E o Amor Nasceu

After looking at the other reviews here, I guess I am the dissenting vote. I found this film to be disappointing. I think the script creates some wonderful characters, I just wish they had been in another film.

The story revolves around a wealthy woman, Norah Hunter (Laraine Day) who has her secretary stand in for her during official ceremonies. She wishes to meet and marry a man who appreciates her for herself, not for her money. She gets the bright idea of having her secretary, Sylvia (Marsha Hunt), pose as her during a social event. By throwing the faux Norah at any who show her attention, she can weed out the unworthy.

The problem is the potential suitor, Tony Travis (Alan Marshal), who is a lunkhead with ambiguous intentions. He is drawn to the money like a fly to honey. I won't mention how the story resolves, but Tony is not worthy of Norah regardless, so any tension is dissipated.

The story feels like the product of various writers who resolved their differences of opinion by flipping a coin. Too bad; it could have been funnier and more engaging.

There certainly weren't any surprises in this fun movie, and you could practically predict the plot all the way through. Then bring in the absolutely gorgeous Laraine Day and the movie really has some energy in it. I love old movies and hadn't watched much of her, but I can see why she was so popular in her days. I have to say that I think Marsha Hunt is great too.

Laraine Day is so rich that her fiance walks out on her; he can't stand living in a goldfish bowl. When she falls for pilot Alan Marshall (who gives a performance suggesting that Errol Flynn was intended for the role), she switches roles with Marsha Hunt, who is her public-appearance double.

It's a wartime remake of THE RICHEST GIRL IN THE WORLD, and pretty good. The supporting cast all hit their marks, including Allyn Joslyn as Miss Hunt's husband, Edgar Buchanan as Miss Day's mother-henning advisor, and Slim Summerville as Miss Day's perpetually bemused factotum. Under the direction of Richard Wallace, the situations strain the bounds of credibility without ever quite breaking them, and a couple of the gag sequences, like when Miss Day sets off the watering system to drench Marshall and Miss Hunt, are quite funny.

Marsha Hunt never quite achieved stardom. Between a turn on the Blacklist, and, in her own words, "I never learned how to sell Marsha Hunt," she has had a long, if not stellar career. Still, she's still alive at 103 as I write this, one of the few survivors of wartime Hollywood.

Laraine Day stars with Alan Marshal, Marsha Hunt, and Allyn Joslyn in "Bride by Mistake," from 1944. This is a rehash of "The Richest Girl in the World" and maybe a few other films.

Day plays the world-famous heiress Norah Hunter, but no one sees her. Her secretary Sylvia (Hunt) poses at her at ship christenings, etc.

Sylvia is engaged to Phil Vernon (Joslyn), and she gives her notice so that she can be with him, as he is changing jobs and leaving town. Norah is due to marry soon and decides to move up the wedding so that Sylvia and Phil can attend. It doesn't work out because that night, her boyfriend dumps her. She's too rich. Like I suppose that happens.

When Norah meets Captain Anthony Travis, she's interested, but she doesn't want him knowing who she is - he might fall for her because she has money. She tests him by throwing Sylvia at him. And it turns into a big mess.

Pleasant comedy, with Day totally radiant and beautiful. I don't know why MGM couldn't come up with more for her to do - instead she was constantly loaned out. Marsha Hunt is delightful as Sylvia, and the rest of the cast is very good.

Enjoyable.

The Richest Girl In The World is given a remake and a slight update to reflect wartime conditions. Tycoon Laraine Day with her trusty Noah Dietrich type Edgar Buchanan is busy dedicating a new Liberty ship from one of her yards. But it ain't Laraine Day. It's Marsha Hunt pretending to be Laraine Day. One wonders why Howard Hughes never thought of this. Having someone double as him for all public appearances. Not that he couldn't have afforded it, even affording the plastic surgery if that was necessary.

Day has Barbara Hutton like worries. Can I ever know if I'm loved for me or my megabucks? Marsha Hunt might not be available any more for the deception as she wants to get married to Allyn Joslyn..

A flier played by Alan Marshal might be the answer.; She met him at a USO hall under an alias. I think you can figure the rest out.

Bride By Mistake is a good comedy product from the MGM B picture unit where the films come out like they had bigger budgets and bigger stars than they do. The film is impeccably cast and good performances all around.

To only have the problems of a Howard Hughes.