Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941)

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writer:

Norman Krasna (story)

Release Date:

31 January 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Lombard and Montgomery Get Hitched As They're Getting Unhitched ! [DVD USA]

Plot:

Not a typical Hitchcock movie, this is a comedy about a couple who learn that their marriage was not valid.

Plot Keywords:

Marriage | New York | Champagne | Playing Footsie | Argument

Cast

Carole Lombard	...	Ann
Robert Montgomery	...	David
Gene Raymond	...	Jeff
Jack Carson	...	Chuck
Philip Merivale	...	Mr. Custer
Lucile Watson	...	Mrs. Custer
William Tracy	...	Sammy
Charles Halton	...	Mr. Deever
Esther Dale	...	Mrs. Krausheimer
Emma Dunn	...	Martha
Betty Compson	...	Gertie
Patricia Farr	...	Gloria
William Edmunds	...	Proprietor Lucy's
Pamela Blake	...	Lily (as Adele Pearce)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ernie Alexander	...	Bellhop at Lodge (uncredited)
Murray Alper	...	Harold - Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Ralph Brooks	...	Waiter Captain (uncredited)
Georgia Carroll	...	Attractive Woman in Night Club (uncredited)
Francis Compton	...	Mr. Flugle (uncredited)
James Conaty	...	Nightclub Dance Extra (uncredited)
Alec Craig	...	Thomas - Beefeaters Club Clerk (uncredited)
Sayre Dearing	...	Nightclub Extra (uncredited)
Ralph Dunn	...	Cop (uncredited)
James Flavin	...	Attractive Woman's Escort (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Nightclub Extra (uncredited)
Jack Gardner	...	Elevator Boy (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Nightclub Extra (uncredited)
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Man Passing David Smith on Street (uncredited)
D. Johnson	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Robert Emmett Keane	...	Store Manager (uncredited)
Beatrice Maude	...	Jeff's Secretary (uncredited)
Frank Mills	...	Dining Taxi Driver (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Emory Parnell	...	Conway (uncredited)
James Pierce	...	Doorman (uncredited)
Ronald R. Rondell	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Ralph Sanford	...	Store Checker (uncredited)
Stanley Taylor	...	Lodge Clerk (uncredited)
Russell Wade	...	Nightclub Extra (uncredited)
Allen Wood	...	Bellhop at Lodge (uncredited)
Barbara Woodell	...	Sunny - David's Secretary (uncredited)

Directed by
Alfred Hitchcock

Writing credits
Norman Krasna		(story and screenplay)

Produced by
Harry E. Edington	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Edward Ward		(musical score by)

Cinematography by
Harry Stradling Sr.		(as Harry Stradling)

Film Editing by
William Hamilton

Art Direction by
Van Nest Polglase
Albert S. D'Agostino		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Darrell Silvera

Costume Design by
Irene		(gowns)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dewey Starkey	....	assistant director

Art Department
Lawrence P. Williams	....	associate art director (as L.P. Williams)

Sound Department
John E. Tribby	....	recordist

Special Effects by
Vernon L. Walker	....	special effects

Music Department
Roy Webb	....	musical director (uncredited)

Other crew
Tommy Garland	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Betty Hall	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Bob Marlow	....	stand-in (uncredited)

Production Companies

• RKO Radio Pictures (presents)

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1941) (USA) (theatrical)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1957) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Fox Hills Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Nostalgia Merchant, The (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2011) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

South Korea:12 | USA:TV-G | Canada:PG (video rating) | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:7 (1945) | Spain:T | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #6670) | UK:U (video rating) | UK:A (original rating) | UK:U

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

Director Cameo: [Alfred Hitchcock]about halfway through the movie passing David Smith in front of his building.

Goofs:

Continuity: When David is gurgling while pretending to be ill, he tilts his towards Jeff twice in subsequent shots.

Quotes:

Ann:If you had it all to do over again, would you still have married me?
David:Honestly, no.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Mr. Hitchcock Meets the Smiths (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

The Sidewalks of New York

this is hitchcock?

As a long-time Hitchcock fan, I avoided this as I would some of his silent dramas, as not typical of his work. However, I just watched one of the funniest, smartest, and sweetest screwball comedies I have ever seen, ranking for me with My Man Godfrey and Miracle of Morgan's Creek. Carole Lombard is absolutely radiant and I found myself laughing out loud many times, something I don't do usually when watching a movie alone. I adored it and I can't see why its rating isn't higher here. Hitchcock excelled as much at comedy as suspense and this one proves it.