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The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer
A minor classic from Hollywood's golden age, 1947's The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer is a breezy adult comedy that provides solid entertainment thanks to a sophisticated screenplay and sparkling performances from the stars.
The comedy stars Myrna Loy as Margaret Turner, a serious but fair judge who encounters an artist/playboy named Dick Nugent (Cary Grant) in her courtroom who has been charged with starting a brawl in a nightclub, but with no solid evidence, she lets him off with a slap on the wrist. The next day, Nugent gives a lecture at the local high school where Margaret's kid sister, Susan (Shirley Temple), falls in love with him the second she lays eyes on him. She later sneaks into Dick's apartment and when she's found there, Dick is promptly arrested but that does nothing to erase Susan's feelings about the guy. Margaret agrees to have Dick's charges dismissed if he dates Susan under Margaret's supervision, thinking if Susan spends more time with Dick, she'll realize on her own that Dick is inappropriate for her. Of course, Margaret is hiding her attraction to Dick, but it has caught the eye of ADA Chamberlain (Rudy Vallee), who has been harboring his own crush on Margaret.
Sidney Sheldon, who wrote the screenplays for Easter Parade, Annie Get Your Gun, and created the sitcom I Dream of Jeannie won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for this witty story that goes some pretty adult places for 1947. Though if this story were to come to the screen today, there would be a definite "ick" factor that would be hard to ignore. In addition to Margaret and the viewer, Dick also knows that this "relationship" with Susan is inappropriate, but he really doesn't work too hard at discouraging Susan. Margaret's reasoning for pushing them together didn't really ring true either, especially since her attraction to Nugent does quietly surface, though she does a superb job of hiding it. The "ick" factor nagged at me slightly, but it did fade as the story progressed.
It faded because the movie was rich with interesting characters, clever dialogue, and hilarious physical comedy. Margaret and Dick's initial meeting in her courtroom had a sexual tension that couldn't be denied. Loved the convoluted romantic triangle that developed between Dick, Susan, and Susan's boyfriend Jerry too. It reminded me of Birdie, Kim, and Hugo in Bye Bye Birdie. The athletic competition at the fair was a perfect showcase for Grant's often forgotten affinity for physical comedy.
Director Irivng Reis keeps the movie moving at a nice clip and gets terrific performances from his stars. Cary Grant seems to be having a ball in a tailor made role, exuding mad sex appeal. Myrna Loy gives us a crisp and passionate Judge, willing to forsake her own happiness for the sake of her kid sister. Shirley Temple shines in what was probably the best of her teen roles, at 17, her career was beginning to slip. She would only make six more movies after this one, but she is an absolute delight here, as is Vallee, channeling Ralph Bellamy as the guy who never gets the girl. A delight from start to finish. Grant and Loy were such an engaging screen team they were reunited the following year for Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House.
A minor classic from Hollywood's golden age, 1947's The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer is a breezy adult comedy that provides solid entertainment thanks to a sophisticated screenplay and sparkling performances from the stars.
The comedy stars Myrna Loy as Margaret Turner, a serious but fair judge who encounters an artist/playboy named Dick Nugent (Cary Grant) in her courtroom who has been charged with starting a brawl in a nightclub, but with no solid evidence, she lets him off with a slap on the wrist. The next day, Nugent gives a lecture at the local high school where Margaret's kid sister, Susan (Shirley Temple), falls in love with him the second she lays eyes on him. She later sneaks into Dick's apartment and when she's found there, Dick is promptly arrested but that does nothing to erase Susan's feelings about the guy. Margaret agrees to have Dick's charges dismissed if he dates Susan under Margaret's supervision, thinking if Susan spends more time with Dick, she'll realize on her own that Dick is inappropriate for her. Of course, Margaret is hiding her attraction to Dick, but it has caught the eye of ADA Chamberlain (Rudy Vallee), who has been harboring his own crush on Margaret.
Sidney Sheldon, who wrote the screenplays for Easter Parade, Annie Get Your Gun, and created the sitcom I Dream of Jeannie won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for this witty story that goes some pretty adult places for 1947. Though if this story were to come to the screen today, there would be a definite "ick" factor that would be hard to ignore. In addition to Margaret and the viewer, Dick also knows that this "relationship" with Susan is inappropriate, but he really doesn't work too hard at discouraging Susan. Margaret's reasoning for pushing them together didn't really ring true either, especially since her attraction to Nugent does quietly surface, though she does a superb job of hiding it. The "ick" factor nagged at me slightly, but it did fade as the story progressed.
It faded because the movie was rich with interesting characters, clever dialogue, and hilarious physical comedy. Margaret and Dick's initial meeting in her courtroom had a sexual tension that couldn't be denied. Loved the convoluted romantic triangle that developed between Dick, Susan, and Susan's boyfriend Jerry too. It reminded me of Birdie, Kim, and Hugo in Bye Bye Birdie. The athletic competition at the fair was a perfect showcase for Grant's often forgotten affinity for physical comedy.
Director Irivng Reis keeps the movie moving at a nice clip and gets terrific performances from his stars. Cary Grant seems to be having a ball in a tailor made role, exuding mad sex appeal. Myrna Loy gives us a crisp and passionate Judge, willing to forsake her own happiness for the sake of her kid sister. Shirley Temple shines in what was probably the best of her teen roles, at 17, her career was beginning to slip. She would only make six more movies after this one, but she is an absolute delight here, as is Vallee, channeling Ralph Bellamy as the guy who never gets the girl. A delight from start to finish. Grant and Loy were such an engaging screen team they were reunited the following year for Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House.