I Was a Male War Bride (1949)
Grade: 82
Cary Grant had to undergo various humiliations in many of his comedies. In "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948)" he lurches from one disaster to another. But the worst was yet to come. In his next film, "I Was a Male War Bride", he is a victim of multiple physical gags, is repeatedly forced to sleep in uncomfortable environments, and worst of all, must dress up as a woman in order to board a ship.
Grant is a French Army officer (with no French accent) who keeps getting assigned to work with American officer Ann Sheridan. Disguising their real feelings, they pretend to dislike each other, leading to much insulting and entertaining dialogue. While working on a mission to recruit a German lens-grinder, Grant gets into and out of trouble, getting arrested, having a motorcycle accident, etc.
Sheridan, a secret masochist, greatly enjoys Grant's humiliations, some of which she actually instigates.
Eventually the two recognize their true feelings, and get married. But when Sheridan must return to the States, Grant as an alien has only one recourse to return with her: as Sheridan's war bride.
"I Was a Male War Bride" was the third of four comedies starring Cary Grant that were directed by Howard Hawks. All four films (the others were "Bringing Up Baby", "His Girl Friday" and "Monkey Business") are excellent. All but "Bringing Up Baby" had scripts credited to Charles Lederer, whose talents never succeeded in getting an Oscar nomination. That's the trouble with writing comedies, they're not taken seriously!
kollers@mpsi.net http://members.tripod.com/~Brian_Koller/movies.html
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