The title for this movie is lame, but the Columbia Pictures folks probably couldn't come up with anything else to describe it better. "Bedtime Story" is the title of the last play that the male lead is working on in the movie. The movie is a very sophisticated comedy-romance and love story. And it has the perfect match of male and female leads in Fredric March and Loretta Young -- Hollywood's best of the time.
March plays Luke Drake, the leading Broadway playwright, producer and director of the day. Loretta plays his wife, Jane, who is the leading lady of Broadway at the time. They have been married for seven years. She wants to call it quits and settle down, as they had agreed when they were married. He is a driven playwright, with new ideas and inspirations that come like running water. He has no intention of quitting the theater.
The story plays out with Jane seeking a divorce, Luke constantly tricking her back, and some wonderful scenes from their romance over the years. These include furnishing their apartment piece by piece - having to eat lots of hamburgers, Luke says. They have two devoted servants who are distraught over their split. Robert Benchley has the role of Luke's right hand man and a best friend of the couple, Eddie Turner. Other very good supporting roles include Eve Arden as Virginia Cole and Helen Westley as Emma Harper.
This is a comedy loaded with funny and witty dialog and clever shenanigans. The script masterfully weaves Luke's plotting and conniving into their everyday lives. There's a delightful aspect of mystery that isn't apparent but is a surprise caveat to the deep love the two have. Their mutual affection is so apparent that it's ridiculous to think Jane could see anything at all in an avid pursuing suitor. Especially William Dudley, whom Allyn Joslyn plays very well.
This is a wonderful, fun film that most movie buffs should enjoy. But, it takes one's close attention to catch many subtleties and everything it offers, for full enjoyment. Two of Hollywood's great stars and Oscar winners deliver a delicious movie here. It's very clear in March's performance especially, why he was one of the greatest actors of all time. His glances and facial expressions are hilarious. Luke Drake isn't supposed to be a comic, and he's so deadpan with his ornery conniving, that one just can't wait until he gets his comeuppance.
The ending is one of the funniest, craziest scenes of mayhem to end any film. Here are some favorite lines from this great film.
Jane Drake, "But we're giving a farewell party at our apartment. Why don't you join us?" William Dudley, "But that's for your theater friends." Eddie Turner, "Oh, they're broadminded. They don't mind bankers." Dudley, "Thanks, but I can't risk it."
Emma Harper, "The idea that you have to leave the theater to have children. Why, I raised four children and never missed a cue." Jane Drake, "My dear Emma, you were not married to Luke Drake. You wouldn't have had time to raise a canary."
Luke Drake, "And I love her enough not to let her throw her genius away. That's the way I feel about her and that's the way I expect her to feel about me." Eddie Turner, "You won't toss your genius away, don't worry."
Luke Drake, "I tell you, Eddie, she's gone, and something's gone out of me. I'm through. I'll never set foot in a theater again."
Luke Drake takes a call from a reporter, "Hello, Kitty.... Well I hate to talk about it. I'm pretty broken up about the whole thing.... I don't how to put it." Eddie Turner, "Something has gone out of you." Luke, holds his hand over the phone and turns to Eddie, "Get out of here. And don't come back until you bring me an Elsie." Eddie, "A hundred and 18 pounder?" Luke, "Right. Get me a full-blown blonde." He resumes his phone conversation, "Hello, Kitty, uh, let me put it this way - uh, something has gone out of me."
Luke, "Isn't there anything you can suggest about my helplessness?" Jane, "I'm sorry, Luke - it's too ingrown."
Eddie Turner, "That's the trouble with doors - anyone can come in."
Luke, "I want you to pretend you're gonna play it, but you don't." Virginia Cole, "Look, Lucifer, I realize you're a genius, but I'm not, so give it to me simple."
Jane, "And you're so talented." Virginia Cole, "Thank you. So are you. Many is the time I cried at your performance." Jane, "Ah, ha, I've laughed a lot at you, so that makes us even."
Jane Drake, "I thought you'd like to know, I'm selling the furniture." Luke Drake, "You mean our things?" Jane, "Yes." Luke, "Oh, listen, you can't do that. Just think of all the hamburgers I ate to buy some of those things. If you lay them all end to end..." Jane, "I'm not interested in laying hamburgers end to end."
Jane, "Sold! Sold! Sold! Everything is sold to Dinglehoff. I wouldn't have minded so much if it hadn't been a man named Dinglehoff."
Luke, "Don't look now, Eddie, but I think that's William Dudley going bye-bye."
Luke, "Just leave it to King Lucius the First. Lucius the Conqueror." Eddie Turner, "We should have brought our armor, Conk."
Mac, the policeman, "Hey, Eddie. Keep out of Billy's place tonight. We're raiding it." Eddie Turner, "Billy's? What's that got to do with me?" Mac, "Oh, that wouldn't be your grandfather they pour out of there every other morning, would it?"
Eddie, "Why don't we just get a nice little cell and make faces at each other, huh?"
Emma Harper, "Where's he going?" Eddie Turner, "California. Didn't you hear him borrow a nickel?"
March plays Luke Drake, the leading Broadway playwright, producer and director of the day. Loretta plays his wife, Jane, who is the leading lady of Broadway at the time. They have been married for seven years. She wants to call it quits and settle down, as they had agreed when they were married. He is a driven playwright, with new ideas and inspirations that come like running water. He has no intention of quitting the theater.
The story plays out with Jane seeking a divorce, Luke constantly tricking her back, and some wonderful scenes from their romance over the years. These include furnishing their apartment piece by piece - having to eat lots of hamburgers, Luke says. They have two devoted servants who are distraught over their split. Robert Benchley has the role of Luke's right hand man and a best friend of the couple, Eddie Turner. Other very good supporting roles include Eve Arden as Virginia Cole and Helen Westley as Emma Harper.
This is a comedy loaded with funny and witty dialog and clever shenanigans. The script masterfully weaves Luke's plotting and conniving into their everyday lives. There's a delightful aspect of mystery that isn't apparent but is a surprise caveat to the deep love the two have. Their mutual affection is so apparent that it's ridiculous to think Jane could see anything at all in an avid pursuing suitor. Especially William Dudley, whom Allyn Joslyn plays very well.
This is a wonderful, fun film that most movie buffs should enjoy. But, it takes one's close attention to catch many subtleties and everything it offers, for full enjoyment. Two of Hollywood's great stars and Oscar winners deliver a delicious movie here. It's very clear in March's performance especially, why he was one of the greatest actors of all time. His glances and facial expressions are hilarious. Luke Drake isn't supposed to be a comic, and he's so deadpan with his ornery conniving, that one just can't wait until he gets his comeuppance.
The ending is one of the funniest, craziest scenes of mayhem to end any film. Here are some favorite lines from this great film.
Jane Drake, "But we're giving a farewell party at our apartment. Why don't you join us?" William Dudley, "But that's for your theater friends." Eddie Turner, "Oh, they're broadminded. They don't mind bankers." Dudley, "Thanks, but I can't risk it."
Emma Harper, "The idea that you have to leave the theater to have children. Why, I raised four children and never missed a cue." Jane Drake, "My dear Emma, you were not married to Luke Drake. You wouldn't have had time to raise a canary."
Luke Drake, "And I love her enough not to let her throw her genius away. That's the way I feel about her and that's the way I expect her to feel about me." Eddie Turner, "You won't toss your genius away, don't worry."
Luke Drake, "I tell you, Eddie, she's gone, and something's gone out of me. I'm through. I'll never set foot in a theater again."
Luke Drake takes a call from a reporter, "Hello, Kitty.... Well I hate to talk about it. I'm pretty broken up about the whole thing.... I don't how to put it." Eddie Turner, "Something has gone out of you." Luke, holds his hand over the phone and turns to Eddie, "Get out of here. And don't come back until you bring me an Elsie." Eddie, "A hundred and 18 pounder?" Luke, "Right. Get me a full-blown blonde." He resumes his phone conversation, "Hello, Kitty, uh, let me put it this way - uh, something has gone out of me."
Luke, "Isn't there anything you can suggest about my helplessness?" Jane, "I'm sorry, Luke - it's too ingrown."
Eddie Turner, "That's the trouble with doors - anyone can come in."
Luke, "I want you to pretend you're gonna play it, but you don't." Virginia Cole, "Look, Lucifer, I realize you're a genius, but I'm not, so give it to me simple."
Jane, "And you're so talented." Virginia Cole, "Thank you. So are you. Many is the time I cried at your performance." Jane, "Ah, ha, I've laughed a lot at you, so that makes us even."
Jane Drake, "I thought you'd like to know, I'm selling the furniture." Luke Drake, "You mean our things?" Jane, "Yes." Luke, "Oh, listen, you can't do that. Just think of all the hamburgers I ate to buy some of those things. If you lay them all end to end..." Jane, "I'm not interested in laying hamburgers end to end."
Jane, "Sold! Sold! Sold! Everything is sold to Dinglehoff. I wouldn't have minded so much if it hadn't been a man named Dinglehoff."
Luke, "Don't look now, Eddie, but I think that's William Dudley going bye-bye."
Luke, "Just leave it to King Lucius the First. Lucius the Conqueror." Eddie Turner, "We should have brought our armor, Conk."
Mac, the policeman, "Hey, Eddie. Keep out of Billy's place tonight. We're raiding it." Eddie Turner, "Billy's? What's that got to do with me?" Mac, "Oh, that wouldn't be your grandfather they pour out of there every other morning, would it?"
Eddie, "Why don't we just get a nice little cell and make faces at each other, huh?"
Emma Harper, "Where's he going?" Eddie Turner, "California. Didn't you hear him borrow a nickel?"