The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947)

A high school girl falls for a playboy artist, with screwball results.

Director:

Irving Reis

Writer:

Sidney Sheldon (original story and screen play)

Stars:

Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, Shirley Temple

Won 1 Oscar.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Cary Grant	...	Dick Nugent
Myrna Loy	...	Judge Margaret Turner
Shirley Temple	...	Susan Turner
Rudy Vallee	...	District Attorney Tommy Chamberlain
Ray Collins	...	Dr. Matthew Beemish
Harry Davenport	...	Judge Thaddeus Turner
Johnny Sands	...	Jerry White
Don Beddoe	...	Joey
Lillian Randolph	...	Bessie
Veda Ann Borg	...	Agnes Prescott
Dan Tobin	...	Chester Walters
Ransom M. Sherman	...	Judge Treadwell (as Ransom Sherman)
William Bakewell	...	Winters
Irving Bacon	...	Melvin - Police Turnkey
Ian Bernard	...	Perry

Storyline

Teenaged Susan Turner, with a severe crush on playboy artist Richard Nugent, sneaks into his apartment to model for him and is found there by her sister Judge Margaret Turner. Threatened with jail, Nugent agrees to date Susan until the crush abates. He counters Susan's comic false sophistication by even more comic put-on teenage mannerisms, with a slapstick climax.

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Plot Keywords:

sister sister relationship | screwball comedy | slapstick comedy | witness | high society | 

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Taglines:

Rollicking Romantics!

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

1 September 1947 (USA)

Also Known As:

Suddenly It's Spring

Filming Locations:

RKO Studios - 780 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures, Vanguard Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"The Screen Guild Theater" broadcast a 30 minute radio adaptation of the movie on May 10, 1948 with Cary Grant, Myrna Loy and Shirley Temple reprising their film roles.

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Goofs

When the main characters arrive at the picnic in a jalopy, the windshield is folded down but when they get out, it's back up.

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Quotes

Matt Beemish: I couldn't help overhearing. I had my ear to the door.

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Alternate Versions

Also available in a computer colorized version.

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Connections

Featured in American Masters: Cary Grant: A Class Apart (2004)

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Soundtracks

Happy Birthday to You
(uncredited)
Written by Patty S. Hill and Mildred J. Hill

User Reviews

Makes You Laugh a Lot

The adolescent Susan Turner (Shirley Temple) is a fashionable and spoiled teenager that lives with her tough and uptight sister Margaret Turner (Myrna Loy), who is a judge. One day, Margaret has to judge the artist Richard "Dick" Nugent (Cary Grant), who is a reckless and wolf playboy, for a fight in a nightclub and she dismiss the case. Richard leaves the court and goes to the high-school where Susan studies to give a lecture of modern arts to the students. Susan has a crush on Richard and she breaks up with her boyfriend Jerry (Johnny Sands). She interviews Richard after the lecture and during the night, she lies to the portlier of his building telling that she is going to model for Richard and she sneaks in his apartment. She sleeps on the couch and when Richard arrives home late night, he does not see her. Meanwhile, Margaret and her friend, the district attorney Tommy (Rudy Vallee), are seeking out Susan. When they find her in Richard's apartment, they believe that she has been seduced by him and Richard is sent to the jail. Margaret's uncle Beemish (Ray Collins), who is the court psychiatrist, convinces Margaret to release Richard; otherwise Susan's crush would not stop. They make a deal with Richard forcing him to date Susan to diminish her passion. Richard dislikes the situation but has no other way out of the problem. While dating Susan, Richard and Margaret fall in love with each other; but Susan is a pain in the ass for them.

"The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer" is a dated, but delightful screwball comedy that makes you laugh a lot. Cary Grant is hilarious in the role of a playboy and wolf that is involved by an annoying teenager and sentenced based on his reputation. It is impossible to not laugh with the picnic competition and the meeting in the nightclub during the celebration of one of Richard's "acquaintances". If you need something to relieve you from a stressed day, watch this movie that you will certainly feel better in the end. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Solteirão Cobiçado" ("Desired Bachelor")