Casanova Júnior

Enchanting, wittily written screwball comedy about a supposed bachelor, on the eve of his wedding, who discovers he may have fathered a child by a previous marriage that only lasted a week or so. His prospective father-in-law (Morgan), eager to rescue him from any marriage, encourages him to investigate. When he discovers his young divorcee plans to give the baby up for adoption (or pretends to), he kidnaps the infant and tries to raise it with the help of a small hotel's staff. Of course, much comedy ensues. The story is handled well and the humor light and effective, but Wright's character is not well drawn and her relationship with Cooper seems a bit forced. Cooper is well developed and the comic situations are amusing.

This "screwy comedy" seems very forced. Indeed, the actors TRY very hard to make a go of an essentially unfunny script. And, as a result it doesn't really go anywhere. The idea of a woman finding out she was pregnant after getting a quickie divorce just isn't all that funny. And then, when Cooper sneaks off with the baby because he doesn't want it put up for adoption just seems terribly unfunny and it's really pushing hard to turn this into a comedy. It's really a shame, too, as the actors were more capable than the script and I found myself just bored by the whole mess. Considering that Cooper made so many GOOD comedies, I recommend you see them instead.

Casanova Brown (1944) : Brief Review -

Stars, fate, a baby, parenthood, and a love story sum up Sam Wood's typical romantic comedy. Wood's old films have been genuinely hilarious, keeping you grinning the entire time. With Casanova Brown, he delves more into romantic elements than actual comedy. This film is cute but less funny. It's a solid story, wrapped up too soon, yet it still presents a typically fine love story. There have been a couple of versions of the same narrative already, making it feel dated and repetitive. The film features a man who, on the verge of getting married, receives a letter about his baby from a previous lover. He goes to the hospital to investigate the matter, and when he sees the baby, he is completely bowled over. His ex-lover informs him about giving away the child, which makes him furious, leading him to steal his daughter and run away to secure legal custody. At the hotel, as he tries to feed the baby, both his ex-lover and his soon-to-be wife come to confront him while he tries to ditch them and keep the baby. Will he succeed? Although a 90-minute film, the baby portion is brief, which is why the film seems short. It could have focused more on the baby than the marriage and star elements to keep it warm and funny. Gary Cooper was fine in the leading role, while Teresa Wright looked too gorgeous to be his lover. They looked so cute with the baby in the last scene, especially with that patting action. Anita Louise had too little time to make an impact, and Frank Morgan was good in his role. Mary Treen shines in the marriage proposal scene. Overall, a decent to fine, one-time watch flick showcasing Sam Wood's steady hands at work. I wish there were more to the story, some more substance, which would have made it grand. Nevertheless, a good attempt at a typical '40s rom-com.

RATING - 6/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Plot-- On the day before his wedding, Casanova Brown (Cooper) finds out he may be a father from his first marriage (Wright) that's since been annulled. So he rushes off to Chicago to get the facts, leaving his newly intended waiting at the altar. Now, what will he do since first wife wants to put the baby up for adoption and he definitely doesn't. And what will the girls and their families do now that Brown is running amok.

The comedy starts off with a bang thanks to animated old grouch Frank Morgan. His scenes with a floundering Casanova are little gems of contrasting style. Then there's Patricia Collinge and her astrology book that may keep you from looking at the stars ever again. And how about Casanova's laugh-filled battle with a lit cigarette he's not supposed to be smoking in the stuffy Drury house. Let's see, no ashtray ended up costing the inhospitable Drury's a bundle. There's a lesson there, but I'm not sure what. But then, once the baby arrives in the last third, things start to get smarmy and the chuckles subside.

The usually staid Cooper manages a pretty good comedic turn without overdoing it, even though the floudering fatherhood bit puts him to the test. And was there ever a sweeter looking ingénue than Wright. However, making her a mother at what appears a sweet-sixteen is a stretch, particularly when pairing her with Cooper at 43. Nevertheless, what a colorful supporting cast that director Wood uses to blend into the amusement, from Morgan to Treen to a gum chewing Parnell.

All in all, it's an episodic comedy with a touchy 1940's subtext about sex even if it is within the bonds of marriage. Note how totally Casanova's intimacy with first wife (Wright) is elided even though it's an important plot point. But maybe most unusual of all is the macho Cooper as he's seldom seen.

A man named Casanova becomes involved with a number of women and a cute baby. This attempt at screwball comedy has a few amusing moments but much of the humor is forced. Despite the efforts of veteran screenwriter Johnson and director Woods, the film takes a while to get going and soon runs out of steam. Cooper tries hard but can't overcome the weak script. Morgan comes off best, playing Cooper's would-be father-in-law. Wright is perky as Cooper's wife, but seems too young for him; there was an age difference of over 17 years between them. Interestingly, the baby girl is played by a fellow named Billy Chapin, who went on to have a brief acting career before retiring at age 16.