Van Johnson and June Allyson were good together...if the material was good. Not so good when the material was stupid. And this material is the latter.
In the early parts of the film, Johnson seems downright creepy. He's supposed to be a bit of a playboy, but here he seems like more of a letch. Playing with Allyson's hair in a creepy way, blowing in her ear when she's clearly not inclined. Later in the film there's a bit of slapstick, which Johnson actually does quite well at, but it just seems so out of place in the film. Of course, later in the film he's sort of reformed once he begins falling in real love with Allyson.
And then there's Allyson. Well, somehow I just didn't find Allyson that funny as a drunk.
Perhaps the problem here is the plot and how they characterized Van Johnson's role. A children's' book writer who hates kids and is a playboy. It had potential. Unfulfilled potential, and the ultimate outcome was so obvious from the beginning.
If the film is saved by anyone, it is -- perhaps a bit, at least -- by Hume Cronyn as the publisher, and by Butch Jenkins, the child actor who portrays a child sort of "rented" to pretend Johnson has a son. More disappointing is a rather poor role for the very talented Una Merkel (although this was in the period of her career when she wasn't too popular). Arlene Dahl also had a disappointing role here; Dahl was quite a good actress, but never made it beyond supporting roles or starring in B pictures.
This film had potential, but turned out rather disappointing. It has its moments...for example a rather funny Indian sequence. But overall, this seems like a very long 98 minutes.
In the early parts of the film, Johnson seems downright creepy. He's supposed to be a bit of a playboy, but here he seems like more of a letch. Playing with Allyson's hair in a creepy way, blowing in her ear when she's clearly not inclined. Later in the film there's a bit of slapstick, which Johnson actually does quite well at, but it just seems so out of place in the film. Of course, later in the film he's sort of reformed once he begins falling in real love with Allyson.
And then there's Allyson. Well, somehow I just didn't find Allyson that funny as a drunk.
Perhaps the problem here is the plot and how they characterized Van Johnson's role. A children's' book writer who hates kids and is a playboy. It had potential. Unfulfilled potential, and the ultimate outcome was so obvious from the beginning.
If the film is saved by anyone, it is -- perhaps a bit, at least -- by Hume Cronyn as the publisher, and by Butch Jenkins, the child actor who portrays a child sort of "rented" to pretend Johnson has a son. More disappointing is a rather poor role for the very talented Una Merkel (although this was in the period of her career when she wasn't too popular). Arlene Dahl also had a disappointing role here; Dahl was quite a good actress, but never made it beyond supporting roles or starring in B pictures.
This film had potential, but turned out rather disappointing. It has its moments...for example a rather funny Indian sequence. But overall, this seems like a very long 98 minutes.