Directed By: Irving Reis
Written & Story By: Sidney Sheldon
Cinematography By: Robert DeGrasse & Nicholas Musuraca
Editor: Frederic Knudtson
Cast: Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, Shirley Temple, Rudy Vallee, Ray Collins
Teenaged Susan Turner, with a severe crush on playboy artist Richard Nugent, sneaks into his apartment to model for him and is found there by her sister Judge Margaret Turner. Threatened with jail, Nugent agrees to date Susan until the crush abates. He counters Susan's comic false sophistication by even more comic put-on teenage mannerisms, with a slapstick climax.
I love screwball comedies and for some reason I usually equate Cary grant with screwball comedies. Maybe it's my love of ARSENIC & OLD LACE and HIS GIRL FRIDAY. I expect fast , witty jokes and some physical comedy with a unpredictable atmosphere. Unfortunately time and again I am disappointed with films that claim to be screwball comedies, but end up not really containing that zany element. Ending up unfunny they fall way short of the mark.
This film obviously couldn't be made today. I mean the plot is atrocious by today's standards of dating a teenager, not because he wants to but because he is advised to.
It's one of those films that set up a cliché of meeting cute. Where 2 people that you know will end up together first meet in a dramatic, humorous or crazy way that sets then up usually as adversaries at the beginning but through getting to know each other are charmed and realize they are perfect for one another.
Myrna Loy was almost 23 years older than her on-screen sister Shirley Temple.
Which is why it takes awhile to review real classic films, As they are full of clichés that they originated and out of date yet overused now but back then they were standard and fresh. So you can't hold it Against them you have to remember the time period and history.
I enjoyed the film it has moments of craziness, but like most classic movies you get a sense of the screenwriters finger prints all over the film with the scenarios and the dialogue.
The director Irving Reis is more involved in the performances, background action and setups not so much created to distract but give extra entertainment.
I love the little touches like the little sister always trying to use big words to seem adult and set herself apart from her peers, but emotionally acts just a child.
The dinner scene is hilarious as it keeps building it's set up and balances it for a huge ending. In the end it is more subtle and hilarious.
I'm maybe biased as a practicing writer and Filmmaker in my appreciation of the writing.
Cary grant is a little more laid back then usual here, but he still has his charm on being the debonair gentleman which has always made him inspiring to me on the perfect model of being a gentleman and I have always been a fan of his style, his flair for physical comedy and linguistics humor. While this falls short of his classic comedies. I can say I enjoyed it despite its familiarity and a general sense of unbelievability.
It is also my first Shirley temple film. Here she is a teenager and I never saw her singing and dancing films when she was child. I have seen various scenes from them and am aware of them just never had a desire to watch any of them.
The film is not too inspired, but entertaining
A good rental
Grade: B-
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