GUEST WIFE
US, 1945, 84 minutes, Black and white.
Claudette Colbert, Don Ameche, Richard Foran, Charles Dingle, Grant Mitchell.
Directed by Sam Wood.
Guest Wife is a 1945 screwball comedy - but not presented with the light touch. The contrived premise is that two men are great friends, one always preventing his more serious friend from enjoying an ordinary life. He turns up, from China, says that his boss wants to meet his wife - but he had invented her, writing letters for her. The friend allows his wife then to substitute. All kinds of identity complications and emotional complications arise. At first, the journalist exploits the situation, then the tables are turned and the wife gets her revenge on the friend.
It is the material that will be done very lightly in a French farce. However, Sam Wood is a much more serious director and does not move the film along with the pace it needs. Claudette Colbert as the wife seems to be enjoying herself and enters into the spirit of the thing. Don Ameche looks somewhat awkward as the journalist. Richard Foran defies belief as the accommodating friend (and in later days, commentators on sexual politics would be looking for subtexts in their relationship).
1. The popularity of this kind of film in the US at the end of World War II? How well does it stand up?
2. The plausibility of the plot, the happy marriage of the Prices, the friendship with Joe Parker, his exploits, turning up, the demands at the railway station, the bank problems, scandals, the passing off of Mary as his wife, the shenanigans in the hotel, the hotel detective, the shoemaker?
3. Black and white photography, Ohio, New York City? The jaunty musical score?
4. The character of Mary, in love with her husband, the comfortable-living wife, wanting a second honeymoon, dreading the telegram, dreading Joe's arrival, her reaction to him, the situation, her stranded on the train with him, going along with it despite resistance, with the boss, her pretences, listening to the letter from India, worn out, the phone call from Chris? Her continuing the plot, her deciding to turn the tables, accepting the visit to the country, her reaction to Joe, his bewilderment, meeting Susie and explaining things to her? At the house, her pretence, the night, his sitting in the rain? Chris and his being upset? The happy reconciliation - and the crashing into the signpost advertising Joe's work?
5. Joe, the man-about-town, the man-about-the-world, the friendship with Chris, the memories of the football game, his making demands, arriving, the situation, carrying it off, listening to the letter, doing the speeches, the night, his being a gentleman in the pyjamas, the next morning, his outing with Susie? Susie and her telling him that Mary was in love with him? The boss, going to the coast? The mix-ups at the table, Chris's arrival, the night, in the rain? His being assigned after he explained to the boss that the marriage was collapsing?
6. Chris, the devoted husband beyond belief, always eager, talking about Joe, staying behind, the scandal at the bank, arrival in New York, the clashes with the house detective? Turning up on the coast, the mix-ups, the antagonism of the boss? The happy ending?
7. The boss, his putting Joe on a pedestal, the story, the clashes with Chris, at his home?
8. The house detective and the complications, the man who sold shoes and his causing upsets in the nightclubs, the man at the bar and his double-takes about the relationships between the three?
9. The American screwball comedy, the light touch, the heavy touch?
