Every Girl Should Be Married

This is a sweet little film with a few laughs.. I don't think anyone should worry about Cary Grant being stalked by poor little Anabel, I find her a sweet change from the Gold-Diggers in some of my favorite movies.. such as "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" and "How to Marry a Millionaire" Instead of being after a millionaire, poor Anabel is just after a husband ... plain and simple. Yes, she may take a few more pains to win her man than most of us.. but that is just part of the humor of the movie. If you are just starting to watch classics like this one.. please give the two films mentioned above a try, and also definately "Bringing up Baby" which also stars Cary Grant as the poor target of another lovesick loony.. this one played by a cute young Kathrine Hepburn. It is a crazy ride.. but give it a chance.

Lonely department store shopgirl Anabel Sims (Betsy Drake) gets hit by love-at-first-sight when she sees pediatrician Dr. Madison Brown (Cary Grant). The only problem is, he doesn't feel the same way, but she's determined to make it happen, even as she's pursued by the rich owner (Franchot Tone) of the store where she works.

This is primarily a showcase for Betsy Drake, so those who don't like her persona are likely to enjoy this less than I did. She and Grant were dating at the time, and they'd marry shortly after the film was released. Despite the seeming control one would assume Don Hartman had, seeing as he received three credits (writing, producing, directing), the truth seems to be that others were really calling the shots. Studio owner Howard Hughes monkeyed around with things so much that studio chief Dore Schary quit. Hughes allowed Grant to rewrite the script and have final say on all subsequent creative decisions, which Grant willing accepted since he wanted to highlight Drake. Things worked out in the end, as this ended up being RKO's most profitable film of the year. I thought that it was funny, and I found Drake charming. Grant doesn't get to shine as much, unfortunately.

Ha ha this movie is great! I've never been a Cary Grant fan, but he won me over in this one. This movie is all around funny. Now of coarse the girl in the movie is kinda a stalker, but that's what makes it so great. Watch it, it's cute!

I am always amazed and disappointed by commentators who cannot accept depictions of other eras without imposing their own contemporary socio-cultural values. Judging by many reviews of this film, Prince Charming must have been a stalker!

This film is a quaint depiction of a bygone era, with different social mores. It is a delightful comedy, and Betsy Drake is so charming, it is no wonder that she became Mrs. Cary Grant shortly after this film was completed. Grant, himself, delivers a fine, and rather subtle performance. Give him some credit; he portrays a very serious character that does not become a wet blanket in this light comedy. He is certain that he is being chased, then not so certain, and finally decides that it doesn't really matter. I am also a fan of Franchot Tone, and he delivers a nice performance in an undemanding role. Diana Lynn is also good. None of these roles is very demanding, but each actor creates a credible, likable character. The end also provides a fun surprise, and a brief appearance by a young Eddie Albert. Otherwise the plot is simplistic in the extreme; the film stands or falls on the characters. A bunch of likable, easy to watch characters make this an enjoyable little movie.

What a wonderfully flexible this thing is, cinema. Within it, one can structure all sorts of things that can reach us.

Probably the two that are the most profound are how movies define fate and sometimes in the same breath, love.

This is one that deals with both. And the love part has nothing to do with relationships but with the simple charm of a type of woman. This was a big success when new, but today isn't even worth putting on DVD.

Odd, because for what it is, it is perfect. The goal is to parade an enticing woman, a real natural charmer.

The girl in this case is Betsy Drake, playing against Cary Grant who does his usual thing. She is something between an Audrey Hepburn and Debbie Reynolds, both of whom did this sort of movie frequently.

Her chin is narrow which gives the effect of an overly large and expressive mouth, used very theatrically. She also has a slight lisp. Combined with her exuberant manner and honest presentation, she is absolutely captivating.

And so Grant thought as well because he moved in with her during this and married her shortly thereafter.

How odd it is that someone could peak so in one film (this her first) and fade so quickly from importance.

Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.