Lune de miel mouvementée

Although there is a silly side to this movie, I really don't think that its only value is as a curiosity. In reality, it was a singular vehicle for Ginger Rogers to flex her acting muscles, instead of merely being a sidekick in a dance routine. She is something to behold in this movie. And, I maintain that if you are a Cary Grant fan, it's nothing to sit through this slightly confectionery film. It is practically astonishing that the Jewish issue was addressed in a movie made in 1942. Finally, it's worth pointing out that any average film from this period is Shakespearean compared to the dreck on offer most of the time these days.

American burlesque dancer Ginger Rogers jumps at the opportunity to marry a wealthy Austrian baron (Walter Slezak). Little does she know her new husband is a Nazi. Enter radio news correspondent Cary Grant, who falls for Ginger while trying to do a story on her husband. He follows the pair all over Europe. When she's forced to face just who her husband is and what is really going on in the world, Ginger decides to flee with Cary.

A wartime romantic comedy directed by Leo McCarey with two of my favorite stars, Cary Grant and Ginger Rogers. Sounds amazing. Unfortunately it isn't without flaws. But first, some of the good. Cary is charming as ever and has great chemistry with Ginger. Love the measuring scene. For her part, she's pretty and fun. I'm not sure why she was using that terrible accent early on. Her husband knew she was an American so I don't understand who she was supposed to be fooling. I guess she was supposed to be putting on airs, like some kind of society lady or something. It's pretty weird and never addressed. Walter Slezak makes for a fine villain, as he usually did. Albert Bassermann is great in a brief role.

The scenes with Cary and Ginger are what works most in the film, particularly in the first hour. On the downside, when the film awkwardly switches to drama it undoes whatever momentum it has built up. I'm not offended, like other reviewers are, over the use of Nazis and anti-Semitism in a (mostly) light comedy. It was all within context and treated appropriately. However, I do think the movie becomes less interesting and certainly less fun in the second hour as it becomes darker. The fact that it goes on so long is what does it the most harm, though. As it is, it's a flawed film but still worth a peek for fans of Grant and Rogers.

Comedy? I don't think so. Even Grant's charms can't save this one. A comedy set in Europe during WWII isn't impossible (see To Be Or Not To Be, also from 1942). But this one includes scenes with Hitler, and jokes about Nazis, not very funny I may add. The story is too ludicrous, the so-called jokes terrible. Whoever liked the movie should check is head. The ending is SO-Stupid! And what honeymoon? Forget it. Even worse than Penny Serenade. Beware. Read a book, eat, do something, anything else.

I'm amazed at the bad reception that Once Upon a Honeymoon got from other reviewers here. It's not the greatest film from either the stars or the director, but far from the worst. See Satan Never Sleeps or My Son John for Leo McCarey's worst. And it's one of Walter Slezak's best roles.

Slezak plays the fictional Baron Von Luber who like the Fuehrer was Austrian born and played a big hand in the Anschluss. After that he became a Nazi ambassador of good will. But in his wake countries seem to fall to the Germans after every one of his missions. He's a rising star in the Nazi movement.

He's also married a show business American wife in the person of Ginger Rogers. That and his activities arouse the curiosity of editor Harry Shannon and commentator Cary Grant.

Once Upon a Honeymoon is very similar to that other Cary Grant film from Alfred Hitchcock, Notorious. Of course the Hitchcock film has Grant as an FBI agent who gets Ingrid Bergman to marry Claude Rains to spy on his postwar activities in a country with no extradition. Rains actually becomes an object of some audience sympathy even as a Nazi, but Slezak never does.

In fact his role is similar to that other exhibit of the master race found in that other Hitchcock film, Lifeboat. But he's gotten in a way that the gauleiter of the lifeboat never is. Cary Grant damns him with faint praise and a shrewd use of reverse psychology on the Nazi mind. Slezak's reactions to Grant's broadcast are worth seeing the film alone.

Leo McCarey makes some very serious points about the Nazis mixed in with the humor. When Grant and Rogers are caught when they think they're Jewish, it's a very harrowing predicament indeed until they are providentially rescued.

Once Upon A Honeymoon though firmly dated to World War II, holds up very well in the laugh and propaganda departments both.

This comedy is good and at the same time shows the situation in Europe when the nazis were invading step by step each country of central and east Europe. The story is refreshing although it touches a very delicate issue, which affected millions of people in Europe in early 40s. Cary Grant was able to play a good role as a journalist, who is very well informed of the problems caused by nazis and the ways the latter used for invasion. Splendid Ginger Rogers also did very well, and no less important was Walter Slezak playing well the role of the nazi officer Baron Von Luber. In the film there is some thrill, romance and comic scenes, in conclusion Leo McCarey directed a good comedy once again.