La sposa rubata

This was Patricia Neal's film debut, and in the first fifteen minutes I had to wonder if somebody was going to haul out the vaudeville cane, get her by the neck, and take her offstage. She was completely over the top. But then she gets more believable and settles down. On the surface it is light romantic fluff - Mary (Neal) is waiting for her soldier, John (Ronald Reagan), to come home from war. If you find the first fifteen minutes taxing, stick around. It gets much better.

Very quickly this plot becomes what was intended to be a good deed that turns into a tangle of problems. You see, John ran into his war pal Fred's (Jack Carson's) best girl in England. They would have been married, but Fred could never find her after the war and she was presumed dead. The only way that John could figure to get Fred's best girl -Lilly - into the US was to marry her himself, bring her to the US, get a quickie Reno divorce, and then Fred and Lilly can be married. The problem is, John never bothered to run this idea by anybody else - specifically his fiancee, Mary, and even Fred himself! Very quickly John finds his good deed overcome by events. Let's just say that in Fred's case he made peace with the fact that Lilly was dead and "life goes on". Specifically life is going on when John returns with Fred's wife in labor at the hospital. Plus Mary's parents - her dad is a Senator (Edward Arnold) - want John and Mary to be married in a week!

How will this all work out? Watch and find out. Ronald Reagan just fills the screen with that beaming smile of his. Jack Carson was always great as the guy who would like to be the villain but is just not smart enough to be anything but a patsy. Here though, he is just the nervous victim of circumstance. There are lots of twists and turns in this one and there isn't a boring moment in it. Highly recommended and a great surprise.

Ronald Reagan was usually not at his best in comedy, but here he was excellent, possibly with help from director David Butler.

Some people have complained of Patricia Neal's performance, saying she didn't fit, but she was supposed to be the daughter of a rich couple and I thought she was perfect. In fact, I liked her better as Mary than as any other character I've seen.

Jack Carson could have been toned down a little; on the other hand, Wayne Morris gave one of his best performances, with just the right shading.

Oh, and Paul Harvey (NOT the radio announcer), as the general, was utterly charming, one of his best roles and performances out of hundreds. Interestingly, one of his first movie roles was as a colonel.

The whole cast, in fact, was great.

The story was cute, and there were some really funny moments, although I was fidgeting occasionally when it seemed on-screen delays were about to get everybody caught and in worse trouble.

That problem came from the stage origin. It didn't work perfectly in this film adaptation, but, heck, how much in life is perfect? All in all, "John Loves Mary" is a very good movie, with wonderful players in a generally enjoyable script. I recommend it.

What a cute, funny movie. Even though it is obviously taken from the Broadway stage, and even though the "marriage comedy" is a dead subgenre, it's still delightful. And it's no wonder, when you learn who wrote it: Henry and Phoebe Ephron, Nora's parents. It's silly, it's fluffy, and yet, it's hilarious. With quips and long situational set-ups, it has a great blend of comedy that keeps you on your toes - and keeps you laughing the entire time.

Patricia Neal is anxiously awaiting the return of her beau, Ronald Reagan, after WWII. They've been engaged for years and are finally going to seal the deal. When Ronnie does show up, he's all hugs and kisses to Pat - but he's also anxious to see Jack Carson. They were old war buddies and he has some extremely important news to share. Jack fell in love with an English girl but was sent home before he could marry her. It turns out, Ronnie found her later and did the only thing that would allow him to bring her back with him to the States: he married her. It's in name only, of course. They're going to Reno for a quick divorce, and then Jack can marry his one true love. But with Pat's impatience, her father's (Edward Arnold) insistence, and Jack's "help", things don't go as planned. The result is a very funny comedy of errors.

There are some naughty bits that miraculously made it past the censors, like joking about how European women didn't need any more "incentive" than the choice between bars of soap or chocolate. It's an absolute time capsule of the 1940s, a time when people used expressions like "Holy Maceral!" and it was a scandal for a man to change his clothes in front of his fiancé. "What's it like west of New Jersey?" Virginia Field asks. "Republican!" Edward Arnold shouts decisively. Ah, the 1940s. Folks involved in show business will appreciate the end credits: everyone gets a curtain call, just like they would have on stage. It's very sweet. If you like this movie, check out The Voice of the Turtle, another dated but funny sex comedy.

I don't know who, if anyone, will ever read my review, but if you're reading this you must be a big fan of someone here. Ronald Reagan, Patricia Neal . . . Irving Bacon, Edward Arnold. For me, it's Jack Carson: Master of the Double Take. Bob Hope was a much bigger star for certain, but Jack Carson was funnier with those big, over done, expressive, double takes and Bob is believed to have taken Carson's cue. Anyway, in "John Loves Mary", everyone follows Carson and acts over the top. Even Reagan, who usually can't even act surprised, is good here. Easily my favorite Reagan movie. Director David Butler, another favorite of mine, winds up the cast and makes the over acting an important part of the film. The over acting fits, and allows Jack Carson to be Jack Carson. Carson even reacts with his hair in this one! I'm not kidding! Great cast, and when a character acting great like Irving Bacon shows up in a small role, it's 1940s Hollywood Heaven! Best verbal exchange: Lilly: "Tell me, what's it like west of New Jersey?" Edward Arnold as US Senetor McKinley: "REPUBLICAN!!" Hey, if you really love the film AND read this, please drop me a note. "Gone with the Wind" and "Citizen Kane" are great, but there's some great "little movies" that beg to be seen too. Three viewings to date and counting.

Just saw this today on TCM and really enjoyed it. While the story was in some ways like an extended TV sitcom plot, it was very clever. It kept me smiling and I got at least one big laugh and several smaller ones from this movie. It involves servicemen returning from WWII, problems the war created for separated lovers, and how a little lie escalates to cause big problems. Most of the movie takes place in just a couple of locations making me wonder if it was originally written as a play. The movie had a very good cast. I always have liked Jack Carson and Ronald Reagan had a good touch for this comedy. There were a number of other familiar faces like Edward Arnold and Wayne Morris who were very dependable actors. And the guy who played the general must have been on dozens of TV shows in the 50's through the 70's. While I wouldn't rush out to buy the DVD, it certainly is worth a look on TV. BTW, it wasn't listed in my older version of Maltin's Movie Guide which seems like a curious omission.