Customer Reviews

We're Not Married

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"In one week, he laid six time bombs. ... He jumped the gun. The appointment was for 1 January. This clown began marrying people before he had the authority!" That's what the attorney general tells the Governor Bush (!!!) of (I presume Louisiana), as the story opens in Gretna Green. That clown is Judge Melvin Bush (Victor Moore), a doddering but well-meaning old man. His daughter-in-law, the governor's wife, proposes that they write the couples of the mistake and let them take it from there.

The first couple, Steve and Ramona Gladwyn (Fred Allen and Ginger Rogers) have the funniest moments of all five. However, two and a half years after their marriage, they live in a totally hostile atmosphere, and they don't need help from that thunderstorm outside in the opening waking up segment. Avoiding each other, slamming doors, not saying a word--imagine what this couple think about each other. They are hosts of a radio breakfast program that mentions products of their latest sponsors. As Steve puts it, we're "having a bit of good, clean, nauseating fun over the bacon in eggs in the morning." We actually get a sample of their show, the Glad Gladwyns, and it's funny: "I did what so many society women do these days. I went to Madame Yvonne's Hairdo Heaven Madame Yvonne uses the Sensational Hairdresser. It contains that new mystery ingredient... chicken fat!"

The second involves Jefferson and Annabelle Norris (David Wayne and Marilyn Monroe) of Senatobia, Mississippi. Mrs. Norris has just won the Mrs. Mississippi beauty pageant, and I would definitely have voted for her. While she's out winning contests, her husband is stuck feeding the baby and doing the kitchenwork. However, Annabelle's agent has bigger plans, to expand this to the national level, which means more stay-at-home for the increasingly disgruntled Jefferson. That is, until he opens the letter. It's interesting to see the view of house-husbands in the 1950's compared to today.

Couple number three are Hector and Katherine Woodruff (Paul Douglas and Eve Arden). Despite the judge describing them as talkative, "yakkety yak yak", it's quite the opposite. Their situation is similar to that of the Gladwins, except that they get along slightly better. Thing is, there's an air of boredom. There's hardly anything to talk about and Hector seems to remember the days when he used to party, to the displeasure of his wife.

Frederick and Eve Melrose (Louis Calhern and Zsa Zsa Gabor)--ah yes, that couple. Mr. Melrose, an oil tycoon is pleasantly surprised when his wife suggests she meet him at his usual hotel where he retires to when conducting business in New Orleans, and she particularly asks, "don't forget to register for me." What follows is a show of deceit, until the letter shows up. It's the registration form showing 5 June 1951, which if I do the math, reveals that the first marriage by the judge was done Christmas Eve 1948.

Wilson and Patricia Fisher (Eddie Bracken and Mitzi Gaynor) have a trying time. Wilson, called up for the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre, presumably Korea, is not only shocked to know his wife is pregnant, but he has already gotten the letter, and he is being shipped overseas. His sergeant is totally unsympathetic to the problem, saying that he should try not to get shot. The view of 50's morality of illegitimacy is interesting when seen from today's eyes.

There is one goof that is seen only once. When Mr. Norris gets the letter, we see that there is just his name, city and state--no street address. Either Senatobia is small enough that the mailman knows everyone by name, or he is telepathic. And one wonders if all the letters were like that.

An interesting collection of five stories, with all performers doing their best, but notable for a young and still very beautiful Marilyn Monroe. Victor Moore would later be a plumber in The Seven Year Itch, also with MM, and this is the second of four films David Wayne appeared in with MM. Ginger Rogers would appear with MM in Monkey Business.

This is a funny movie, especially the Fred Allen and Ginger Rogers section, with a great cast but why didn't Fox include the deleted sequence with Walter Brennan and Hope Emerson as an extra? It's included on the Hidden Hollywood Fox DVD and it's been shown on AMC. It should've been included on this disc.

We're Not Married is a star-studded comedy from 1952 that helped catapult Marilyn Monroe to stardom. Ginger Rogers gets top billing, but the spotlight is shared by just about everyone in this terrific cast. The premise of the movie centers around a rather scatterbrained, newly appointed (by his nephew the governor) justice of the peace who marries a number of couples immediately after receiving his formal letter on Christmas Eve. Unfortunately, his appointment was not official until January 1, meaning that over two years later several couples from many walks of life suddenly discover that they are not legally married. The reaction of each couple to this news is, to say the least, quite varied. Ginger Rogers and Fred Allen play a popular morning show husband and wife team who get paid to sound like the happiest couple on earth, yet they no longer even speak to each other off the air; they treat the news at first as a miracle come true. Marilyn Monroe plays a beauty contestant who has to give up her newly-won crown of Mrs. Mississippi, much to the delight of her exceedingly domesticated husband (David Wayne). The Woodruffs (Paul Douglas and Eve Arden) are perhaps the most typical married couple, conversing about only the most mundane topics when they speak at all, and the husband cannot help but entertain thoughts of painting the town red once again with a different woman on his arm each night. The news arrives in the form of divine justice for wealthy businessman Freddie Melrose (Louis Calhern), whose gold-digging wife (Zsa Zsa Gabor) is planning on taking him for everything he's worth in divorce court. The most memorable couple by far have to be the Fishers, though. Willie Fisher (Eddie Bracken) is hit with two tons of bricks just as he is shipping out with his military unit: he and his wife are not legally married, and his beloved Patty (Mitzi Gaynor) is pregnant. The links he goes to in order to make sure his child will not be born out of legal wedlock are quite touching and make for a most satisfying, uplifting ending.

We're Not Married is a comedy that succeeds exceedingly well. The acting is superb all the way around, and some real truths about marriage are to be found within and among the laughter the film generates. Although Marilyn Monroe does not have one of the more significant roles in the film, her performance was impressive enough to land her face on the cover of Life magazine alongside a caption referring to her as the new talk of Hollywood. 1952 was the real breakout year for Marilyn, and this deeply amusing film has a lot to do with that fact. Do not watch it just for Marilyn, though, as We're Not Married is a great joy to watch in and of itself.

I disagree with the fellow who said Marilyn Monroe's vignette was the best. Sure, she's yummy as ever, and the bit was cute, but Eve Arden's scene was much funnier.

Star power fueled this odd little movie that's a series of skits about marriage on and off the rocks. Ginger Rogers is great-- and plays the opposite of her traditional sugar-girl glamour bit.

You're not going to come away with any memorable laughs or deep insight into anything, but if you're looking for a nice little movie to watch with your grandmother, this will do just fine.

The invalid marriage license must be a hot topic in those years. "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" by Alfred Hitchcock dealt with a similar theme. Even to this day, given the option of remarrying or going on separate ways, a couple will find the idea both exciting and terrifying.This movie is more interesting and romantic than I thought.

The rich and successful radio show hosts Ginger Rogers-Fred Allen pair was the first non-compatible couple who would have seized this opportunity to break up. Their marriage had nothing to hang on to except that both their careers were at stake. Marilyn Monroe pair was the one who would fall apart because her prospect was so glamorous that as a beauty queen she'd better remain single than be a married mother. The ironic couple was the super rich Freddie Melrose who really loved his wife Zsa Zsa Gabor. This was the funniest of all. Witness the face-off of the husband and wife-lawyer team. The wheel of the fortune was really spinning fast.

The story ended with such a romantic note. With or without a license, it is this sense of crisis that gives the couple a rare opportunity to reflect upon the relationship and make the most of it. A lesson told in the context of fun and laughter.

This movie tells the story of several couples who find out well into their marriages that they're all not really married. In some cases, this turns out to be good news. In other cases, not so good news.

What brings me back to watch this movie over and over is not the great mini-plots of each couple, but the wonderful acting of the many great stars in this film: Marilyn Monroe, David Wayne, Eve Arden, Paul Douglas, Eddie Bracken, Mitzi Gaynor and a gold-digging Zsa Zsa Gabor, to name most of them. But the real stars to me are the on-screen couple, Ginger Rogers and Fred Allen. I've never found another movie that has Fred Allen in it, and I would love to. Rogers and Allen play a famous radio married couple who open their home every morning to their many listeners and fans. After the show, it turns out they can't stand each other any longer. They are hilarious together!

Don't expect wisdom or profundity from this film. It was made in the days before every director had to teach people a lesson. It's just a cute film.

Marilyn is of course the highlight of this movie as a young mother who enters a beauty pageant. I like particularly the part with Zsa Zsa Gabor and Luis Calhern. Other stars include: Ginger Rogers, David wayne, Eve Arden, Mitzi Gaynor, Fred Allen, Paul Douglas, Eddie Braken, and Victor Moore, who unknowingly marries a number of couples before his appoinment is official and the reults are hilarious.

A pleasant film which is mildly amusing. Has a good cast and storyline, and it has a young and beautiful Marilyn who doesn't have much to say but gives the film her visual beauty even in black and white. I thought the part played by Louis Calhern was the best in the film,and did I see a young uncredited Lee Marvin appearing with Eddie Bracken.

Suppose five couples learn, after 2-1/2 years of marriage, that their union is legally invalid? What follows after they learn this shocking news forms the premise of the comedy 'We're Not Married'.

The plot offers potential, but the delivery is uneven and the various stories told swing from very touching (Eve Arden/Paul Douglas) to hackneyed (Ginger Rogers/Fred Allen). The best segment, and the one they saved for last, is Eddie Bracken and Mitzi Gaynor as a young soldier and his newly unwed mother-to-be; you almost wish the entire movie was about them and their travails to re-hitch the knot.

Unfortunately, too much time is spent with the very first couple and "star" of this ensemble cast, Ginger Rogers. That forced imbalance undercuts the subsequent stories. Not the least of which is how unappealing her segment's co-star, Fred Allen, is in this particular role. I have nothing against the actor, but he was clearly miscast. Much too old, too crotchety, too fickle to ever have the audience believe Ginger's character would ever consent to a union, even for money.

And a paring down of the couples from five to three would've strengthened the film considerably.

Clearly, because this was filmed in 1952, the choices made are not nearly as dramatic or unusual as one would expect or hope for today almost a half-century later. Still, on balance, I would say this is pretty decent and enjoyable - if only for the clever concept.

A couple of footnotes: Look for an uncredited bit part played by a young actor named Lee Marvin. And despite the prominent featured image of Marilyn Monroe on the DVD cover artwork, remember that she plays a small role in a large ensemble cast and her 'not married' scene was one of the shorter stories.

I bought this movie because I had seen it years ago and liked it. I am a Ginger Rogers fan and really like this one.