I Love You Again (1940)

Boring businessman Larry Wilson recovers from amnesia and discovers he's really a con man...and loves his soon-to-be-ex wife.

Director:

W.S. Van Dyke (as W.S. Van Dyke II)

Writers:

Leon Gordon (original story), Maurine Dallas Watkins (original story) (as Maurine Watkins)

Stars:

William Powell, Myrna Loy, Frank McHugh

Cast

Complete credited cast:
William Powell	...	Larry Wilson aka George Carey
Myrna Loy	...	Kay Wilson
Frank McHugh	...	'Doc' Ryan
Edmund Lowe	...	Duke Sheldon
Donald Douglas	...	Herbert
Nella Walker	...	Kay's Mother
Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer	...	Harkspur Jr.
Pierre Watkin	...	Mr. Sims
Paul Stanton	...	Mr. Littlejohn Sr.
Morgan Wallace	...	Mr. Belenson
Charles Arnt	...	Billings

Storyline

While alone on a cruise, the upstanding - and mean - teetotaler, Larry Wilson, receives a blow on the head, causing him to revert to his old, forgotten persona of man-about-town and swindler, George Carey. Deciding to get what he can out of his position as Wilson, he returns to Wilson's hometown to continue the pretense. The only trouble is he takes a serious shine to his wife, Kay, and doesn't at all agree that Larry should be letting her go.

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Plot Keywords:

crying woman | screwball comedy | looking at oneself in a mirror | hometown | teetotaler | 

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Taglines:

It's one, long, loud l-a-u-g-h!

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

Co-stars William Powell and Edmund Lowe have both played detective Philo Vance in different films.

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Goofs

When Harkspur, Sr., Littlejohn and Belenson visit Larry at his home to discuss the land deal, at one point he walks over toward the window and the other three men follow him; as they stop and continue their conversation, Harkspur can be seen holding his hat in his left hand. There is a jump cut to the next shot and Harkspur is now holding his hat in his right hand.

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Quotes

George Carey: Elementary deer psychology.

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Connections

Featured in Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home to (1990)

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Soundtracks

Auld Lang Syne
(1788) (uncredited)
Traditional Scottish music
Played by the band greeting Wilson at the station

User Reviews

Hilarious

William Powell gets knocked on the head during an ocean cruise. It seems he's had amnesia for the past nine years and was a penny-pinching, thoroughly unlikable man married to Myrna Loy. Now that he's become his real self (which is strong and masculine) he falls in love with Loy. But she's planning to divorce him...so he has to win her all over again. And deal with his past as a gangster.

Very funny movie. Fast-moving, well-directed and acted...but it's all because of Loy and Powell. Those two were absolutely incredible on-screen--they played off each other brilliantly and their quick, non-stop dialogue and one-liners were just fantastic. I prefer this one over the "Thin Man" series they did--in the "Thin Man" they were always drinking and it was played for laughs!!! This one doesn't have that. Unfortunately it also doesn't have that adorable dog Asta.

Still, this quick and lots of fun. An excellent Hollywood comedy that (strangely) is almost forgotten today. Well worth seeing.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 August 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

I Love You Again

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1