"Mr. and Mrs. Smith" is a good comedy about a couple who learn that they haven't been legally married the past three years as they thought they were. The "un-marriage" is based on an absurd notion, but it sets the stage for what follows. And what follows is a comedy of errors and airs in which the groom pursues his bride all over again, while she plays hard to get.
Robert Montgomery and Carole Lombard are the leads as David and Ann Smith. She reverts to her maiden name, Ann Krausheimer when they split up. This isn't one of Carole Lombard's funnier roles, but Montgomery is funny as he jumps through hoops to try to win his wife back. His law firm partner, Jeff Custer, also wants to woo Ann. Gene Raymond plays his part superbly as a real male wallflower. He's straight faced, overly considerate, and straightforward about a relationship with the one-time wife of his best friend and partner. It makes it that much funnier – and frustrating for David.
Some of the funniest scenes are with Jeff's parents. Lucille Watson plays Mrs. Custer, Jeff's mother. She was one of the consummate Hollywood supporting cast who played superbly the role of a shocked mother, or mother-in-law, or snobbish, Puritanical society dame. Philip Merivale is equally aghast as Jeff's father, Ashley Custer. An uproarious scene occurs when Jeff introduces them to Ann. Just as they think she is a sweet, young thing, David enters the office and talks about their coffee together over the morning breakfast table the past three years. The crunch comes when he asks about his laundry, and says he doesn't have any more clean shorts. A type of this scene replays toward the end of the film – with hilarious portrayals of the dumbfounded and astonished Custers.
It's a good thing that David and Jeff owned their own law firm. No one else would have been able to take so much time away from work as David did to pursue Ann. Some reviewers are surprised that this film was directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Hitch was well established as a versatile director before he came to the U.S. just before the start of World War II. He became known for his mastery at mystery films. But he had done a number of comedies, romances and dramas before, and even did one successful musical drama.
This film came out at the end of January 1941. A year later Carole Lombard would be dead. She was killed in a plane crash in Nevada while returning home to California from a war bond drive. She was only 34 years old, but she is remembered today from some of the wonderful films she was in, especially her comedy roles. She was in 80 films in a 16-year career.
On the other hand, Robert Montgomery isn't as well known today. He played a variety of roles in more than 60 films, but ended his silver screen career at age 46 in 1950. He spent the rest of his career in television. His last acting was in 1950-51 in his long-running TV series, Robert Montgomery Presents. After that, he continued to produce that show until 1957 and did some more TV production until 1960. He continued to work in the theater in the 1950s and won the 1955 Tony Award as best director for "The Desperate Hours." In 1968, Montgomery wrote a book entitled "An Open Letter from a Television Viewer" in which he lambasted the TV industry for its programming of violence.
A favorite scene of mine in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" has Jeff and Ann riding in a sleigh to the cottages they have booked at Lake Placid in the Adirondacks. Ann says, "I love the smell of snow." Jeff says, "No one can smell snow." And Ann responds, "I can." Jeff looks around as though he's sniffing, then looks down at the horses pulling the sleigh and says, "That isn't snow."
Robert Montgomery and Carole Lombard are the leads as David and Ann Smith. She reverts to her maiden name, Ann Krausheimer when they split up. This isn't one of Carole Lombard's funnier roles, but Montgomery is funny as he jumps through hoops to try to win his wife back. His law firm partner, Jeff Custer, also wants to woo Ann. Gene Raymond plays his part superbly as a real male wallflower. He's straight faced, overly considerate, and straightforward about a relationship with the one-time wife of his best friend and partner. It makes it that much funnier – and frustrating for David.
Some of the funniest scenes are with Jeff's parents. Lucille Watson plays Mrs. Custer, Jeff's mother. She was one of the consummate Hollywood supporting cast who played superbly the role of a shocked mother, or mother-in-law, or snobbish, Puritanical society dame. Philip Merivale is equally aghast as Jeff's father, Ashley Custer. An uproarious scene occurs when Jeff introduces them to Ann. Just as they think she is a sweet, young thing, David enters the office and talks about their coffee together over the morning breakfast table the past three years. The crunch comes when he asks about his laundry, and says he doesn't have any more clean shorts. A type of this scene replays toward the end of the film – with hilarious portrayals of the dumbfounded and astonished Custers.
It's a good thing that David and Jeff owned their own law firm. No one else would have been able to take so much time away from work as David did to pursue Ann. Some reviewers are surprised that this film was directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Hitch was well established as a versatile director before he came to the U.S. just before the start of World War II. He became known for his mastery at mystery films. But he had done a number of comedies, romances and dramas before, and even did one successful musical drama.
This film came out at the end of January 1941. A year later Carole Lombard would be dead. She was killed in a plane crash in Nevada while returning home to California from a war bond drive. She was only 34 years old, but she is remembered today from some of the wonderful films she was in, especially her comedy roles. She was in 80 films in a 16-year career.
On the other hand, Robert Montgomery isn't as well known today. He played a variety of roles in more than 60 films, but ended his silver screen career at age 46 in 1950. He spent the rest of his career in television. His last acting was in 1950-51 in his long-running TV series, Robert Montgomery Presents. After that, he continued to produce that show until 1957 and did some more TV production until 1960. He continued to work in the theater in the 1950s and won the 1955 Tony Award as best director for "The Desperate Hours." In 1968, Montgomery wrote a book entitled "An Open Letter from a Television Viewer" in which he lambasted the TV industry for its programming of violence.
A favorite scene of mine in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" has Jeff and Ann riding in a sleigh to the cottages they have booked at Lake Placid in the Adirondacks. Ann says, "I love the smell of snow." Jeff says, "No one can smell snow." And Ann responds, "I can." Jeff looks around as though he's sniffing, then looks down at the horses pulling the sleigh and says, "That isn't snow."