Charles Coburn stars as a government contractor who persuades stuffy bureaucrat Jean Arthur to sublet a room in her spacious apartment, then bootstraps serviceman Joel McCrea into the deal. Cozy was the command in a Washington, DC capital pushed to the limit on war-time housing. While Columbia could've cast Connie and Joe with any number of contract cuties, only Coburn could've filled the Ben bill, the Macon-born thespian (1877) awarded a best support Oscar, though, clearly in lead. If Mrs Miniver rated a fleet of battleships (Churchill) then Benjamin "Damn the Torpedoes!" Dingle surely rated a block of efficiencies. Director George Stevens lets this one drag (104m), turning Miss Milligan, she with real assets (great gams), into a needy school girl, contradicting the cool, career-minded woman who opens the picture. Still, Chuck is so adorable you'll not find it too difficult to stomach all the blubbering (3/4).
Review of The More the Merrier
