Movies about marriage are a mixed bag. What works and doesn't depends on the writing. Are the characters real? Do the problems and resolutions make sense? In the case of "Made For Each Other", the answer to these questions is yes. The couple is James Stewart and Carole Lombard, and their problems are simple. Stewart's nagging mother (Lucille Watson), his irascible boss (Charles Coburn), issues meeting their budget, and dealing with the issues of a new child are among them. The situations are simple and solvable, so the film isn't really saying anything remarkable, but viewers then and now can identity with the problems, even if they do seem a bit simple in today's complex world.
One amusing issue they face is keeping good help. Their first cook (Esther Dale) can't stand the interfering Watson ("I'm Only Human!", she repeats and repeats, after which she demands her salary while a dinner party is still going on), while the second makes it clear she is only the cook, and won't wash diapers. (Lombard promptly fires her.) The third is a gem, and she's a gentle black woman, played with great dignity and love by the always delightful Louise Beavers. Stewart and Lombard are a likable young couple, and while they may not seem an ideal romantic team, it works because Lombard is playing against type. Watson starts off as the passive-aggressive mother-in-law who interferes at every turn, but once you see her own loneliness, she is more understandable. She reminded me of Doris Roberts' Marie Barone on the long-running sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond". Coburn, one of the biggest scene stealers in movies, is excellent, and infuses his sometime aggravating character with many levels of humanity, especially when things get really rough for the couple when their baby gets sick. The conclusion is heart-wrenching and will have you glued to your seat.
One amusing issue they face is keeping good help. Their first cook (Esther Dale) can't stand the interfering Watson ("I'm Only Human!", she repeats and repeats, after which she demands her salary while a dinner party is still going on), while the second makes it clear she is only the cook, and won't wash diapers. (Lombard promptly fires her.) The third is a gem, and she's a gentle black woman, played with great dignity and love by the always delightful Louise Beavers. Stewart and Lombard are a likable young couple, and while they may not seem an ideal romantic team, it works because Lombard is playing against type. Watson starts off as the passive-aggressive mother-in-law who interferes at every turn, but once you see her own loneliness, she is more understandable. She reminded me of Doris Roberts' Marie Barone on the long-running sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond". Coburn, one of the biggest scene stealers in movies, is excellent, and infuses his sometime aggravating character with many levels of humanity, especially when things get really rough for the couple when their baby gets sick. The conclusion is heart-wrenching and will have you glued to your seat.