THE BRIDE CAME C.O.D.

US, 1941, 92 minutes, Black and white.
James Cagney, Bette Davis, Eugene Pallette, Jack Carson, George Tobias, Harry Davenport, William Frawley.
Directed by William Keighley.

The Bride Came COD is a light comedy, interesting from the pairing of James Cagney and Bette Davis. Cagney was to win an Oscar in the coming year for Yankee Doodle Dandy. Bette Davis had already won two Oscars for Dangerous (1935) and Jezebel (1938).

This is a screwball comedy, Bette Davis as an oil heiress going to elope. It is a precipitate marriage and her father objects. James Cagney portrays a pilot who agrees to take the couple on board but return the bride to her father. Needless to say, predictable romantic complications occur.

Not a major contribution to the CV of either star – but a light 40s comedy.

1. How enjoyable a comedy? The qualities of the film as a comedy, the description of comedy?

2. The film as an early forties war time effort? James Cagney and Bette Davis vehicle? How did they match each other? Impact for audiences?

3. The unrealities for this kind of plot? suitable for fluffy comedy? Conventional? How well handled?

4. Bette Davis’ portrait of Joan Winfield as the spoilt heiress type at the night club, wanting to marry, acting in whims? her being kidnapped? Her tantrums? The comedy value in this?

5. The portrait of the band leader as a type for Joan Winfield to marry? The satire on the band leader type?

6. The presentation of the angry anguished father? Interfering in his daughters life? The comedy father?

7. Steve Collins as portrayed by James Cagney? The tough pilot type, the taking advantage of a situation, encountering the heiress and sparing with her?

8. The situation comedy of their being forced down, falling in the cactus, hiding away their battles and verbal lashings? The comedy of the dialogue? The revelation of the truth about each other? The inevitable falling in love?

9. The contribution to plot and comedy by the minor characters, the people where they were forced, reporters, the police etc?

10. How plausible the happy resolution? An appropriate ending for this kind of film? The film as an example of a well done Hollywood comedy? The values that it presented and stood for?