We're Not Married

Isn't Romantic Comedy redundant?
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mrsl
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We're Not Married

Post by mrsl »

I guess this was billed as a 'rousing' comedy, but I saw very little that was funny. It was 5 couples who had been married by a Justice Of the Peace before his credentials became legal and several years later the couples were notified that their marriages were illegal.

The couples Fred Allen/Ginger Rogers (always a pleasure), had a morning radio coffee show as a happy, married couple, but they hated each other. ZsaZsa Gabor, as Louis Calhern's wife secretly planned to descimate him with her divorce options, not knowing he had received the letter (so, ha-ha on her). Marilyn Monroe running for the first Mrs. America has hubby David Waynes' support until he learns she will be traveling and he will end up as housewife and taking care of baby because prizes are not large. However, the letter free her to go for Miss America where she will win larger prizes. Paul Douglas, married to Eve Arden at first daydreams how much fun it would be to be single again, then realizes the cost, and burns the letter. Eddie Bracken (who I just don't like) and Mitzi Gaynor have the best story, and it is cute, but that's all I'll say.

Some of them get re-married at the end, and all ends happily, but you get a pretty good idea of how marriage was thought of in the 50's.

It's on FOX this month.
.
Anne


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Ollie
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Re: We're Not Married

Post by Ollie »

I enjoy the Louis Calhern vignette greatly; it's one of the few bits o' film where he's the Good Guy. And he delivers his character with a perfection that now I recognize as typical for him. I'd never studied his films until I'd seen this one. I'm glad it's on DVD.
jdb1

Re: We're Not Married

Post by jdb1 »

I don't think it's "rousingly funny," but I do like it a lot. My favorite episode is probably the Paul Douglas/Eve Arden segment. Not ha-ha funny, but very on target as to how a married couple gets used to each other, and one, the other, or both find it more convenient, and more realistic, to stay together than to part. Their rather dull dinnertime conversation is very real, and is in fact one of the things couples often take comfort in when the "magic" has faded.

Then there's that excised hillbilly segment, featuring Hope Emerson and a surprisingly randy Walter Brennan. If you know it exists, you will also probably notice that Victor Moore, the justice of the peace, clearly mouths that there are "five more" couples to inform after the first couple, rather than the "four more" that is dubbed in. I've seen that segment, and it looks exceedingly tame by today's standards.
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ken123
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Re: We're Not Married

Post by ken123 »

I have no memory of ever having seen this film, but It sounds most interesting. But if any film has to have a Gabor in it I would much prefer Eva. Incidentally I disliked Green Acres with a passion. :?
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JackFavell
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Re: We're Not Married

Post by JackFavell »

I certainly wouldn't call it a rousing comedy, but I really like this one... it's got a sort of charm about it, even though some of the segments are a little harsh. Kind of like a mini Adam's Rib. But I am a big fan of these kinds of episodic movies, like Tales of Manhattan, A Letter to Three Wives, etc.

I like the Paul Douglas segment and the Ginger/Fred segment too. Actually, the whole pleasure of watching it is in the casting - I am a big Paul Douglas fan, and I also just love David Wayne, so I probably would like this movie no matter what.
Ollie
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Re: We're Not Married

Post by Ollie »

I don't enjoy the sometimes change-of-mood/tenor flavor this film has. This is my problem with episodic-type films. This is also the complaint I issue against Preston Sturges films, too (the great slapstick comedy of SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS that transitions into the blackly-filmed wanted-for-murder conclusion). "I don't like getting into a rollercoaster ride!" I complain.

"Do ya wanna go again, though?" Yeah yeah yeah. I complain. I scream and yell, but I also hold up my hands and will go again and again. "So why do you say you don't like those?" I dunno. Maybe I like the early funny films. I dunno.

This is one of those wonderful Ginger-in-her-40s performance, and I really enjoy seeing her age in films, and I'm thankful she did these and allows me this pleasure.
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JackFavell
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Re: We're Not Married

Post by JackFavell »

I agree that sometimes they are uneven and a bit jarring (BTW,The first time I saw Sullivan's Travels I was horrified). I still can't watch some parts of Tales in Manhattan without squirming. But hey, I still enjoy the short story quality of these films. And I go back again and again to see my favorite parts, and how they are tied together.
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movieman1957
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Re: We're Not Married

Post by movieman1957 »

I didn't think it was all that much. The Rogers/Allen segment started to get on my nerves a bit but I did enjoy their little sleepy dance in their room when they woke up.

The Calhern segment was the one I enjoyed the most just to watch his happy face when he got the letter and could stick it to Zsa Zsa.

Overall, save for a few lines here and there, I didn't find it very funny.
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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