Long before "The Parent Trap" of 1961 and "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" of 1963, there was this film about youngsters trying to affect the romance of a parent. I didn't know about this film until recently. If it was one I might have seen over the years on late night TV, I'm sure I would have remembered it -- because, it's a very funny and warm family film.
"And So They Were Married" may be the first such film that wasn't about a child actor or star in different plots, but in which kids play a big part as their widowed and divorced parents find romance. That's what this is about. But this film is an original story in which two slightly spoiled kids - not brats or nasty, just from well-to-do single parents, try everything they can to keep their single parents from marrying. And everything they do backfires in an unusual way. When the parents first meet, they are at odds. Likewise with the boy and girl when they meet. But, as the parents begin to get close, the kids join forces to try to break them up.
The film has a great opening with the stars driving up, in their respective cars, for the grand opening of a new lodge in the Sierra Nevada Mountains - not far from Los Angeles. They didn't have to use fake snow for this film, because Columbia Pictures took its cameras up to Donner Pass Northeast of Sacramento where the snow over the winter of 1935-36 was plenty deep. Some of the movie was also filmed at Lake Tahoe, but not with any scenery of the lake. The bulk and best of the comedy occurs in the first three-fourths of the film, at the mountain resort. The film concludes back in L. A.. It has a predictable ending, but only after another original ploy by the kids
Melvyn Doulas is the widowed dad, Stephen Blake, of 10-year-old Tommy who's played by Jackie Moran. Mary Astor is the divorced mother, Edith Farnham, of nine-year-old Brenda. The Farnham's have their maid with them on the winter vacation, but Stephen's son arrives the second day. Stephen and Edith are the only two who get through the road before an avalanche blocks it for the first day and night. Which means they are the only guests at the grand opening night. And a great deal of the humor is aided and abetted by the cast of the resort hotel. Donald Meek plays the Hotel manager, and two supporting roles are superbly done as the resort sports director and hostess. Romaine Callender plays the first, as Mr. Snirley; and Dorothy Stickney is a very funny Miss Peabody. That these two become irksome companions of the two stars is what helps bring Stephen and Edith together.
The two kids do quite a bit of conniving and are very good at it, and all the time disliking one another themselves. One can guess where this might end up, but all of this cast do very well in keeping the film interesting and fun. A few other characters contribute. Douglas Scott plays the young Horace who injects himself into the plotting and antics of Brenda and Tommy. The hotel doesn't allow animals, but Tommy has found a stray dog on his way up and decides to give it to his dad as a Christmas present. He calls the dog, Harold, and a handyman smuggles it into his room.
Harold's role is short-lived but very funny. Brenda shows Tommy that dogs will eat almost anything, and she holds a bar of soap for Harold while the dog take several bites out of it. As the two kids begin to argue, the dog takes off down the hall, then down the resort stairs and into the main room where many guests are now drinking and dancing. Harold is foaming at the mouth with soap suds and the hotel guests scream and jump onto furniture as the "mad" animal scurries through them and out the front door.
Columbia Pictures at the time was not yet one of the top Hollywood Studios, and the quality of this film isn't on the par of MGM, Paramount or the others of the Big Five (By the 1940s, Columbia would be among the Big Six studios.) But, this is a very good comedy that people of all ages should still enjoy well into the 21st century. Here are some favorite lines.
Edith Farnham, "Uh, there's no danger of starvation is there? I mean, we won't have to draw lots to see who's to be eaten first will we?"
Miss Peabody, "Oh, my dear, I never catch cold. I'm bursting with health. Germs run away from me. Ah, hah, they actually run away." Edith, "I'm sure they do."
Edith, "Just to get away from that germicidal female, you understand?" Stephen Blake, "Perfectly! I'm the lesser of two evils." Edith, "You're practically psychic."
Edith, "Don't tell me the stern Mr. Blake is flirting with me?" Stephen, "Outrageously. Until the road clears, you might as well grin and bear it. Don't forget my proud beauty, it's the only flirting to be had in these parts." Edith, "Ha, ha, ha... Just until the road clears, huh?" Stephen, "Welllll."
Edith, "I know a good story that I never told you before. It's about seven men, and every last one of 'em was eaten up by an alligator." Brenda Farnham, giggling, "I'm gonna like this one."
Brenda, "Watch out, you'll catch my cold." Edith , "What of it? Someday I'll let you catch mine."
Stephen, "Did I ever tell you, you're the best dancer West of the Mississippi?" Edith, "No. Why didn't you?"
Stephen, "See this muscle. I got that beating helpless women and little children, but first I practiced on cripples."
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