An incredibly likable cast fails to rise above what is known as one of the worst screwball comedy's ever. It's nor a fault of the stars, pretty much the fault of the writer, producer, director and home office for demanding the participation of veteran Lew Ayres, new top star Robert Taylor, and in her second film, British newcomer Greer Garson. Professionals all, they do their best to hide any disgust they might have felt after understanding the hopeless script, the absurd story and the risk of being labeled box office poison in a year that this list was published.
Old pals Taylor and Ayres find themselves at odds over the pretty Greer Garson, ironically engaged to Ayres. Involvement in a fox hunt has Garson and Taylor eloping, Ayres being graceful over it, and Taylor instantly disagreeable over his dislike of her entire family. That includes stuffy Reginald Owen, dizzy mother Billie Burke and flibbertigibbet aunt Laura Hope Crews. Taylor and Garson file for a quickly divorce, but numskull Ayres decides to reconcile them with a ridiculous drug that brings on amnesia.
Perhaps the female audiences bought this kind of nonsense in 1939, but the critics rightfully panned it. Audiences stayed away, the three stars managed to recover, and the film got tossed aside from memory. But the late show, home video and TCM have brought it out of the dustbin. A few funny moments here and there add only a few laughs, but mostly it's full of groans. The MGM gloss can't make up for how bad this is, although a supporting cast (also including Sara Haden as Taylor's secretary and Henry Travers) add what little class there is. Do we remember? Unfortunately yes! The whole thing begins to repeat itself towards the end, leading to an outlandish conclusion.
Old pals Taylor and Ayres find themselves at odds over the pretty Greer Garson, ironically engaged to Ayres. Involvement in a fox hunt has Garson and Taylor eloping, Ayres being graceful over it, and Taylor instantly disagreeable over his dislike of her entire family. That includes stuffy Reginald Owen, dizzy mother Billie Burke and flibbertigibbet aunt Laura Hope Crews. Taylor and Garson file for a quickly divorce, but numskull Ayres decides to reconcile them with a ridiculous drug that brings on amnesia.
Perhaps the female audiences bought this kind of nonsense in 1939, but the critics rightfully panned it. Audiences stayed away, the three stars managed to recover, and the film got tossed aside from memory. But the late show, home video and TCM have brought it out of the dustbin. A few funny moments here and there add only a few laughs, but mostly it's full of groans. The MGM gloss can't make up for how bad this is, although a supporting cast (also including Sara Haden as Taylor's secretary and Henry Travers) add what little class there is. Do we remember? Unfortunately yes! The whole thing begins to repeat itself towards the end, leading to an outlandish conclusion.