You Gotta Stay Happy

You Gotta Stay Happy (1948) : Brief Review -

You gotta enjoy H. C. Potter's version of It Happened One Night (1934). The world can never get over Frank Capra's 1934 classic rom-com, nor can it overlook the influence it left on others over the decades. Potter's You Gotta Stay Happy happens to be one such film, and you gotta see it and enjoy it despite its predictability. The film carries a similar plot, though framed within a different world and set of circumstances. A rich heiress fleeing from her wedding (with a slightly altered marriage subplot) and falling in love with a common man-this is the basic setup, strongly reminiscent of Capra's cult screwball. Interestingly, the female character here is more dominant than the male, which is quite the opposite of the earlier film. To put it simply, You Gotta Stay Happy is about a wealthy heiress, Diana, who is coerced into marriage and decides to run away on her wedding night. She barges into a neighboring hotel room belonging to a pilot, Marvin, who lets her stay the night. Diana instantly starts liking him, and by the next day, manages to tag along with him on his journey. During the trip, Marv too falls for her, but things take a downturn when he discovers her true identity and her recent marriage. I never imagined I'd enjoy Joan Fontaine in such a charming and comedic role, but I absolutely did. James Stewart and she make a fine couple, though-just to set the record straight-they're not quite on par with Gable and Colbert's finesse. Yet, there's a definite spark between them, and their chemistry lends a certain enchantment to the film. H. C. Potter has directed several delightful comedies, and this one stands out as another hidden gem in his oeuvre. Not a masterpiece, but certainly a delightful watch. This film brings back memories of a bygone era-when movies like these were made with such warmth. Now, all we can do is cherish the memories because they don't make it like this anymore.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

You Gotta Stay Happy was produced by William Dozier who at the time was married to Joan Fontaine. I think Fontaine was trying to lighten her image a bit and decided to try this throwback comedy involving a missing runaway heiress. Very familiar territory from the Thirties, postwar audiences wanted a little more realism.

Anyway she was able to land James Stewart as her leading man and he even accepted second billing here. Well, in affect she was the boss on this set. And they got a good cast of familiar faces from past screwball comedies to help this along.

Watching this, I couldn't help thinking that Joan Fontaine was going into territory Jean Arthur knew by heart. If Arthur was the heiress, this thing might have been a classic. This picture would have been so right for Jean Arthur.

I particularly enjoyed Percy Kilbride playing Pa Kettle under a different name. He's a farmer with a tribe of kids in Oklahoma where pilot James Stewart and his animal, human, and vegetable cargo have landed. Eddie Albert as Stewart's co-pilot and sidekick is also just fine.

It's an enjoyable comedy, but it will never be in the first rank of films of either Fontaine or Stewart.

This movie is certainly not a deep or memorable movie. In fact, I just saw it again for the second time and I had forgotten so much of it--even though I saw if for the first time only a couple years ago.

Jimmy Stewart is the owner of a very tiny freight airline. During a stopover, he is accidentally united with Joan Fontaine who is running from a brand new marriage she hasn't yet consummated to a man she didn't love. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that sooner or later, Stewart and Fontaine will be a couple, though the rest of the movie consists of a series of wacky adventures until the ultimate conclusion.

So why give the movie only an 8? Well, first, Fontaine's character is rather annoying and highly reminiscent of Julie Roberts' character in RUNAWAY BRIDE. Someone that ditsy and self-centered, for me, is a little hard to really care about and you aren't really pulling for the leading man to take this shallow woman. Secondly, and more importantly, the movie has way too many contrived and "wacky" subplots--a guy running off with his company's funds, the chimpanzee who loved Fontaine and smokes cigars, the Southern-fried humor supplied by the young couple from Georgia, etc. It just seemed REALLY, REALLY contrived. Plus, the dialog itself was rather forced.

So, overall it's just an adequate film--best enjoyed by old movie and Jimmy Stewart buffs.

Well, this wasn't "It Happened One Night" but, the plot line was similar. Rich girl (Joan Fontaine) secretly hops aboard a transport plane to escape a loveless marriage. Jimmy Stewart, the pilot, finds her and is annoyed to have a pretty girl hiding on board. In Hollywood guys always get mad finding a pretty stowaway, yeah, right. Anyhow, after a plane crash and lots of hanging around, nature takes over ... and you know... Actually, I enjoyed it. A little escapist comedy, that managed to entertain. Eddie Albert is good too, as Stewart's side-kick. I'd rank it a respectable 6 1/2. Also, Fontaine is as always, very feminine.

Real-life airman James Stewart is enjoyed here in the first of his pilot roles. Eddie Albert, who would somehow not enjoy outdoing himself five years later in Roman Holiday, is well cast. Joan Fontaine lifted my already high opinion of her by delightfully playing an heiress whose charm and beauty are only matched by her extraordinary wealth.

You Gotta Stay Happy is one of Stewart's more rarely seen pictures despite my high rating. Fans of the aforementioned actors should consider it recommended.