EASY TO WED
US, 1946, 110 minutes, Colour.
Van Johnson, Esther Williams, Lucille Ball, Keenan Wynn, Cecil Kellaway, Carlos Ramirez, Ben Blue, Ethel Smith.
Directed by Edward Buzzell.
Easy To Wed is a big-budget M.G.M. comedy of the rtid-'40s. It is a star vehicle for Esther Williams - who doesn't get to swim all that much. Her leading man is Van Johnson who appeared with her in Thrill of a Romance and was to appear in Duchess of Idaho and Easy to Love. Keenan Wynn and Lucille Ball make a very good supporting comedy couple. Cecil Kellaway is Esther Williams' father and seems to enjoy himself in the role.
The film is a remake of a very successful coined of the'30s, Libelled Lady which starred William Powell, Spencer Tracy, Myrna Loy and Jean Harlow. It is pleasantly frothy - but highlights the gossip columns in the American papers, reputations, libel suits and the arrogance of the rich. It pokes fun at these - but enjoys them nonetheless. The film was made with big budget and lavish production values.
1. An entertaining screwball comedy - given the lavish 1940s treatment? (Comparisons with the '30s black and white style and the star power of Libelled Lady?)
2. M.G.M. production values, colour photography, lavish sets, swimming sequences? The musical background? The popularity of the stars at the time?
3. The humour and irony of the title? The focus on Bill Chandler as a ladies' man? The difficulties for Warren and Gladys to get married? The change of focus from Libelled Lady?
4. The elements of screwball comedy - not to be taken realistically? The rich and the yellow press with their libels? The journalists and the devices to get the papers out of their difficulties? High society people and their libel suits? A good mixture for comedy?
5. The focus on Connie as an arrogant society woman? Her love for her father, her disdain of others, society life and fashion resorts? The initial encounters with Bill and their clashes, her seeing through him, yet fascinated? The clashes with Warren? Her being the victim of the set-up - where did audience sympathies lie? The eventual happy resolution and falling in love?
6. Van Johnson as the ladies' man - his reputation, his wanting to be a singer, his anticipating Warren's proposals, his going along with the situation, studying up on duck-hunting, infiltrating the Allenbury party, the social situations, Connie turning the tables on him with cocktail parties etc.? His going duck-hunting - and Connie knowing the truth? The comedy sequences, the battle of the sexes, the final romance?
7. Keenan Wynn's comedy style as Warren? Devoted to the paper, leaving Gladys at the altar? A shrewd manoeuvrers - outwitted by Bill but yet outwitting him, especially with the valid marriage of Bill and Gladys? Trying to set up Gladys as the other woman? His clashes with Connie? Reunion with Gladys? Lucille Ball's comic style as Gladys - daffy redhead, musical comedy star, her songs, comic routines, impersonations - as well as frustrated bride waiting at the altar? Her dislike of Bill? The happy ending?
8. Cecil Kellaway's genial portrait of a millionaire duck-hunter? His devotion to his daughter? His devotion to duck-hunting? His liking Bill?
9. The musical numbers with Carlos Ramirez, with Ethel Smith? Comedy from Ben Blue as the photographer.
10. A pleasant entertainment of its time? The style of M.G.M. entertainment of the '40s, popular tastes?
