Review of Mary, Mary

"Mary, Mary" was a Broadway success, but it's a bit hard to see why in this film version. On screen, it comes across as a long sitcom episode. Almost all the dialog falls flat when it's clearly intended to be humorous, and the outcome is a classic 'foregone conclusion'. One problem is the casting of Debbie Reynolds. Not that she's usually a poor actress, but she seems much too stagy and artificial here, spouting out pseudo-poetic, 'insightful' lines like a newcomer hoping to get noticed. She just doesn't ring true. As her soon-to-be-ex husband's new fiancée, Diane McBain doesn't fare much better, but it's easy to imagine how she would have been in the lead role when she makes her surprising exit. The men are a little more convincing. Hiram Sherman seems really comfortable in his role as a classic example of the jaded New York lawyer. It's possible he was a carry-over from the stage production. Michael Rennie, while not quite having the requisite good looks for his role, also seems very suited to the aging movie star who naively thinks he may have found one last chance of happiness. The best performance comes from Barry Nelson as the pleasingly neurotic, slightly self-deluded Bob. Coming from the stage version, Nelson is clearly very suited to his part and he is more than charming, interesting and convincing enough for a viewer to care what happens to him. A disappointing comedy film, with a couple of fine performances and about five truly funny lines.