Friday, January 18, 2008 - Cary Grant Movie Reviews--The Awful Truth and My Favorite Wife
Note: these reviews come to you on a very special day--Cary Grant's 104th birthday! :-)
The Awful Truth
Irene Dunne and Cary Grant team up for the first time in this film. The duo worked so well together, that they later went on to co-star in two more films--My Favorite Wife and Penny Serenade.
In this comedy of remarriage, Grant and Dunne play not so happy husband and wife Jerry and Lucy Warriner. At the beginning of the movie, Jerry is just coming back "from a trip to Florida"--or so he tells his wife. In reality, Jerry has been out having a nice time of his own, away from his wife. Jerry returns to find out his wife had been spending a lot of time with her music teacher while he was away. These two facts set the couple arguing--and eventually, they both decide it's time for them to split up.
Of course, no divorce goes perfectly. Although the couple had quite a lot of material possessions and wealth, that fight quickly dissolves. It's a custody battle that has them about to rip each other's throats out. Custody over an adorably cute little fellow that brought them together originally. And no, it's not their son. It's the dog, Mr. Smith. (and just an interesting note, the dog is the same one that was in Bringing up Baby with Cary Grant! Of course, I'm probably the only one who finds that interesting!)
Lucy eventually is rewarded custody (moral #1 from this movie: milkbones will get you far!) but Jerry is granted generous visitation. When Lucy moves into her aunt's apartment, she allows Jerry to come and take Mr. Smith out once a week. Things are going well, until Jerry shows up one day to find Lucy preoccupied with her neighbor--a farm boy from Oklahoma. Lucy is enchanted with his simple life--but Jerry's a bit disturbed over a man that refers to his ex-wife as a "prairie flower". Dan, or Buffalo Bill, as Jerry dubs him, is enchanted with Lucy and is determine to take her back to Oklahoma to be his bride.
It is settled. Lucy is to wed Dan, and heartbroken Jerry finds solace in another young woman, the rich socialite Barbara Vance. Barbara and Jerry share many fun moments together--including an awesome, several-second scene of them at an Army-Navy football game! Eventually, they, too, become engaged.
But Lucy and Jerry find themselves in a predicament when Barbara mistakes Lucy as Jerry's sister. After a few-too-many drinks, Lucy has a wonderful idea for fun--playing the part of Jerry's sister, when he goes to "meet the parents"! Jerry is mortified, and must get his drunk "sister" away from his proper future in-laws.
Comedy lurks in every corner in this movie. From Jerry's interruption of an important concert of Lucy's (he thinks she's with the music teacher...alone), to the fight over Mr. Smith, this movie is one laugh after another. It also keeps you wondering--the relationships between the characters are a tad confusing. Will Lucy and Jerry reconcile, or have they found their soul mates in other people?
Quotes from the movie:
"And if you get bored in Oklahoma City, you can always go over to Tulsa for the weekend!"--Jerry
"I've seen your picture in the paper and wondered what you looked like."--Lucy
My Favorite Wife
Irene and Cary's charm together resurfaces in their second film as a couple. Irene (a very underrated actress, I must say--she's wonderful!) plays Ellen Arden, and Grant her husband, Nick.
It has been seven years since Nick has last seen his beloved wife, Ellen. It has been seven years since he said goodbye to her, wished her a good journey, and saw her boat off. It has been seven years since she kissed their infant twins goodbye. Seven years ago, her boat sank when she was on a short term business trip. Now, everyone has come to face the facts--she must be dead.
Since seven years have gone by, Nick can have Ellen declared legally dead. This leaves him free to marry Bianca Bates. Bianca is a well-respected woman, and although Nick is not sure if he really loves her, he thinks she'd make him a good wife. Minutes after the judge declares Ellen dead, Nick and Bianca marry. They set off for their honeymoon.
Meanwhile, at Nick's home, the twins, Tim and Chinch, are approached by a strange woman while playing outside. She seems friendly enough, but the children are suspicious and run inside to tell their grandmother. Nick's mother is shocked to see the woman, and find out that Ellen, is, after all, still alive. Apparently, Ellen has spent the last seven years on a deserted island, and was rescued by a passing ship just a few days before.
It was a few days too late, though. Nick's mother tells Ellen about his recent marriage, and Ellen, horrified to think of her husband spending a honeymoon with his other wife, rushes to find them. She runs into Nick in their hotel, and although at first he's thrilled to see her, his joy turns to fear when he realizes he has two wives--one the true love of his life, and the other waiting upstairs in their room for him! However, Nick promises Ellen he will tell Bianca.
Bianca, on the other hand, is hardly happy that Nick seems rather...uh, preoccupied. She finally decides that they should just go home and forget about the whole honeymoon idea. Nick takes the suggestion joyfully...almost forgetting that he has not even told Bianca that Ellen is still alive.
They arrive home to find Ellen entertaining the children, who do not yet know she's their mother. Ellen pretends to be an old family friend--a friend of the children's mother--and Bianca accepts it without question. Nick just can't bring himself to tell her that he has another wife--especially not on their wedding night!
To make things worse, Nick becomes insanely jealous when he realizes Ellen wasn't alone on the island she had been deserted on. No, for those long seven years a man had been with her. Nick finds it hard to believe that their relationship could have only been as friends, after being on an island--just the two of them--for so many years.
More creative than it sounds, My Favorite Wife is a neat film. Ellen and Nick must work out their own relationship, Nick must eventually face Bianca, and the children will have to accept Ellen as their mother. It's a heartwarming and comical movie.
Quotes from the movie:
"Oh, by the way, how was my funeral?" --Ellen
"The moment I saw you I knew..." --Nick "I bet you say that to all your wives."--Ellen
Comments
Saturday, January 19, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by CrossView
Stop.
Just stop.
I'm going to have to go from a piece of paper to a whole notebook just to keep up.... =P
This is hilarious:
"I've seen your picture in the paper and wondered what you looked like."--Lucy
Saturday, January 19, 2008 - Emily
Posted by SuperAngel
LOL!! What you said in your comment was the point of my post.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Have a great day!!
Love, Prayers, and Blessings,
Amanda
http://superangelsblog.com
Saturday, January 19, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by sweetpotato
Whoa, those both sound interesting, to say the least. Some pretty whacky plots. Funny quotes--they definitely make the movies sound intriguing.
I like the pictures of your family on your sidebar. Either you put them up since I last visited, or else I'm just unobservant. Likely the last.
Sunday, January 20, 2008 - Love this one too...
Posted by sarahbeth
My Favorite Wife is probably one of my favourite Cary Grant movies - have you seen the remake with Doris Day and James Garner - Move Over Darling? It's a great remake, the kind that you can watch back to back with the original and still find both hilarious. They're both based on the 1925 film 'The Awful Truth.' Never seen that one, but my grandpa says that its good too. :)
Cheers!
Sarah Beth
Sunday, January 20, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by lotrsavvy
That's the same here! I only have a few friends that live nearby, everyone else is hours or states or countries away. lol
I won't have a turnout if I can't figure out what I wanna do... LOL I don't know why this is so hard. haha
Jennifer
Sunday, January 20, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by sharla88
LoL I would Prob. eat one if I ever get the chance and it's prepared properly.
Yep I own BAT, A Roman H, and Sabrina. I really want to see Green M., but I havent yet so I'll have to look out for that one. ;)
GB~
sharla~
Monday, January 21, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by CrossView
If you're up for it:
Tag! You're it! =D
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CrossView/465190/
Monday, January 21, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Striker
Where is my hairbrush? I think I lost it in the trash..... :D
~Striker
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