Lovesusti
The Worst Film Ever
SpuffyWeb
Sadly Over-hyped
Mandeep Tyson
The acting in this movie is really good.
Alex da Silva
Dick Foran (Christopher) is happily married to Claudette Colbert (Mary) but will do anything for pal Don Ameche (Joe). Ameche needs a wife to impress his boss and so Chris lends him Mary. Hilarity ensues. Or does it? I'll answer that right now – no it doesn't. This is a weak and boring comedy. I fell asleep because it was so dull. Foran is a complete duffus that you can't relate to and Colbert plays it as a silly schoolgirl acting out juvenile frolics. The relationship between Foran and Ameche is based on some kind of retarded fraternity bonding whereby they play immature games with each other for one-upmanship – a kibble. We are subjected to this stupid notion of a kibble on several occasions and it really wound me up. There are rare moments of comedy that actually work but it's all under par given the cast. Pretty boring stuff.
vincentlynch-moonoi
Director Sam Wood was in his heydey when he made this film ("King's Row", "Pride Of The Yankees", "For Whom The Bell Tolls"), although his snappiest comedy (IMHO) was "The Devil And Miss Jones" (1941). Nevertheless, this is a fine comedy with two stars that shine.This type of comedy had been done before and later...always involving just whose wife a female lead was (e.g., "My Favorite Wife" with Irene Dunne and Cary Grant). But each time this type of film was done there was some interesting variation that made it a bit unique. Here, a banker (Dick Foran) is reunited with his long-time best friend (Don Ameche). Ameche has pretended that Claudette Colbert (Foran's wife) is his wife for business purposes...even though he had never met her. Foran agrees to go along with the ruse for his best friend, even though they were about to go on their second honeymoon. Colbert is despondent over the situation, but very reluctantly goes along...for a while. And just about when you think this is getting old, the plot twist comes along -- Colbert decides to pretend she is falling in love with Ameche! Claudette Colbert is wonderful here...but then again, she almost always was! Don Ameche shines...and it made me wonder how his long and shining career faded after a time. Glad he came back into the limelight later in life...he was a wonderful actor. The surprise here is how nicely Dick Foran does as the husband. Foran was a decent actor, but usually in B pictures or as a supporting actor in A pictures. He may have been underrated.Two supporting actors who nicely here are Charles Dingle (who in some films get on my nerves) as the boss, and Grant Mitchell as the hotel house detective.Not an A+ comedy, but definitely a B+. You'' enjoy it!
Spikeopath
Guest Wife is directed by Sam Wood, written by Bruce Manning and John Klorer, and stars Claudette Colbert (Mary), Don Ameche (Joe) and Dick Foran (Chris). The story tells of a journalist, Joe, who claims to his boss that he is married because the company would like their employees to be as such, and Joe wants to take some vacation leave. But he happens to still be single. Something that's now a major problem since his boss requests the company of Joe and wife for the weekend! His pal Chris lends him his wife Mary so as to bluff his boss into agreement, however, things start to get complicated.Obviously hampered by the strict censorship that existed at the time of its making, Guest Wife none the less is a cheeky little comedy that boasts fun acting and a safe and solid script.. Tho referred to as a screwball comedy in some quarters, I feel that doesn't quite do the film any favours. Yes the gags are breezy enough, but they are hardly of the whirlwind scattergun variety. The interplay between the wonderful Colbert and the charming Ameche is spot on, even if the heavy cloud of censorship tone downs stops the material from being fully realised into a classic comedy must see. There's an itch about just who we are supposed to root for since Chris is a nice guy and Mary clearly loves him, and of course Joe is a bit of a cad when one considers his deception. Yet we are in the company of Mary and Joe for the most part, which although it be a fake marriage, it's a nice coupling. So either way come the end some viewers will be left disappointed.Safe and tidy, with the film as a whole more likely to leave you with a smile more than a beaming grin. 6.5/10
bob the moo
Married couple Chris and Mary are about to set out for a second honeymoon whenever Chris's old friend Joe comes to town. Mary doesn't like Joe because he always brings trouble and this time is no exception. It seems that Joe has been using a fictional wife to improve his job prospects – even sending pictures of his wife and letters from her to his boss to impress upon him what a great guy he is (in the eyes of his fictional wife). However when his employers request the presence of Mrs Parker in New York, Joe has to ask Mary to stand in. Being a good friend Chris says yes and, with him stuck in town, Mary and Joe head off together, apparently oblivious of the sheer amount of problems that they will create.The basic idea behind this plot means that it is the Mary and Joe that have the best chemistry and spend the most time together on screen, this is a risk that it takes because it means the audience could have felt more for them as a couple rather than Chris as Mary's husband. This would have been a disaster (particularly at the time of release) but the film manages to keep it fresh and keep us engaged in the marriage while also enjoying the sparks between Joe and Mary. It cleverly makes a game to excuse the chemistry and stops us worrying about whether real love is blossoming or not. By doing this it keeps it light and enjoyable, consistently amusing and occasionally laugh out loud funny thanks to some sharp lines and jokes.The cast match this effortlessly. Colbert has great fun with an increasingly playful role that shapes the film and the other characters; she is the lead and her comic performance is great. Ameche also changes across the whole film as well, going from playboy to "rabbit in headlights" easily and convincingly. Foran has the hardest role in terms of engaging the audience but he does pretty well with a rather simple lug of a character. Support from people like Dingle, Mitchell, Bacon and others in minor roles all help the generally comic air come over consistently.Overall this is a bit of a balancing act and it is to its credit that it manages to pull it off and keep the audience onside. It is all light, fluffy stuff of course but it is surprising just how enjoyable it is if you are in the mood for it. If you're looking for something inconsequential and fun then you could do a lot worse than trying this film.
