Darling, How Could You! (1951)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Mitchell Leisen

Writers:

J.M. Barrie (play)
Lesser Samuels (writer)

Release Date:

8 August 1951 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Based on James Barrie's play "Alice Sit-By-The-Fire". In turn-of-the-century New York, a young girl...

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman | Based On Play

Cast

Joan Fontaine	...	Mrs. Alice Grey
John Lund	...	Dr. Robert Grey
Mona Freeman	...	Amy Grey
Peter Hansen	...	Dr. Steven Clark
David Stollery	...	Cosmo (Charles) Grey
Virginia Farmer	...	Fanny
Angela Clarke	...	Molly's Nanny
Lowell Gilmore	...	Lord Aubrey Quayne
Robert Barrat	...	Mr. Rossiter
Gertrude Michael	...	Mrs. Rossiter
Mary Murphy	...	Sylvia
Frank Elliott	...	Simms
Billie Bird	...	Rosie
Willard Waterman	...	Theater Manager
Gordon Arnold	...	Man

Also Known As:

Alice Sit by the Fire (USA) (working title)
Rendezvous (UK)

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Darling film

Based on J. M. Barrie's play "Alice-Sit-By-The-Fire" this an entertaining comedy/drama with Joan Fontaine as Mrs. Alice Grey, John Lund as Dr. Robert Grey, and Mona Feeman as Amy Grey as their young teen-age daughter. Amy and their two other children, one an infant, and one a boy of about seven have been in the care of a nanny while Dr. and Mrs. Grey have been away for five years helping fight typhoid, malaria, and other diseases connected with the construction of the Panama Canal. The Grey's are homesick and decide to return to New York City and their children. Before their return, Amy and her brother see a Broadway play about a cheating wife and Amy declares she now knows all about the "seamy side" of life. After a period of awkward readjustment with their children, Amy overhears her mother's telephone conversation to Steven (played by Peter Hanson who is a friend of Dr. and Mrs. Grey) and Amy just knows her mother is having an affair just as the woman in the play did. She decides to put a stop to her mother's "seamy side" and dresses up in her mother's clothes and goes to Steven's house on the night she heard her mother say she would meet him there. When both her mother and father show up, poor Dr. Steven Clark is so confused because Amy told him that a married woman is secretly in love with him and would be coming to his house that evening. A really funny set of circumstances follow. Mrs. Grey finds her daughter hiding in a closet at Steven's house, all dressed up in Mrs. Grey's clothes, with gloves and tissues dangling from the bodice of her dress. As the misunderstanding unfolds, Dr. and Mrs. Grey play up the situation to the hilt. As usual Joan Fontaine, dressed in period costume, looks gorgeous and she and John Lund both do a great job of portraying their characters. Each shows their flair for comedy. John Lund was so handsome in this film. Mona Freeman was adorable as Amy and turned in a charming performance. She was perfect casting as Joan's daughter as she really looked like she could be Joan's own real-life offspring. It is seldom seen on cable, but if it does show up, try to catch it or tape it. It is worth a look.