Quel meraviglioso desiderio

if you're in the mood for a romantic comedy - without anything thought provoking - this might do

the fun comes watching the two potential lovers trying to outwit each other - there were a couple obvious steps that might have been taken - but using them right away would have cut the plot short - so try to resist belaboring them

Gene Tierney & Tyrone Power were the eye candy of the time - they weren't top actors - but by this time - they had developed an easy charm in place of the finesse of the better actors - such as Carol Lombard - Claudette Colbert - William Powell - Cary Grant

the scheming and the repartee were pretty good - but not the best - and the falling in love wasn't so obvious - still the expectation was there to help the audience over the threshold

competent in all departments - which may explain why it isn't cited as one of the great romantic comedy - still - it's a good choice for a bit of light entertainment

... with Gene Tierney as a beautiful heiress who decides to get vengeance on scandalous reporter Tyrone Power, who's been writing gossipy stuff about her, by telling the world they are married. Power gets fired and laughed at and can't prove he didn't marry the lady so decides to turn things around on her.

There are no surprises here, with a supporting cast that includes Reginald Gardiner (wasted as Tierney's boyfriend who takes her out but can't get to first place with her, not that he looks like he really cares) and Lucille Watson (also wasted in a trivial role). I was a little surprised at how obviously fake are the Sun Valley, Idaho backdrops in a few scenes. This is a remake of Love Is News, a 1937 comedy Power had made with Loretta Young, making Power one of the few actors to appear in a remake of one of his own films. Why 20th Century Fox would choose to revive such weak material again over a decade later is beyond me.

Although Power is primarily remembered today for Nightmare Alley and as the hero of a few costume adventures, at the start of his career at Fox he appeared in a number of light weight romantic comedies of a forgettable, frothy nature. That Wonderful Urge, released almost a decade after the last of them, would also be his final venture into screen comedy for, unfortunately, less than memorable results. It was also around this time that he appeared in The Luck of The Irish, a somewhat more engaging affair inasmuch as it mixed the romantic comedy with fantasy by having a leprechaun play the role of matchmaker.

I found this little gem on Hulu while in the mood for a movie in black and white. For some reason all of the movies showing on TCM were made in the 1970's (yuck).

So, not being a regular viewer of Tyrone Power, I didn't know what to expect. About mid way through the movie I thought it would really be great if this were Myna Loy and Cary Grant or William Powell.

The stars of this movie were missing that certain spark that lifts a thin storyline into something more. While the stars were very likable and attractive they had very little chemistry. Some of the dialogue was rather funny and the supporting cast was good. It definitely wasn't a waste of time.

Scolding reviewers who go on and on urging you to "see the original" and "this is a bad remake" are ponderous and not too bright, in my opinion. I can separate performances and stories in my mind without any trouble whatsoever. This is a fun movie with lots of clever scenes and great interplay between Tierney and Power, who clearly had personal affection for one another. The supporting cast does a good job of getting out of the way and letting Gene and Tyrone shine. Chill Wills is great as a crooked judge and has many funny one-liners. Its fun and enjoyable! The scenery, whether in Sun Valley or New York is realistic and a history lesson in 40's era lifestyles. I mean, its Gene Tierney and Tyrone Power, for crying out loud! They aren't making movie stars like those two anymore, are they? Enjoy!

I found this movie entertaining and humorous although the ending was abrupt. I couldn't help thinking how topical it was with the tabloids and celebs in the news these days and even the President being asked about a reality show personality when he was on The View. I don't think this movie would have been suitable during WWII but in the relief of the postwar era a light comedy might have filled the bill, and tabloids were flourishing along with fan magazines and interest in the privileged, whether heiress or royal. (The 1947 wedding of Elizabeth and Philip was a big seller, too.) I hope some day to see the original to compare and contrast but as a stand alone, this movie was pleasant with some good lines, a few laughs, and kept me awake longer than I had intended so I could see the end. If you don't have anything better to do, you might enjoy it as a diversion.