Bride by Mistake

The Richest Girl In The World is given a remake and a slight update to reflect wartime conditions. Tycoon Laraine Day with her trusty Noah Dietrich type Edgar Buchanan is busy dedicating a new Liberty ship from one of her yards. But it ain't Laraine Day. It's Marsha Hunt pretending to be Laraine Day. One wonders why Howard Hughes never thought of this. Having someone double as him for all public appearances. Not that he couldn't have afforded it, even affording the plastic surgery if that was necessary.

Day has Barbara Hutton like worries. Can I ever know if I'm loved for me or my megabucks? Marsha Hunt might not be available any more for the deception as she wants to get married to Allyn Joslyn..

A flier played by Alan Marshal might be the answer.; She met him at a USO hall under an alias. I think you can figure the rest out.

Bride By Mistake is a good comedy product from the MGM B picture unit where the films come out like they had bigger budgets and bigger stars than they do. The film is impeccably cast and good performances all around.

To only have the problems of a Howard Hughes.

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.

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.

Soon after this film began, I had remembered seeing this story before in the form of "The Richest Girl in the World" with Miriam Hopkins and Joel McCrea. Aside from a few updates here and there (such as making the leading man an Army Air Corps flier recuperating from some unnamed illness or injury), the story is the same. There is a super-mega-rich lady (Laraine Day) who is a bit of a recluse. And, to shield her identity, her personal assistant (Marsha Hunt) poses as the rich heiress. However, when a dashing officer (Alan Marshall) begins to show attention to both Day and Hunt, Day is smitten--but unsure who he will choose--the one with the money or her (who actually has all the money). It's all very slight plot-wise and I still think the original is better--and more original! But the actors all do a good job (particularly Edgar Buchanan in a supporting role) and it's a nice pleasant diversion--a decent romantic comedy with some nice laughs and a very game cast.

By the way, while Alan Marshall looked quite nice in the film, he was an inexplicable choice as he was an Australian. Why this guy would be in the US military and not the Australian one is a puzzler...though the same could be said for many of Errol Flynn's films as well!