Ida Lupino was a tough little dame, both on the screen, behind the camera and apparently in real life. The daughter of British music hall star Stanley Lupino and niece of Lupino Lane also in the Halls, she was a trouper from day one and specialized in playing hard-boiled, world-weary women. Here, she is directing and co-starring in a tight little film about a man who gets himself in hot water with two wives, one baby and an adoption agency investigator who looks like Santa Claus(!).
Edmond O'Brien, the everyman of film, portrays the bigamist of the title, who just can't seem to help himself.....so he helps himself to both Lupino and Joan Fontaine. All goes well for a while but circumstances catch up with him and then it hits the fan. The ending leaves the unanswered question, "Who do you love?", and leaves the viewer wondering which one will take him back. My money is on Lupino.
Joan Fontaine plays the rather elegant business woman "first" wife in her usual cool and detached manner. She was coming off of a glorious career but was starting the descent that was inevitable for female stars of the 1940s. O'Brien does a yeoman's job as the man with the wedding bell blues and Edmund Gwenn, the real Santa Claus of 34th Street, is a little less jolly as the investigator. Jane Darwell, a staple of the 30s and 40s, has a bit part as the cleaning lady.
Lupino was directing Fontaine, who was the wife of her ex-husband Collier Young, who was the producer. Got that? All they needed was Howard Duff, Lupino's next husband to pop up as a detective!....or maybe Brian Aherne, Fontaine's former husband, to be the judge. All that aside, this is not a bad film and it did receive some good reviews when released. It's worth a watch.
Edmond O'Brien, the everyman of film, portrays the bigamist of the title, who just can't seem to help himself.....so he helps himself to both Lupino and Joan Fontaine. All goes well for a while but circumstances catch up with him and then it hits the fan. The ending leaves the unanswered question, "Who do you love?", and leaves the viewer wondering which one will take him back. My money is on Lupino.
Joan Fontaine plays the rather elegant business woman "first" wife in her usual cool and detached manner. She was coming off of a glorious career but was starting the descent that was inevitable for female stars of the 1940s. O'Brien does a yeoman's job as the man with the wedding bell blues and Edmund Gwenn, the real Santa Claus of 34th Street, is a little less jolly as the investigator. Jane Darwell, a staple of the 30s and 40s, has a bit part as the cleaning lady.
Lupino was directing Fontaine, who was the wife of her ex-husband Collier Young, who was the producer. Got that? All they needed was Howard Duff, Lupino's next husband to pop up as a detective!....or maybe Brian Aherne, Fontaine's former husband, to be the judge. All that aside, this is not a bad film and it did receive some good reviews when released. It's worth a watch.