weezeralfalfa Review of A Kiss for Corliss

A Kiss for Corliss (1949)

Corliss must decide between a rich older man or the boy next door.

[6/10 · 6 July 2018]

The last Hollywood film starring Shirley Temple, when she was around 21. The alternative title is "Almost a Bride". It's essentially a follow-up on "Kiss and Tell", released 4 years earlier , where Shirley is also named Corliss Archer. A number of other roles were given the same name, although , in most cases, a different actor was used. Both are a sitcom-type of film. I think Shirley would have done well in the right TV sitcom series, but she wasn't interested.......The main new role in this film is Kenneth Marquis, played by 39y.o. David Niven. He attracts the attention of Corliss when her father, played by Tom Tully, is the divorce lawyer for Marquis's 3rd wife. Corliss takes a keen interest in the proceedings, although not allowed in the courtroom, suggesting she has a possible romantic interest in Marquis. When she does meet him, she makes goo goo eyes at him, trying to make a very romantic impression. Corliss varies in her attitude toward Marquis as a potential boyfriend or husband. At one point , she refers to him as "that 37y.o. old goat, who's had 3 wives." (Corliss is supposedly 17). Sometimes she seems to be interested in him only to make boyfriend Dexter jealous, as when she writes some imaginary things about Marquis in her diary. When he sends her some expensive or intimate gifts, her interest in him perks. But, during their wedding ceremony rehearsal, she runs away. We wonder how much Marquis's seemingly blunted interest in her is driven by a desire to get back at her father for winning the divorce case against him. Marquis doesn't have that much screen time, but I see no real chemistry with Corliss. He exudes sophistication, but no real romantic spark. I think the film would have gone over better, if they had found a Marquis whom Shirley could better relate to........Tom Tully was good as Corliss's excitable father, often providing comedy in his frequent outbursts, especially against boyfriend Dexter or Marquis. Darryl Hickman makes a very nice and patient contemporary boyfriend for Corliss, who often gets harassed by Corliss or her father when he comes over.......Kathryn Card, as Louise, is a middle-aged woman who lives with the Archers. She's perpetually crying about the least little matter. I guess this is supposed to be funny.......Actually, I liked the first half of the film better, when Dexter and Corliss interact more. I thought Shirley's pretending she had a sudden case of amnesia and psychological regression to the age of about 8 was well done and amusing......Of course, Shirley had been charming older men since her early days in films. To a lesser extent, this continued during her teen films. However, now, the older man was seen as a possible romantic partner, rather than a father figure. For example, all 3 of her films released in '47: "Honeymoon", "The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer", and "That Hagen Girl", involved a romantic attachment to a man at least twice her age, often to the embarrassment of the man. I suppose it's fitting that her last film should involve such a relationship, however tenuous. Shirley certainly made a cute teenager, although often pouting in her films, which made her films worthwhile to me.