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IMDbPro

My Favorite Wife

  • 19401940
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
11K
YOUR RATING
Cary Grant, Irene Dunne, and Gail Patrick in My Favorite Wife (1940)
Official Trailer
Play trailer2:40
1 Video
31 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Romance
Missing for seven years and presumed dead, a woman returns home on the day of her husband's second marriage.Missing for seven years and presumed dead, a woman returns home on the day of her husband's second marriage.Missing for seven years and presumed dead, a woman returns home on the day of her husband's second marriage.
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
11K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Garson Kanin
  • Writers
    • Bella Spewack(original story)
    • Sam Spewack(original story)
    • Leo McCarey(original story)
  • Stars
    • Irene Dunne
    • Cary Grant
    • Randolph Scott
Top credits
  • Director
    • Garson Kanin
  • Writers
    • Bella Spewack(original story)
    • Sam Spewack(original story)
    • Leo McCarey(original story)
  • Stars
    • Irene Dunne
    • Cary Grant
    • Randolph Scott
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 96User reviews
    • 28Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 3 Oscars
      • 3 nominations total

    Videos1

    My Favorite Wife
    Trailer 2:40
    My Favorite Wife

    Photos31

    Cary Grant, Pedro de Cordoba, and Gail Patrick in My Favorite Wife (1940)
    Cary Grant, Scotty Beckett, Mary Lou Harrington, and Ann Shoemaker in My Favorite Wife (1940)
    Cary Grant and Gail Patrick in My Favorite Wife (1940)
    Cary Grant, Randolph Scott, and Irene Dunne in My Favorite Wife (1940)
    Cary Grant in My Favorite Wife (1940)
    Cary Grant, Randolph Scott, and Irene Dunne in My Favorite Wife (1940)
    Cary Grant in My Favorite Wife (1940)
    Cary Grant, Randolph Scott, and Irene Dunne in My Favorite Wife (1940)
    Cary Grant and Gail Patrick in My Favorite Wife (1940)
    Cary Grant and Gail Patrick in My Favorite Wife (1940)
    Cary Grant and Gail Patrick in My Favorite Wife (1940)
    Cary Grant and Gail Patrick in My Favorite Wife (1940)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Irene Dunne
    Irene Dunne
    • Ellen Wagstaff Ardenas Ellen Wagstaff Arden
    Cary Grant
    Cary Grant
    • Nick Ardenas Nick Arden
    Randolph Scott
    Randolph Scott
    • Stephen Burkettas Stephen Burkett
    Gail Patrick
    Gail Patrick
    • Bianca Batesas Bianca Bates
    Ann Shoemaker
    Ann Shoemaker
    • Ma Wagstaffas Ma Wagstaff
    Scotty Beckett
    Scotty Beckett
    • Tim Ardenas Tim Arden
    Mary Lou Harrington
    • Chinch Ardenas Chinch Arden
    Donald MacBride
    Donald MacBride
    • Yosemite Hotel Clerkas Yosemite Hotel Clerk
    Hugh O'Connell
    Hugh O'Connell
    • Johnson - Insurance Adjusteras Johnson - Insurance Adjuster
    Granville Bates
    Granville Bates
    • Judge Brysonas Judge Bryson
    Pedro de Cordoba
    Pedro de Cordoba
    • Dr. Kohlmaras Dr. Kohlmar
    Jean Acker
    Jean Acker
    • Postponed Case Witnessas Postponed Case Witness
    • (uncredited)
    Murray Alper
    Murray Alper
    • Yosemite Bartenderas Yosemite Bartender
    • (uncredited)
    Leon Belasco
    Leon Belasco
    • Waiter - Pacific Club Poolsideas Waiter - Pacific Club Poolside
    • (uncredited)
    Joe Cabrillas
    • Phillipas Phillip
    • (uncredited)
    Bill Cartledge
    • Page Boy Paging Burkettas Page Boy Paging Burkett
    • (uncredited)
    Chester Clute
    Chester Clute
    • Shoe Salesmanas Shoe Salesman
    • (uncredited)
    Corky
    • Corky the Dogas Corky the Dog
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Garson Kanin
    • Writers
      • Bella Spewack(original story) (written for the screen by)
      • Sam Spewack(original story) (written for the screen by)
      • Leo McCarey(original story)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Cary Grant and Randolph Scott, who play rivals in this film, lived together on and off between 1932 and 1944.
    • Goofs
      When Ellen has her first hot shower 'in seven years', she's wearing a bathing cap, rather than wash her hair in the shower.
    • Quotes

      Nick Arden: I came here with my wife... hum... my bride really. Now my wife, not my bride... my wife... Why should I bore you with details?

      Hotel clerk: I won't be bored.

      Nick Arden: Listen, it's just simple as A B C.

      Hotel clerk: Don't tell me you got someone in B?

    • Crazy credits
      Rather than the normal "The End" title as the movie concludes, "Good Night" is drawn in cursive handwriting.
    • Connections
      Edited into Marilyn: Something's Got to Give (1990)
    • Soundtracks
      Jingle Bells
      (1857) (uncredited)

      Written by James Pierpont

      Played as part of the score when Cary Grant dons his Santa Claus costume

    User reviews96

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    No more carrots
    The film starts in a courtroom with lawyer Cary Grant (Nick) getting his 1st wife Irene Dunne (Ellen) pronounced legally dead by Judge Granville Bates. Dunne has been missing for 7 years and it's time for Grant to move on. Specifically, with Gail Patrick (Bianca). The Judge, after painfully dithering about – some people find this funny, I didn't – then agrees to marry Grant and Patrick, and they go off to their honeymoon. But what's this……first wife Irene Dunne returns home! She's not dead. She heads for the honeymoon hotel. What is everyone to do….?

    The cast are mainly good in this film. Cary Grant spars well with everybody, and especially with hotel clerk Donald MacBride. There are many funny scenes that include Grant's reaction in a hotel lift when he first sees Irene Dunne. He also has an amusing scene with Pedro de Cordoba (Dr Kohlmar) as he rifles through a wardrobe full of ladies clothes, explaining he is doing it for a friend, and "he's waiting outside". There is another amusing set-up with the story of Irene Dunne's male partner on the desert island – hunky Randolph Scott (Burkett). Dunne tries to pass off meek Chester Clute as the man she has innocently spent 7 years with to a knowing Cary Grant.

    However, whilst, the film is entertaining and is easy to watch, it peters out at the end once the action moves to the mountain home. It gets sentimental and silly, and the film could have been resolved in a far more satisfactory manner. We are left with a few questions regarding the plot, such as what has Gail Patrick done to deserve what has just happened? Is Randolph Scott a complete carrot-eating moron? And Irene Dunne is actually pretty awful considering that she is meant to love Cary Grant. The children are a bit irritating and Irene Dunne has an annoying episode where she puts on a Southern accent, but, despite all of that, this is a fun film.
    helpful•9
    2
    • AAdaSC
    • Aug 11, 2014

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 17, 1940 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Meine liebste Frau
    • Filming locations
      • Ahwanee Hotel, Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California, USA
    • Production company
      • RKO Radio Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 28 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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    Cary Grant, Irene Dunne, and Gail Patrick in My Favorite Wife (1940)
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