Bride by Mistake

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.

After Norman Krasna's Oscar-winning script for Princess O'Rourke turned into a box-office hit for Warners in 1943, RKO rehashed his similar rich-girl-masquerading-as-poor-girl story "Richest Girl in the World" for this film in 1944. The result is mixed, but Day is so lovely, supporting cast is lively, that it makes for a pleasant hour and a half. Day plays an heiress who's boyfriend dumps her because she's too rich (yeah, right.) Day switches places with her secretary, hoping to find true love that way, and complications ensue. Marsha Hunt and Allen Joslyn are particularly appealing as Day's Secretary and her new husband, forced to carry the charade to the point of breaking. A nice 40's wartime romantic comedy, not too taxing on the mind.

This Norman Krasna story -- with one of his typical fairytale-like plots -- was filmed in '34 as "The Richest Girl in the World" with Miriam Hopkins and Joel McCrea. And this one works as well as the first one did because Laraine Day is just as perfect for this role as Miriam Hopkins was. Hopkins played the role a bit dowdier -- or maybe it's just that Laraine Day can't help shining like an incandescent bulb on camera!

Poor little rich girl Norah Hunter can't find a man who will love her just for herself, as opposed to her vast wealth. Used to allowing her personal assistant to pose as herself in public she decides to try out this "prince and the pauper" style switch in her private life as well and see if the man she's falling for can love her for herself alone.

In both films it's a tightwalk characters and audience tread as the "he loves me--he loves me not" twists and turns wrench us gently this way and that like an old fashioned roller coaster. The supporting cast in this later film have more fleshed out roles -- and comic bits -- than the original and play them with verve.

The plot was made contemporary for the WWII era by making the love interest a pilot and surrounding the radiant Day with handsome enlisted men who have both manners and dispositions which practically no one in our culture seems to carry anymore.

Krasna was always trying out variations on the "no one knows I'm really rich or a princess or a star or whatever -- and will they love me just the same??" theme. But there's something perfectly simple and charming about this particular variation. So much so that two delightful romantic comedies were made of it. And why not -- it's great fun!

I have been watching a lot of old movies recently on TMC and this is one of the best movies I have seen in a long time Yes its old Yes its Sortof Campy but i really enjoyed it, i first saw Alan Marshal in "Married and in love" and something about his cheesy charming act was entertaining, So i watched this film also. I am of an entirely different generation born in the 80's there is something timeless about this film, Screwing up everything with love is relatable, i wont give away the ending because the film keeps you guessing till the end and from what I've seen from that era that uncertainty of the plot for the audience is a rarity.

Well this is a good one i recommend it to anyone

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.