My Favorite Wife (1940)

Missing for seven years and presumed dead, a woman returns home on the day of her husband's second marriage.

Director:

Garson Kanin

Writers:

Bella Spewack (original story), Sam Spewack (original story) (as Samuel Spewack)

Stars:

Irene Dunne, Cary Grant, Randolph Scott

Nominated for 3 Oscars.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Irene Dunne	...	Ellen Wagstaff Arden
Cary Grant	...	Nick Arden
Randolph Scott	...	Stephen Burkett
Gail Patrick	...	Bianca Bates
Ann Shoemaker	...	Ma - Nick's Mother
Scotty Beckett	...	Tim - the Ardens' Son
Mary Lou Harrington	...	Chinch - the Ardens' Daughter
Donald MacBride	...	Hotel Clerk
Hugh O'Connell	...	Johnson - Insurance Adjuster
Granville Bates	...	Judge Bryson
Pedro de Cordoba	...	Dr. Kohlmar

Storyline

Ellen Arden arrives 7 years after being given up for dead in a shipwreck, to find her husband Nick just remarried to Bianca. The overjoyed Nick awkwardly tries to break the news gently to Bianca. But before he can do that, an unpleasant surprise--news that Ellen has spent the 7 years on a deserted island with fellow-survivor Burkett. Nick's jealousy tries to find out the truth. Hilarious confusion reigns before Nick chooses his favorite wife.

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Plot Keywords:

bare chested male | screwball comedy | f rated | presumed dead | jealousy | 

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Taglines:

The funniest, fastest honeymoon ever screened!

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Several performers listed in studio records as being in this movie are not seen. These were (with their character names, if any): Joseph E. Bernard, Edward Emerson and Bruce MacFarlane (Reporters), Frank Marlowe (Photographer), Cyril Ring (Contestant), Brandon Tynan (Dr. Manning), and Frank Ellis.

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Goofs

When Nick first tries to sleep in the bed in the attic of the cabin, he pulls a toy cannon from under the bed and throws it across the room. When he does this, the doll on the night stand falls over; the trip wire can be seen swinging behind Nick. In fact, the pin at the end of the wire lands on Nick's head.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Judge Walter Bryson: [as the omnipotent viewer/camera enters the Los Angeles County Court Of General Sessions / Judge Walter Bryson Presiding and as the bickering over a previous case dies down] Alright, alright. The case is postponed till next Thursday. Now that'll be the 26th.
Postponed Case Lawyer: Thank you Your Honor.
Judge Walter Bryson: Be here.
Court Clerk Beside Judge Bryson: Are the parties ready in the matter of Ellen Wagstaff Arden?
Nick Arden: Yes here.
[smiles endearingly at Bianca and approaches the bench]
Nick Arden: Good morning Your Honor.
Judge Walter Bryson: Good morning.
[...]

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Crazy Credits

The opening credits are embroidered on lace-lined silk squares, reminiscent of wedding pillows that hold the rings when there are children bearing them.

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Connections

Featured in The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender (1997)

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Soundtracks

The Skaters Waltz (Les patineurs)
(1882) (uncredited)
Music by Emil Waldteufel

User Reviews

An Entertaining Use of the Idea

This gets pretty good comic mileage out of the often-used 'Enoch Arden' (or, as here, 'Ellen Arden') idea of the long-lost spouse who returns to find his/her spouse now involved with someone else. Numerous movies have used it both for drama and for comedy, and in this case, the premise is adapted to the screwball comedy formula that was so popular for a time in the 1930s and 1940s.

The story starts by slightly revising the usual setup, with Irene Dunne as the formerly shipwrecked spouse, Cary Grant as the husband who has since become involved with another woman (Gail Patrick), plus Randolph Scott as a wild card in the relationships. Practically every stage of the story is highly implausible (probably deliberately so) but amusing, and it is generally left to the cast to make things work, which they usually do.

Grant usually seems quite at home in this kind of comedy, and he and Dunne work well together, depicting their characters' relationship with the kinds of intangibles that help make the whole scenario more believable. Patrick is always quite good as an elegantly icy rival to the heroine, and Scott also works well here in his role. Amongst the supporting cast, Granville Bates gets some very good moments as the grouchy judge.

For as far-fetched as the scenario seems at times, it works pretty well. The cast is strong enough to carry the weight, and it would have been hard to improve upon their combination of talents. It doesn't have quite the depth of comic variety or the subtlety of implied commentary that the best screwball comedies have, but it's an entertaining movie worth seeing.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 May 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

My Favorite Wife

Filming Locations:

Ahwanee Hotel, Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min 75 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1