La sposa ribelle

Martha Terryton (June Allyson) is a Vermont schoolteacher who wins a contest to illustrate the next book by popular children's author Greg Rawlings (Van Johnson). When she meets Rawlings, whose pen name is Uncle Bump, his moral turpitude conflicts with her moral rectitude. The publisher, John McGrath (Hume Cronyn), is caught in the middle, trying to get them to cooperate. He concocts a story that Rawlings is only acting out of frustration, because his son is a hellion. McGrath then recruits a prodigious troublemaker named Danny (Jackie "Butch" Jenkins) to pretend to be the son.

The film's title seems irrelevant to the story. Nevertheless, it is a funny film that might be described as broad comedy.

Jackie Jenkins shows more range than expected. And Hume Cronyn, as usual, does a fine job in his role. The two stars plays rather predictable roles, but keep things moving. I think designer Helen Rose, as the busiest woman in Hollywood, deserves credit for the designs that flatter the actresses of this and many other films.

John McGrath (Hume Cronyn) is a publisher of children's books. Teetotaler Martha Terryton (June Allyson) wins a contest to illustrate a book. Problem is that drunken author Greg Rawlings (Van Johnson), under the name Uncle Bumps, hasn't started writing. He is taken with Martha. He recruits juvenile delinquent Danny to play his son.

The meet-cute is rather suggestive visually especially for the time. There is good potential. The story is a bit episodic. There's a whole section where the kids pretend to be Indians. I thought the book would be a good way to structure the story. Rawlings can write Danny into the book as the fake family has some adventure. The story slowly meanders and loses a little bit steam.

"The Bride Goes Wild" is the fourth of six movies that Van Johnson and June Allyson were in, and one of five in which they were the leads. Their films ranged from drama, suspense and action to comedy romance. They were best in the last, and this is the best comedy they made.

Except for an occasional barb or slight jab, the comedy in this film isn't built around clever and funny dialog. Instead it has a variety of antics and humorous situations, including pratfalls by Johnson. In one scene, Johnson's Greg Rawlings has miscue after miscue with a nemesis character of Bruce Johnson, played by Richard Derr. Johnson's Rawlings has a pen name for the children's story books he writes -- "Uncle Bumps." Well, in this one scene with Derr, he has more lumps than bumps. He gets hit in the forehead by a gold ball, his fingers get smashed in his typewriter, he hits his head on a table, he has a door shut on his face, the typewriter carriage returns and smacks him in the face as he's getting up off the floor, he trips and falls over his typing chair, he steps on a golf ball and does a pratfall, and has a door bang into his head as he's lying on the floor.

This is one of those films with a title that leads one to wonder what the moviemakers were smoking at the time. June Allyson plays Martha Terryton, an artist who has been selected by a panel of children to be the next illustrator for a new book planned for Uncle Bumps. Rawlings snookers the country girl Martha into having a cup of coffee with him, and after several Tasmanian Coffees, Allyson plays one of the best performances on film of a happy inebriate. She's very good, very realistic, and very funny.

Hume Cronyn plays John McGrath, the publisher of the leading children's author in America (Uncle Bumps). Una Merkel plays his secretary, Miss Doberly. They mix well and add to the comedy. Arlene Dahl is Tillie Smith Oliver and Lloyd Corrigan plays Pops - booth of whom provide for some humorous moments. The other main character is Danny, the "meanest" boy in the orphanage. But looking at Jackie Jenkins with his two prominent front teeth and face full of freckles, one has to stretch to see him as mean. He is a practical joker, however, for some added light humor.

The plot is a good one and the screenplay keeps the film moving with considerable action. So, while it's not a laugh-a-minute comedy, it has a running sense of humor with some funnier injections in places that raise this well above the average comedy. It's a film that the whole family should enjoy.

Hollywood made several movies in the mid decades of the 20th century with themes of publishers bailing and and/or sobering up problem authors. While those were all fictional, the frequency of the theme in films leads one to think that perhaps that was a difficult situation with some publishers of the period.

Here are some favorite lines from this movie.

John McGrath, "See if the idol of young America has made any more of those speeches against children."

John McGrath, "Off the record, your bull was the best by far." Martha, "Oh, thank you. I just tried to think as a child thinks."

John McGrath, "Greg, you've got to grow up. You're Uncle Bumps. You okayed your pen name. You agreed to be wholesome, edifying and lovable. Greg, you're an institution. Children adore you. Their parents trust you. "

Martha Terryton, "What you need is a cup of coffee." Greg, "Oh, you're so right. A cup of coffee, then home to my typewriter. I wonder if I could." Martha " Well of course you can. Greg, "Oh, but you wouldn't have a cup with me?" Martha, "Oh, I... I'm afraid not." Greg, "That's always the way isn't it? One needs a helping hand, a grain of sympathy - one gets advice. Talk is cheap."

Greg Rawlings, "You're going too far, McGrath. McGrath, "You blew in her ear, I didn't."

Pops, "Is he a friend of yours?" Greg, "Off and on."

Bumpy film with good stuff strewn about here and there, but it's far from a seamless ride. Doesn't often add up to more than it's various parts until the peculiarly funny ending. The leads are swell and Hume Cronyn, as an effete fussbudget, is a surprise. Richard Derr, a gorgeous hunk of man-meat if there every was one, plays a klutz.

The Bride Goes Wild (1948)

This is a common kind of entertainment film using a catching, breezy plot and high profile actors, but filmed with bright simplicity and without attempting too much more that the basics.

And all of these basic goals are met here—cheerfully, and rather enjoyably. That is, if you take it for what it is, this is a warm and well made romantic comedy. It excels most for the sweet and subtle acting by June Allyson, and by the surprise depth of the buck-toothed boy character in the movie, Jackie Jenkins. The leading man has never been a favorite of mine—Van Johnson, but he holds up his end well enough.

The plot is a clever set up, reminding me for some reason of the mixed-up plot of "Christmas in Connecticut," which has the same lighthearted feeling. People pretend to be one thing and get into a comical—and romantic trap—by trying to maintain the farce. Everyone is lying, in a way, even the innocent woman who at first is purely innocent. (She ends up pretending, or changing you might say, for different reasons, which the audience appreciates.)

This is no screwball comedy. It lacks the insanity, and the wit, and maybe even the inevitability (even though you know how it ends, more or less). It's a good romp with some excellent acting to shore up the feeble plot. There are lots of great moments, and even an oddly spectacular bit of nonsense near the end where a whole room full of character actors get truly nutty at the same time. Quite funny.