Director Sam Wood was in his heydey when he made this film ("King's Row", "Pride Of The Yankees", "For Whom The Bell Tolls"), although his snappiest comedy (IMHO) was "The Devil And Miss Jones" (1941). Nevertheless, this is a fine comedy with two stars that shine.
This type of comedy had been done before and later...always involving just whose wife a female lead was (e.g., "My Favorite Wife" with Irene Dunne and Cary Grant). But each time this type of film was done there was some interesting variation that made it a bit unique. Here, a banker (Dick Foran) is reunited with his long-time best friend (Don Ameche). Ameche has pretended that Claudette Colbert (Foran's wife) is his wife for business purposes...even though he had never met her. Foran agrees to go along with the ruse for his best friend, even though they were about to go on their second honeymoon. Colbert is despondent over the situation, but very reluctantly goes along...for a while. And just about when you think this is getting old, the plot twist comes along -- Colbert decides to pretend she is falling in love with Ameche! Claudette Colbert is wonderful here...but then again, she almost always was! Don Ameche shines...and it made me wonder how his long and shining career faded after a time. Glad he came back into the limelight later in life...he was a wonderful actor. The surprise here is how nicely Dick Foran does as the husband. Foran was a decent actor, but usually in B pictures or as a supporting actor in A pictures. He may have been underrated.
Two supporting actors who nicely here are Charles Dingle (who in some films get on my nerves) as the boss, and Grant Mitchell as the hotel house detective.
Not an A+ comedy, but definitely a B+. You'' enjoy it!
This type of comedy had been done before and later...always involving just whose wife a female lead was (e.g., "My Favorite Wife" with Irene Dunne and Cary Grant). But each time this type of film was done there was some interesting variation that made it a bit unique. Here, a banker (Dick Foran) is reunited with his long-time best friend (Don Ameche). Ameche has pretended that Claudette Colbert (Foran's wife) is his wife for business purposes...even though he had never met her. Foran agrees to go along with the ruse for his best friend, even though they were about to go on their second honeymoon. Colbert is despondent over the situation, but very reluctantly goes along...for a while. And just about when you think this is getting old, the plot twist comes along -- Colbert decides to pretend she is falling in love with Ameche! Claudette Colbert is wonderful here...but then again, she almost always was! Don Ameche shines...and it made me wonder how his long and shining career faded after a time. Glad he came back into the limelight later in life...he was a wonderful actor. The surprise here is how nicely Dick Foran does as the husband. Foran was a decent actor, but usually in B pictures or as a supporting actor in A pictures. He may have been underrated.
Two supporting actors who nicely here are Charles Dingle (who in some films get on my nerves) as the boss, and Grant Mitchell as the hotel house detective.
Not an A+ comedy, but definitely a B+. You'' enjoy it!