Viens avec moi

Jimmy, Hedy, goofy Ian Hunter, and "sensible" Verree Teasedale make a wonderful primary cast for this nice film. Unusually, I keep looking for more nuances each time I view it, hoping that there is more to the characters in facial nuances and body gestures. I think 5-10 minutes of additional dialogue to flesh out the characters and their relationships with each other would have helped this movie go beyond its superficiality. This is one of those films where I wonder what was cut from the script and what ended up on the cutting room floor. Clarence Brown directed a lot of fantastic films, so I'm guessing the script/story faults are partly from Virginia Van Upp (story) and Patterson McNutt (screenplay); who knows what the role producers at MGM had in trimming the movie for release.

This film started off rather poorly, as you learn that Hedy Lamarr is the mistress of Ian Hunter--a married man who has a "modern marriage". This plot element was difficult to reconcile with a romantic film--after all, what's romantic about this relationship? Plus, I found it hard to care about such selfish characters. Fortunately, I kept watching the film and it turned out to be a dandy old fashioned film.

Hedy was in the US illegally--having fled Nazi-controlled Austria. So even though she had overstayed her visa, it was really hard to blame her for wanting to stay. In an odd bit of casting, the immigration agent (Barton MacLane) liked Hedy and suggested that she could get married to an American and thereby stay in the country. But she couldn't marry Hunter, as he was already married. So, a bit later, when she meets down-and-out Jimmy Stewart, she suggests they get married in name only. Unfortunately, over time, Jimmy finds himself falling for Hedy--though they hardly know each other.

I could talk more about the plot, but don't want to ruin it. The bottom line is that the writing was excellent, the acting superb and the mood wonderful. This is exactly the sort of romance that MGM did best and it's well worth a look--just don't get turned off by Ian Hunter's character--it does get better.

This is an MGM comedy starring Hedy Lamarr & Jimmy Stewart. Hedy is a wealthy Viennese refugee living in New York. Her worst fear is realized when she's threatened with deportation, unless she can get married within 7 days. She has a willing, wealthy suitor, but he has a wife, and Hedy, being a kind soul, does not want to be a homewrecker. Enter Jimmy Stewart, playing a broke, down on his luck writer. Jimmy and Hedy find themselves sharing a lunch counter, courtesy of a serendipitous rainstorm. Before you know it, they're married. Both get something from this living apart, transactional affair: Jimmy receives a weekly stipend, and Hedy gets to stay in America. Of course, we know what Jimmy's character really wants.

There's little chemistry between the two leads. Hedy is very glamorous, but her performance is rather one-note. The script, however, doesn't give her much to do. Since it's Hedy Lamarr, her screen presence makes up for it. The supporting cast adds the necessary flavor. Ian Hunter as Hedy's lover. Verree Teasdale (one of the great character actresses) as his savvy wife, and Adeline De Walt Reynolds as Jimmy's no-nonsense grandmother. Barton MacLane shows up as a sympathetic immigration official. Overall, it's a pleasant excursion, with echoes of The Awful Truth (1937), minus the biting wit and manic energy. Although the Nazi occupation of Austria isn't mentioned, it's obvious the reason why Hedy's character can't go back.

This is a wonderful Jimmy Stewart and Hedy Lamarr movie. Very romantic and sentimental. Jimmy Stewart's grandma in the movie is priceless. A must for your collection - not available to buy; however, sometimes comes on American Movie Classics. I have had a recording of it for years. It's one of my favorites.

Hedy Lamarr is a foreign born showgirl and kept mistress of publisher Ian Hunter. Immigration has gotten on her case and before Hunter can get his influence peddling machine in gear, Hedy's having some anxious moments.

But as Hollywood fate must have it she meets up with aspiring writer James Stewart and they agree to a marriage of convenience to keep her in the country. And to seal the bargain Lamarr actually agrees to pay Stewart a "salary" so that romance won't creep into things.

Well wouldn't you know it, Stewart writes about the arrangement in a prospective new novel that he takes to publisher Hunter. The rest of this film is rather obvious.

What I find curious about this film is that the plot I described could easily be the basis for some sophisticated screwball comedy or a tender romance, given the writers, director, and players. But the combination in Come Live With Me opted for the tender romance.

Stewart and Lamarr are just fine in their roles as is Hunter. MGM and director Clarence Brown gave them a nice supporting cast. Please note the performances of Verree Teasdale as Hunter's wife, Adeline DeWalt Reynolds as Stewart's grandmother and the whimsical Donald Meek, just being Donald Meek in a Donald Meek part.

The title Come Live With Me is the first line of a Christopher Marlowe sonnet, a romantic piece that fits the tone of the whole film. But it does end on a Shakespearean note.