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Louise Randall Pierson lived a wonderful life. Mrs. Pierson was a woman ahead of her times. Her biggest accomplishment was a total dedication to her family. The film, based on her own autobiography, clearly shows why this woman was so unique. Michael Curtiz directed with his usual flair.

Louise Randall Pierson went from a childhood of privilege to almost poverty after her father died when she was still a girl. Louise pursues a career as a typist and joins a firm where no women had been employed. Her friendship with Alice Abbott brings her to New Haven where she meets and marries a man that never amounts to anything, but who leaves her for another woman without any qualms, leaving Louise to do whatever she can with four small children.

At this point in her life, she meets Harold Pierson, a lovable man who had big visions, but who never was able to have the recognition he deserved. Louise and Harold were made for one another. Their love will get them through some rough patches, but they manage to keep their spirits and give all the children careers of their own.

Rosalind Russell makes this film come alive. Ms. Russell was such a lovable actress that no matter what she appeared in, she always managed to please us. Jack Carson, an underrated actor, was perfect as her second husband Harold Pierson. Mr. Carson and Ms. Russell seem to be having a great time while making the movie. Ann Doran is the loyal friend Alice and Ann Todd plays the young Louise.

"Roughly Speaking" is one of the most positive films that came out of Hollywood in the forties because it shows us a determined woman with a great heart who raises above of what life gave her.

Based on a true story, someone had the genius over at the Brothers Warner to shell some bucks out for the services of Rosalind Russell for the lead. She really is so right for the part of Louise Randall Pierson a woman who through time and circumstance is forever reinventing herself. A little like Mame Dennis who lives to the fullest and like Molly Brown, she maybe down, but she ain't licked.

From Donald Woods she gets her four kids, but they are incompatible and divorce. She then marries Jack Carson who has ideas, but he's content to be a Vice President with his dad's flower nursery firm. Roz kick starts the ambition in him and their lives are quite the rollercoaster, but they are happy. And the kids are completely accepting of him

The image we have of Jack Carson in most of his roles is the lovable blowhard. But he had a really never appreciated talent for taking it down however many pegs necessary to achieve a great serious performances in a lot of serious roles. He and Russell work well together in Roughly Speaking.

There's a nice epic quality to Roughly Speaking. Coming out as it did at the nd of World War Ii it exudes a cheerful optimism about America and its people. The kind of stuff people wanted to hear in 1945.

It still holds up well as good entertainment.

This was a real surprise. I found it hard to switch channels once I started watching the movie. The dialogue was witting and the whole movie charming. The movements between segments of the movie were abrupt but everything else I liked a lot.

A wonderful Rosalind Russell vehicle with Jack Carson in fine form as her 2nd husband.

It tells us of a woman's determination to survive this world-despite deaths in the family, a heel of a husband, (Donald Woods),illness, and the Great Depression.

Russell throws her usual zest for this type of commanding woman in the film and succeeds. Though out of his league as the usual grade B actor, Woods succeeds here in the part of the first husband, who walks out on Russell after 10 years of marriage, 4 children and a life of hard times.

The film is definitely a slice of Americana and the idea of hard work and accomplishment. It also very well deals with adversity just as things are going so well. Isn't that so true of life itself? That's why the film succeeds and is quite memorable.

'Roughly Speaking' sounded really interesting. Really like to love a vast majority of Michael Curtiz's films and even his lesser output is watchable, with him directing two of my favourite films of all times. Rosalind Russell was always well worth watching, many of her performances full of grace and wit. Usually see Jack Carson in more comedic roles and he was usually in support rather than lead, so a relative change of pace was always welcome. The story on paper intrigued.

As did the film overall. It is not quite perfect, but there is very little wrong and what doesn't quite come off is pretty minor. The good things are many and the best of them are done brilliantly. It's adapted from the personal life of a very eccentric person and it is a very colourful personal life, the person in question being Louise Randall Pierson who also adapts her own autobiography that 'Roughly Speaking' is adapted from. Making for a very good film overall that should be seen more.

Maybe 'Roughly Speaking' is slightly overlong by about 15-20 minutes and tries to include too much. The film never stops being interesting and a lot is covered, all interesting but with Pierson wanting to include as much as she could the "not knowing when to stop" approach was occasionally an undoing when it sometimes felt on the overstuffed side.

So much is great though in 'Roughly Speaking'. Russell is both gritty and charming, a truly great performance and manages to make an eccentric and potentially caricaturish person in the wrong hands likeable and interesting. Carson shows that he is equally at home in dramatic roles and also that he was not out of his depth as a lead like some predominently supporting actors/actresses in lead roles have been before and since. All the performances are fine, apart from dull Robert Hutton.

Curtiz directs with skill, both visually and in how he approaches the material. 'Roughly Speaking' is beautifully shot and is never over-elaborate or static while also being handsomely and evocatively designed. The film balances comedy and drama very, very well. Both are very well handled individually, the comedy having bite and sparkling wit and the drama being genuinely moving without going overboard on the bathos. The balance is just right with one not being favoured over the other and any tonal shifts don't feel jerky, abrupt or random.

The story is always compelling and a lot happens, too much admittedly at times, in a way that's fun, moving and truthful. It is easy to relate to what happens too. Max Steiner's score is quite charming and lush without being excessive. While Pierson is the most colourful of the characters, the characters still feel like real people with real human conflicts and such.

Overall, very, very good. 8/10