Movie Monday: Easy to Wed

 

Movie Monday: Easy to Wed

By the middle of 1946, most people were trying to put memories of the war behind them. In response, many of the films put out by Hollywood were lighthearted comedies or musicals. The July 1946 release Easy to Wed combined both and starred Van Johnson, Esther Williams, Lucille Ball, and Keenan Wynn.

The movie was an adaptation of the screenplay of the 1936 movie Libeled Lady, the fifth of fourteen films that Myrna Loy and Williams Powell made together. Jean Harlow and Spencer Tracy also starred in the movie. The plots are the same, but as one site indicated Libeled Lady was sharp 1930s comedy, and Easy to Wed was a typical 1940s Hollywood musical “with the added obligatory swimming scenes to showcase Esther Williams.”

At the time, Williams and Johnson were big names in Hollywood, garnering headlines and big salaries.

Lucille Ball had only managed to be cast in small roles (sidekicks) or in B-movies and would later say the film was the highlight of her career “because she was finally given a good part.” She is mentioned in quite a few reviews as stealing the show: “a standout on the comedy end,” not surprising considering her vast talent.

Imdb’s description of the plot is simple: “To prevent libel against the paper, a reporter tries to compromise the reputation of a tycoon’s slandered daughter,” but there’s more to the story than meets the eye. In reality the tycoon is trying to save his paper from financial ruin, and a convoluted scheme introduces issues of alienation of affection, blackmail, and suspected bigamy, (later determined to be unfounded or the movie wouldn’t have passed code!)

The remake of Libeled Lady was announced in July 1944 and work began with casting and other production tasks. Keenan Wynn’s motorcycle accident in March 1945 brought filming to a screeching halt (pun intended.) It’s interesting that Williams was cast in a film that required singing as this was not a skill she brought to the table. Her songs were in Portuguese making them all the more difficult, so the studio hired Brazilian singer/dancer/actress Carmen Miranda to coach Esther and Van Johnson. Another injury associated with the film was Lucille Ball’s broken toe suffered during one of the dance scenes.

A wild success, the movie exceeded box office expectations and raking in over five-and-a-half million dollars with the studio realizing a profit of $1.6M (equating to an astonishing $27M in today’s money).

Have you seen this classic?

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About Eye of the Beholder

Shunned for his appearance, a disfigured veteran encounters acceptance and love where he least expects it.

Left with physical and emotional scars after the Great War, Hank Drake has been shunned by polite society as the Ugly Duckling. Fine by him. He’d much rather be alone. Until he meets the kind proprietress of a tea stand at New York’s World’s Fair who isn’t repulsed by his appearance. Can he hope for acceptance…or even love?

Grace Sutton has no interest in marrying and is tired of her parent’s snide comments that she’s still single on the eve of her 40th birthday. After she loses her job thanks to budget cuts, she decides it’s time to follow her dream of feeding others. Armed with Mrs. Canfield’s cookbook, she opens a refreshment stand at the World’s Fair unaware how one man will turn her life upside down and upset the apple…er, tea cart.

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3Pz88KO

Photo Credits:

Movie poster: Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25565333

Movie stills: Courtesy MGM Studios