Next Time I Marry (1938) User Reviews

pleasant fluff

[a-n-g-e-l-1 · 7/10 · 7 January 2006]

heiress lucille ball has to marry a 'plain American' to get her inheritance. already engaged to fortune hunter boyfriend lee bowman(is he really a count, who knows)she engages road worker james ellison, who is prepared to marry her for a certain summe of money...

not an unusual plot for a 30's screwball comedy..

one of few early films with lucille ball that i saw, i didn't expect a laughing riot (never liked her later TV persona much)but i was pleasantly surprised by this one.

the plot is funny and has a good tempo, lucille gives a good performance as an hysterical heiress, james ellison is a delight(never noticed him in any other movies though)and overall this movie amused me enough to catch it a second time..(which isn't that easy since its not commercially available) recommended

Familiar but pleasant cross-country trip

[csteidler · 6/10 · 28 March 2014]

Rich girl Lucille Ball pulls up in her huge car alongside a WPA ditch-digging project. She offers handsome laborer James Ellison $1000 to marry her, after which she immediately ditches him and goes off to a ritzy party. Lucy is actually kind of obnoxious….will she learn her lesson before the end of the picture?

Not a lot of surprises in this mild comedy, but Lucy is fun to watch, Ellison is fine as the dogged and resourceful leading man, and Lee Bowman is hilarious as Lucy's goofy-accented South American fiancé.

We learn early on that Lucy's father's will requires her to marry a "plain American"—thus her rush to marry and get her money. When Ellison figures out that she's married him only to quickly divorce him, he vows to divorce her first, and from there on it's a race to Reno.

Besides its human cast, the picture stars a dog named Mike in a funny role, and also a little streamlined camper-trailer that Ellison pulls behind his car. The camper is at the center of much of the film's action, including a scene where Lucy sets it on fire in a harebrained attempt to escape.

No classic, I guess, but it's fast-paced and and has some solid laughs. --Oh, and a clever ending featuring a preacher and family piling into the car....

Good Performances In Poorly Set Up Screwball

[boblipton · 6/10 · 10 August 2021]

Lucille Ball -- in her first role heading the cast list -- wants to marry foreign fortune hunter Lee Bowman, but her father's will says she must marry an ordinary American if she is to inherit enough money to make her the richest woman in America. So she goes down a line of ditch diggers and settles on James Ellison and his Great Dane. She marries him, abandons him at a drug store and is going to get a divorce, but Ellison won't be the goat, so for reasons too tiresome to mention, they wind up going together to Reno in a trailer.

That's what's wrong with this screwball comedy. On the other hand, Garson Kanin directs with a light hand, and Miss Ball gives a good performance, without any of the mannerisms (funny though they would be) she would develop as she learned how to do comedy. See if you ca spot Ned Glass in his third screen appearance. Hint: he has hair.

Great performance by James Ellison

[morrisonhimself · 7/10 · 21 July 2021]

I love Lucy, and she's adorable as usual in this pleasant outing, but James Ellison shows why he should have been cast in many more and different roles.

Yes, he was a great cowboy, but as a leading man, he was good-looking and manly and confident and in control.

As another reviewer said, this is pleasant fluff; and it has a story that has been used probably countless times in one form or another, but the four major characters are played so well, with Lee Bowman as the competitor for the rich woman and Mantan Moreland as his chauffeur, it's more than worth watching, just to see them.

Other, even unbilled, performers such as the great Earl Hodgins, work beautifully under director Garson Kanin and make this fun and worth the time. Enjoy.

starring movie role for Lucy ( before Ricky came along)

[ksf-2 · 6/10 · 27 December 2007]

Next time I Marry stars Lucille Ball and any ensemble cast – it's just like an episode of her TV show – it even has a silver air stream trailer in which she would make the "The Long Long Trailer" almost twenty years later with Ricky. In the usual RKO mixed up love story caper, the rich girl must marry a common everyday guy (the dashing James Ellison) before she gets her family money, but she has many secrets and tricks up her sleeve, most of which don't work out as planned. Ellison's best-known role was Buffalo Bill in "The Plainsman" 1936, along with parts in many westerns. Lee Bowman plays a foreign count whose accent comes and goes in an un-convincing supporting role. As with most Lucy roles, as long as you buy into the story, you'll have a fun time. Look for Richard Elliott, the short jolly mayor from Andy Griffith, as the Justice of the Peace. Story is credited to Thames Williamson, but movie buffs will recognize a similar plot from four years before this. Also appears to be the second movie that Garson Kanin directed. Fun but a little silly!

Lucy Lucy Lucy

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 3 July 2019]

Heiress Nancy Crocker Fleming (Lucille Ball) grabs a random guy on the WPA ditch digging line and pays him $793 to get marry. Anthony J. Anthony has only his dog and his car trailer. Nancy's dead father had left his fortune to her only if she marries a "plain American". She intends to divorce Tony as soon as the money comes in and end the secret fake marriage. Foreigner Count Georgi is eager to marry her. When she accidentally drives away with Tony's dog, he come looking for her. The cops are called in and he's arrested for kidnapping.

The humor is definitely of its time. At least, Lucille Ball is allowed to do some physical comedy. Lighting the trailer on fire is something akin to I Love Lucy. The movie stays in that pocket of weird quirkiness. The subject matter is weird. Nancy and Tony could do a funnier meet-cute. The start is rushing too quickly. The first meeting would work better if Nancy's dilemma is explained at the top. Comedy is in the eye of the beholder. Time and culture has a way of making jokes not funny. I try to keep this in mind. This is a comedy of its time.

Playing safe!

[JohnHowardReid · 6/10 · 2 September 2014]

This "It Happened One Night" on wheels suffers from the casting of the comparatively dull James Ellison opposite the hitting-sparks-on-all- cylinders Lucille Ball in her first number one leading star role at RKO. Ellison looks a bit like Joel McCrea. In fact, McCrea would actually have made the ideal leading man for this picture. He is not only so much more charismatic but has exactly the right screen personality that would have paired perfectly with Lucy's. On the other hand, Ellison is always outclassed. We know how the picture is sure to end almost right from the start. The script has no suspense. True, it could have been made a good deal more amusing if the writers had been game to tackle the plot in a more satiric fashion. The two lead characters needed to be far more personable and individual, but still satiric and even exotic. But for some reason, while Lucy Ball has the right go-for-it approach, Ellison and the rest of the cast, plus the writers and director Garson Kanin keep holding back and playing safe. Available on an excellent Warner Archive DVD.

Lovely Lucy in Her First Starring Role

[HarlowMGM · 8/10 · 9 November 2006]

This short (65 minutes) comedy is one of the better "B" movie variations of "It Happened One Night" from the 1930's. Lucille Ball stars as a heiress whose father's will requires her to marry an American. Trouble is she is in love with a penniless count who is basically just interested in her money. Lucy concocts a plan to marry and divorce ditch-digger James Ellison, offering him a thousand to marry her. Ellison needs $793.00 to pay off a bill so he goes along with it - but then is angry when he feels she played him for a sap when she informs him she's going to Reno to divorce him immediately. Ellison is determined to beat her there and file for divorce himself and the duo fight across the country on the way to Reno. If you wonder how it ends you haven't seen many romantic comedies.

Lucy is very beautiful in this, her first starring film and proves she already was a wonderful comedienne in this comedy made some 13 years before the debut of I LOVE LUCY. She also proved she was unafraid to get into unglamorous and physical comic situations even at this young age (27) quite unlike most attractive actresses. (Like the much later THE FULLER BRUSH GIRL, this movie shows Lucy is drop dead gorgeous soaking wet, maybe they should have dunked her in all her pictures.) Leading man James Ellison is quite good too as the down-to-earth Joe dubbed "Cinderella man" by the press for his marriage to the wealthy heiress (Ellison also looks pretty good soaked). I don't think I've ever seen Ellison before - his career was basically divided into three parts, first bit player, then "B" movie leads like here, and finally starring in low-budget "B" westerns. Ellison is good-looking in a low key way, quite tall, and has an athletic build and is very good here but perhaps his career didn't take off in part because either because of his strong resemblance to Joel McCrea or the fact that very few handsome men became major stars back then. The movie is so short not much attention is given to character actors, quite unusual for comedies of the period, Lucy, James, his over-sized dog, and the count are pretty much the whole show. Fans of Lucy's later movie hit THE LONG LONG TRAILER will enjoy seeing Lucy in similar situations on the road with a travel trailer here. This is a good little movie, a must for Lucy lovers and those who enjoy the comedy romances of the era.

Or "The Short, Short Trailer"

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 22 November 2011]

Lucy's in the back of a moving trailer here, not as big as the one she would be in while Desi sang in "The Long Long Trailer" 16 years later. This time, she's being held captive by the man (James Ellison) whom she bribed into marriage in an effort to for him to get to Reno before she does so he can avoid being labeled a Cinderella Man.

Ms. Ball plays another wacky heiress, not as clever as Carole Lombard in "My Man Godfrey" or Constance Bennett in "Merrilly We Live". In fact, she's quite an idiot, setting the moving trailer she is in on fire simply to get Ellison upset, then getting soaked when Ellison turns a hose on her in order to teach her a lesson and put the fire out.

There are a few laughs here, but not many, and it really doesn't make sense for her to marry him, have the marriage annulled, just so she can marry a titled European (the pompous Lee Bowman). Ellison and Ball have so little chemistry; She has more spark with the large dog Ellison accuses her of kidnapping.

Lucy fans will recognize her talent for comedy, but for movies, she had much funnier material in the later "Her Husband's Affairs" (1947) and "The Fuller Brush Girl" (1950). Ironically, the same year, she would appear in another movie involving a trailer (possibly the same one used here?) opposite Joe Penner in the mildly funnier "Go Chase Yourself".

To me, the writer made her a bit too selfish and spoiled.

[planktonrules · 4/10 · 16 October 2021]

The plot to "Next Time I Marry" could have worked really well. However, whoever wrote the film really missed the mark when it came to Lucille Ball's character, Nancy. It strongly impacted how I liked the film...especially since it's supposed to be a romantic comedy.

When the story begins, Nancy stops at the side of the road and begins offering various men $500! Anthony (James Ellison) could use the money and he accepts...especially when she raises the money to $1000! So what does he need to do for the money? Marry her...a woman he just met!! Why would she do this? Apparently, she's an heiress but can only collect the money if she marries!

As I said, this idea could have worked. But the writer made Nancy unredeemingly selfish and cruel...to the point where it sure wasn't very funny. First, after marrying, she asks him to go get her some cigarettes in a store...and then drives away without him! Second, when he finally learns who he's married and where she lives, he shows up and she tells him to get lost....with no explanation why she did any of this!! To make it worse, Anthony had a dog in the car with her and she just dumped the animal at a kennel. When asked where, she basically said it wasn't important and she couldn't recall the place's name!! But it gets worse. Friends saw her being whisked away by Anthony (after he wants his dog!) and call the police. When the cops see the car and stops them, she claims she was kidnapped and he almost went to jail. But he is able to prove she's his wife....and the police let him go. Then, because she's angry at him and doesn't want to go with him (although he's done nothing wrong), she lights his trailer on fire!!! Why?? All this just makes Nancy seem evil and completely self-centered....and you really feel sorry for her poor husband. Can the film get better and overcome this huge problem as Anthony drives this 'lady' to Reno for a divorce?

This is an odd film and it reminds me of another Lucille Ball film where she played the most vicious person..."The Big Street". In it, she might have even been meaner and more self-centered! I am a person who can like her other films or TVs but still admit she made a few stinkers....and I can't see how either film would help her image with fans. However, I noticed that reviewers for both films totally ignored her nastiness and loved the films. I honestly feel as if they are more affirming their love of Ms. Ball than the films themselves because a rom-com simply is ineffective if you late the leading lady! Had they softened her characters in both, it would have helped tremendously.

So despite its faults is it worth seeing? Yes, but only as a time-passer. Had they softened Nancy more and made her change of heart less abrupt and inexplicable, I could have seen giving it a 6 or 7. As it is, a 4 seems reasonable.

By the way, I saw several reviews that talk about the racism in the film. I just didn't see it this way. Yes, Mantan Moreland plays a chauffer....so what?! Are they suggesting there should be no black characters in the film? I am just very confused by this...especially since, sadly, back in 1938 a job like this or a maid was pretty common for black Americans.

"That's white of you."

[utgard14 · 5/10 · 14 June 2014]

Far-fetched bit of fluff starring Lucille Ball as an heiress who pays a complete stranger to marry her. Ditch digger James Ellison is the lucky groom. Why she does this is because of a stipulation in her father's will that says she can't get her inheritance unless she marries a "plain American." Apparently her father was worried about foreign gold diggers seducing his daughter for her money. I've seen this theme in a lot of movies from the '30s so I guess there was an epidemic of international gold diggers fleecing unsuspecting American heiresses back then. Once married, Lucy will inherit the money and then she can divorce Ellison and marry the guy she's really interested in, foreign gold digger Lee Bowman. Guess Dad knew what he was doing, after all. Anyway, Lucy plans to divorce Ellison but he gets ticked off and decides to divorce her first to publicly humiliate her or something. I was a little unclear about the reasoning there but they had to have a conflict to fill time, I suppose.

This is a rather lame screwball comedy that suffers from having unlikable characters doing unrelatable things. Lucy's pretty but there's very little of her comedic abilities on display here. Her character is insufferable. The only scene I can think of that hinted at the greatness to come for her is the scene where she and the dog tussle over some bacon. James Ellison is a sort of poor man's Joel McCrea. It's hard to really root for him either since he was mercenary enough to marry a woman he just met for money. It's a staple of screwball comedies to put characters in extraordinary situations and have them act as absurdly as possible. But it only works when you like the characters. If you don't, their madcap antics are just annoying. Don't even get me started on how this affects the romantic element of the movie. And what was with that dark and totally out of place scene where it's implied the two guys are about to rape Lucy? Creepy. Anything with Lucy is worth seeing but this is one where I doubt you'll be in any hurry to rewatch it.

Odd Little Film

[bbrebozo · 3/10 · 14 June 2014]

This odd little movie sets out to prove that any white American male, randomly selected off the street, can easily outsmart a team consisting of a foreigner, a woman and a black person.

Lucille Ball's recently-deceased father insists, in his will, that she must marry a "plain American" to inherit his fortune. So she offers money to various "plain American" men on the street in return for agreeing to marry her, and finally one accepts. After she marries the man, Ball sets off for Reno in the company of the foreign husband she really wants to marry and her black "yowza, ma'am" chauffeur, to get a divorce and collect her father's inheritance. But our smug and somewhat smarmy "plain American" blocks her at every turn, which includes forcibly putting her over his shoulder and kidnapping her, soaking her with a hose, and locking her in a trailer while driving recklessly through rough terrain, until she flees in panic and is nearly raped by two passers-by. Yeah, quite a laugh riot, all right.

But on the plus side, being saved from a near-rape seems to cause Lucille Ball to fall in love with the "plain American." So there you go.

The phrase "mighty white of you" makes its appearance just minutes into the film, and a string of "yowzas" emerge from the black guy a little bit later. While I promise you I'm in no way a member of the Politically Correct squad, the whole movie made me cringe, and really prevented any enjoyment I may have gotten from it. Were things that much different in 1938? Maybe so, but I'm glad we've moved to where we are now.

next time i marry

[mossgrymk · 3/10 · 5 August 2021]

This unfunny film provides a good snapshot of racist, xenophobic America just before WW2 forced it to (somewhat) jettison the later prejudice, if not the former.