Irene Dunne did not disappoint and today’s Summer Under the Stars day is short and sweet.
Ann Vickers (1933)
We’re starting with a pre-code and it’s A PRE-CODE! Irene Dunne he’s sex with a soldier she barely knows, so they’re not married, gets pregnant, and then has an abortion! I actually think that the first time I heard about Ann Vickers was in a book about most scandalous Hollywood films.
It’s always refreshing to see an old film „go there”. And Irene Dunne is playing a character that we like. She’s not demonized at all, unless someone has a problem with the fight for women’s’ rights, I guess. Overall, a very short and spicy start of the day.
My Favorite Wife (1940)
I’ve been waiting for a screwball comedy and I got one of the most iconic ones! With one of my favourite things in the world – Cary Grant doing comedy (his performance in Arsenic and Old Lace is probably my absolute favourite comedic performances from a man)!
I didn’t realize it earlier but My Favorite Wife is what was later almost remade as Something’s Got to Give with Marilyn Monroe – her last, unfinished project. I have seen the short film that they did release (Dean Martin did not want to finish the picture with anyone else after Marilyn’s death) and it is one of those things that are not sad at all and yet make one sad. Sure, it’s nothing weird if you keep in mind what happened to Marilyn, but it goes deeper than that. I don’t know, I just sense some incredible sadness and longing from Marilyn in her scenes, something incredibly tragic even if she seems radiant.
Anyway, we’re here today to talk about Irene Dunne. She plays Cary Grant’s wife who disappeared during an anthropological (represent!) expedition and is presumed dead. But she reappears on what happens to be the day of Cary getting married to his new girlfriend.
I already mentioned Cary’s acting but Irene is a perfect partner for him and while she’s mostly charming and sweet, she’s not afraid to camp it up at times and it’s great. Their chemistry is fantastic and distracts from the fact that the plot and especially the way they choose to handle the situation is pretty weird.
Oh, and the ending has to be one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen.
Life with Father (1947)
From one great pairing to another: we had Irene Dunne and Cary Grant, and here we have Irene Dunne and William Powell. The dynamics are different but they’re both good.
What Life with Father is is essentially a family sitcom – like a decade before they actually became a thing. William Powell is the Father, the „head of the house” but Irene is really the boss (is anyone surprised?). We follow them and their group of children among various shenanigans and misadventures.
Oh, and a teenage Elizabeth Taylor makes an appearance. A charming experience all around.
I had fun with Irene Dunne today and now I am going to see Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood which FINALLY came out in my country today. I may report back with my thoughts.
Swingin' at the Seance 