Ma femme, la capitaine

Paulette Goddard and Fred MacMurray star as a married couple in "Suddenly It's Spring," also featuring Arleen Whelan and MacDonald Carey.

Goddard is a WAC captain, Mary Morley, an expert in marital relations, who returns from overseas as an escort for GI war brides. She and her husband Peter (MacMurray) have been separated, and he wants a divorce. He is also her former law partner.

Peter is in love with Gloria (Whelan) and needs Mary to sign the divorce papers. As far as Gloria is concerned, he hasn't been moving fast enough, either.

When she doesn't sign them initially, Peter invites Mary to dinner. Meanwhile, one of Peter's clients, Jack (Carey) has been staying at his apartment. He thinks Mary is one of Gloria's bridesmaids for her wedding to Peter. When he talks to Mary, she realizes the situation. She isn't exactly ready to get a divorce.

Peter tries hard to get Mary to sign the papers, by acting like a jerk in public etc., but Gloria is impatient. He's getting desperate.

Very pleasant film with the vivacious and beautiful Goddard, one of my favorites, who plays well opposite MacMurray. When he was on My Three Sons, I thought he was a big nothing who starred in films while the big stars were off fighting World War II. I have been so pleasantly surprised by him over the years. He's a kind of Everyman, and if he didn't have the deepest range in the world, he has a nice presence and did both comedy and drama easily.

I wonder how many couples came together after the war and didn't know where they stood with one another - I'll bet a lot.

Good film.

Paulette Goddard and Fred MacMurray star as a divorcing couple separated by war. Their divorce, like everything else, is put on hold. She finally returns and Fred is there to meet her and get papers signed, but his girl friend (Arleen Whelan) lurks in the background. And Paulette has in mind a second attempt to save the marriage. Enter Fred's client and friend (Macdonald Carey) who takes an interest in Paulette.

What ensues is a merry chase as Fred and Paulette can't make up their minds whether to proceed with the divorce or try again. Whelan and Carey go along poking and prodding the situation to their own advantages.

Comic highlights include the girls' first meeting in a nightclub where Paulette is stuck wearing an out-of-style and hideous plaid dress (she's still in the Army)while Whelan enters draped in jewels and fur, which flies as the girls dig into each other. Later, Fred shows off his comic chops when he decides that his impression of a cigar-smoking goon will turn off Paulette.

The stars are in top form here and save a so-so comedy with their charm and comic skills. Co-stars include Frank Faylen, Willie Best, Lillian Fontaine, Victoria Horne, Georgia Backus, and Frances Robinson.

I don't typically write reviews here, but this film is even more underseen than underrated, and deserves some attention. Paulette Goddard and Fred MacMurray come back from the war, having sworn to get a divorce four years prior. However, during the war Goddard worked as a marriage counselor to soldiers, and has since had a change of heart; not just to save her reputation/career but also her marriage. It plays not dissimilarly to The Awful Truth or The Philadelphia Story, in that MacMurray must chase down his wife; and yet it is dissimilar in that she's the one who loves him and he must chase her down to sign divorce papers. As it turns out, there's nothing so romantic as the thrill of the hunt - will MacMurray open his eyes and see what a wonderful wife he's giving up before it's too late? (Take a wild guess). Definitely would recommend this film to anyone into classic comedy.

The most curious thing about Suddenly It's Spring that I found was the fact that Fred MacMurray stayed at home and it was his on screen wife Paulette Goddard who went off to war. In real life MacMurray was both a legitimate 4F and he was the sole support of his wife and two children. He was 33 when Pearl Harbor occurred. How his on screen character managed to stay out the film doesn't tell us.

But when Paulette Goddard joins the Women's Army Corps she becomes something of a celebrity as an informal marriage counselor to separated spouses because of the war. But while she's in the service Fred's met and fallen for Arleen Whelan and as soon as Paulette will sign the papers they can get a quiet divorce.

The MacMurray/Goddard marriage is down but hardly out. She's got a few tricks up her sleeve as she slowly makes Fred reconsider divorce. I guess I can't and shouldn't tell you how it works out.

Fred MacMurray already left Paramount when his friend and favorite director Mitchell Leisen called him back had the studio sign him for this additional film. It was worth it as the script by writer/producer Claude Binyon was written with him in mind.

Fred's best moments is when he steps out of character to become a cigar smoking lout on two occasions. Won't say what they were, but it becomes part of his plan.

Getting some of the best lines in the film is Macdonald Carey who plays client and friend of MacMurray. Carey's an old rebound man and if Goddard is cut loose he'll make sure he's around at the strategic moment.

Although MacMurray was a veteran comedy master becoming one during his years at Paramount this comeback film rates right up there with those he made as a contract player. He and Goddard worked very well together and Suddenly It's Spring is a delight.

MacMurray and Goddard. Two giants of Hollywood in a "comedy" (?). Husband and wife are returning home from war WW II, but all is not well. She (Paulette Goddard as Mary Morely) and Fred MacMurray as Peter, had plans to get divorced, but the war intervened. Now that they have come home, everything is topsy turvy. This was filmed in 1947, so the actual war had already been over for two years. Arleen Whelan is "Gloria", who is Peter's new love interest, and when the women meet, the battle is on. All of a sudden, they both want Peter. This moves along at medium speed. While this WAS probably a very common situation for those returning from war duty, it feels a little shallow now, and they didn't really use the talents of both Goddard and MacMurray. Anyone could have filled these roles and done a fine job. There isn't a whole lot of spark or magic between the cast here. Also, it seems a little late to be discussing the issues of returning spouses. Everyone does a great job, but because the subject is divorce, there's bound to be some hostility. Directed by Mitchell Leisen, who had been nominated for an Oscar waaay back in 1930. Story by P. J. Wolfson, who had written a ton of stuff in the 1930s and 1940s for Paramount. A respectable way to spend an 90 minutes. There is a buzzing in the last 10 minutes, but I guess we're lucky to still have this film around at all.