This Time for Keeps

"This Time For Keeps" is a pleasant little film, but it also is pretty forgettable--more like an episode of a 1950s TV sitcom than a traditional movie. Unlike a TV show, however, the film meanders very slowly to the conclusion--taking a very leisurely pace that is nice but far from exciting.

The film begins with a young married couple. The wife (Ann Rutherford) is going away for a few days and her husband (Robert Sterling) plans on living it up while she's gone. However, his fun is very short-lived as he's hopelessly married and lost without her. In the interim, her family takes him under wing--inviting him to stay with them. This also allows him to get closer to his nice-guy father-in-law (Guy Kibbee). Things end up going so well between the the men that Kibbee offers to have the young man go into business with him. They sure have become a lot closer, but Kibbee is also unintentionally smothering Sterling--and Sterling only wants a chance to make good. Eventually, his efforts to create a niche for himself in the business ends up leading to tension with his wife...and his father-in-law is oblivious to this. Can this all be worked out for a happy ending? Tune in and see if you are looking for a breezy time-passer.

This film is not objectionable at all, but it also is pretty shallow and forgettable. My advice is to see it by all means if you love old films and have some spare time. However, if this isn't the case, pick another film--one with a bit more meat to it.