Romance Noturno

Bedtime Story (1941)

*** (out of 4)

Delightful and often times hysterical comedy about a playwrite (Fredric March) who will stop at nothing to get his actress wife (Loretta Young) out of retirement to star in his latest play. The story might be typical for this type of comedy but the incredible cast really makes this one of the most memorable films of its type. March is downright brilliant as the obsessed writer who puts his play over his wife. March keeps his serious tone throughout the film but the way he makes it a tad bit lighter than we typically see just shows what a great actor he was. Young is also perfect in her role, which requires her to be funny and even dramatic during a few scenes. The chemistry between March and Young is wonderful and they make for a terrific duo. Robert Benchley, Allyn Joslyn and Helen Westley add great support and make the film even more funny. The film ends on a hysterical note as a riot breaks out in a motel room, which features just about everything you could imagine.

"Bedtime Story" is an enjoyable comedy with a plot that seems to have been borrowed from other, most successful films. This 1941 Columbia release is fun to watch because it is seldom seen and the brilliant cast that was put together for it. Frederic March and Loretta Young are wonderful as the sparring Drakes, a theatrical couple, at the center of the story. The Broadway scene of the times is captured in the film.

Alexander Hall directed this stylish comedy with sure hand. Mr. Hall got excellent performances all around, especially of the two principals. Frederic March was at the height of his movie career and he shows why he was one of the best actors working in films at the time. Loretta Young also has some wonderful moments in the film as the suffering wife of Luke Drake, the playwright of the moment.

As with other comedies of that period, the supporting cast in "Bedtime Story" shows some accomplished actors of the caliber of Eve Arden, Allyn Joslyn, Helen Westley, and Joyce Compton, among others.

The film will delight classic movie fans.

Whatever you may think about this movie as it goes along, most will agree that the ending is absolutely hilarious -- Fredric March working his one-man phone bank from the lobby directing havoc to his wife's room. I personally don't see any good reason to compare this one with others that may be similar or with actors who have routinely made this type of film. This is a standalone film these actors made and I think they did it well. Fredric March is always a good actor, and he was convincing with what he had to do here. His earnest straight face in itself was more than amusing as he performed his chicanery throughout. Loretta Young is always beautiful, extremely well costumed and generally ladylike and can be enjoyed for those reasons. Additionally, unless prejudiced, one would have to admit that, despite her very strong beauty, she is a more than competent actress. She's the first to receive both an Oscar and an Emmy, with many, many other acting awards along the way of her extensive career. During that span, she has played a wide variety of characters and types. She especially enjoyed her long-running television program because she could vary her roles. This is a good movie.

For the most part, "Bedtime Story" is a piece of light-hearted fluff, pleasant enough, often amusing and sometimes downright funny. The last 15 minutes or so, in fact, are downright hilarious. It features a couple of very good leads in Fredric March and Loretta Young, and a good supporting cast alongside them. It's an enjoyable watch, with only one exception that hung over me all the way through and prevents me from saying that I found this to be a truly good movie: for a light-hearted comedy, March's character of Paul Drake came across as too manipulative and self-serving most of the way through to be really likable, and somewhere along the way - especially in a comedy - you have to be able to develop some warmth for the main characters; some sense that you like them and care about them. Young's Jane Drake you feel that for, because of course she's the one who has to put up with Paul's manipulative, self-serving ways, but Paul never came across to me as sympathetic.

The Drake's are a theatre couple - Paul a playwright and Jane his leading actress. They've been very successful, but as the movie opens we discover in a closing curtain call speech from Jane that they've decided to retire and leave the theatre behind while they're still young enough to enjoy life. They've bought a farm in Connecticut and the show is over. But Paul has had second thoughts, and the rest of the movie basically details the various ways in which Paul tries to manipulate Jane into changing her mind. Some of the story is funny, yes, but I just did not find Paul likable. A good performance from March (and from Young) but I had no sense of connectedness with the character. Mind you, the last 15 minutes of this are truly quite hilarious. Jane has remarried, and Paul has come up with all sorts of ways to disrupt their wedding night in the forlorn hope that he'll be able to win Jane back. It's a good culmination to the movie, and in the end Paul doesn't get what he wants, although he does get good news - which is perhaps the best ending possible for the character.

This is enjoyable enough. Not great, but worth watching. (6/10)

I caught this on Turner Classic Movies, at a time when most of the truly different and interesting films are shown: in the middle of the night. This movie is about as good a light comedy as you'll ever see. The writing is exceptional, keeping the pace flowing and featuring often sparkling dialog. The acting is superb. Loretta Young again shows her broad dimensions as an actress, here being sophisticated, worldly, and wise. Not the farmer's daughter. Frederic March is perfect as the actor-playwright who is constantly devising plans to persuade his wife to end her retirement and star in his new play. And the character actors are just right, especially Eve Arden. Even Robert Benchley fits in well here. The director deserved an Academy Award for his flawless control of the story. In short, this is a delightful film that adults won't want to miss. In a just world, this would out in DVD.