lead Walter Pidgeon (as Walter McBride) makes Grant look smaller. Fortunately, Grant returned to the screen, with a more robust "look" assisted by better make-up and coloring.

**** Dream Wife (1953-06-19) Sidney Sheldon ~ Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, Betta St. John, Walter Pidgeon

In Stewart Granger's memoirs he mentions that after seeing future wife Jean Simmons in Black Narcissus, he was so overcome with sexual desire that he felt he had to marry her. It's almost as if Sidney Sheldon had a few drinks with Granger and was told this story years before it came out and decided it would make a great movie plot.

Cary Grant is an oil executive and Deborah Kerr a female diplomat in the previously all male world of Foggy Bottom in the not too distant past. In negotiating for oil leases with the mythical kingdom of Bukistan, Cary is really bowled over by the fact that Princess Betta St. John is so unlike the career minded Kerr. A few words here and there and the engagement between Grant and Kerr is off and between Grant and St. John is definitely on.

Of course the culture clash occurs and it ain't quite what Grant envisions. And Kerr starts to work on St.John and she's got some new ideas sprouting in her head.

The Fifties were so different than now. Those kind of ideas in some Moslem countries would have gotten St. John killed now. Relations between the west and the Moslem world has certainly changed over 50 years.

Grant and Kerr make fine leads and notice should be paid to Walter Pidgeon as Kerr's State Department boss and to Eduard Franz as the King of Bukistan who turns out to be a very wise fellow indeed.

I wonder what Stewart Granger must have thought in seeing this film?