The film begins with Mary (Myrna Loy) and Jack (Warner Baxter) getting married. It's OBVIOUS to anyone watching that their good pal, Bill (Ian Hunter) is in love with Mary. Even a stranger who meets them after the wedding says as much! This is a weakness of the film...as Mary SHOULD have noticed Bill's body language and tone.
Soon after the wedding, the couple go from giddy and happy to reality. Jack is a workaholic and Mary is soon disappointed and wants out of the marriage. But she is pregnant and decides to stick it out...for the child's sake. At this time, it becomes even MORE obvious that Bill is in love with Mary....yet she and Jack see nothing. But what is Mary going to do when she ends up losing the baby and only has a distant husband to keep her company?
"To Mary--With Love" is a tough movie to love, as you have a rather strong dislike for one of the leads (Jack) and a mild annoyance with the other (Mary) and feel the third is a bit pathetic (Bill). I am NOT saying it's a bad movie...but that it has some strikes against it which prevent it from being better.
What I DID like was seeing Jack's journey from a rich and successful guy to a guy out of work due to the Depression. Believe it or not, during the Depression Hollywood SELDOM dealt with the Depression and folk who were out of work due to it...and the film deserves kudos for this. And, interestingly, when Jack was busy and successful AND when he was poor and out of work, he pretty much avoided coming home and being a husband. He's just a crappy husband for most of the story!
Overall, this is a melodrama that's a bit on the sappy side though it is well made. I think the 'stand by your man' aspect of the story was extremely unhealthy...especially when Jack became more abusive and began cheating on Mary. What sort of message is this movie making towards women?? Sure, she eventually wants a divorce...but it seems like too little, too late.
Soon after the wedding, the couple go from giddy and happy to reality. Jack is a workaholic and Mary is soon disappointed and wants out of the marriage. But she is pregnant and decides to stick it out...for the child's sake. At this time, it becomes even MORE obvious that Bill is in love with Mary....yet she and Jack see nothing. But what is Mary going to do when she ends up losing the baby and only has a distant husband to keep her company?
"To Mary--With Love" is a tough movie to love, as you have a rather strong dislike for one of the leads (Jack) and a mild annoyance with the other (Mary) and feel the third is a bit pathetic (Bill). I am NOT saying it's a bad movie...but that it has some strikes against it which prevent it from being better.
What I DID like was seeing Jack's journey from a rich and successful guy to a guy out of work due to the Depression. Believe it or not, during the Depression Hollywood SELDOM dealt with the Depression and folk who were out of work due to it...and the film deserves kudos for this. And, interestingly, when Jack was busy and successful AND when he was poor and out of work, he pretty much avoided coming home and being a husband. He's just a crappy husband for most of the story!
Overall, this is a melodrama that's a bit on the sappy side though it is well made. I think the 'stand by your man' aspect of the story was extremely unhealthy...especially when Jack became more abusive and began cheating on Mary. What sort of message is this movie making towards women?? Sure, she eventually wants a divorce...but it seems like too little, too late.