Bride for Sale (1949) User Reviews

Something tells me that a typical life as a typical wife would bore her to tears.

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 3 April 2018]

A throwback to the wacky screwball comedies of the 1930's, this shows the veteran screwball legend, Claudette Colbert ("It Happened One Night", "Midnight") in an offbeat role as a finance executive who is determined to find a husband among her firm's clients. Determined to keep her from leaving and to teach her a lesson, stern boss George Brent sets her up with pal Robert Young whom Brent believes will exhaust her. But Colbert is another one of those girls who's one of the boys, and she surprises him with her inexhaustable energy. Brent finds he's jealous of Young and Colbert and arranges for Young to scram. But don't underestimate Colbert who catches on and turns the tables on both.

Better in minor details rather than it's complete execution, this might seem to be an attempt to modernize the screwball comedy by having the leading female character be a career woman who knows how to get the job done and have a good time. Colbert is practically perfect at her job, and when she reveals her goals to Brent, it becomes a major letdown. She still is very funny, especially when out on the town with Young who takes her to some of New York City's roughest nightspots where Colbert causes enough unintentional mayhem to get them arrested. Whether showing him how she can defend herself against unwanted advances or flinging fish, Colbert is a sheer delight. Brent and Young, actors from the golden age of screwball comedy, play roles that were interchangeable for them, and 14 years after they both starred with Colbert in other screwball comedies, still seem comfortable in that genre.

Gus Schilling as a rowdy sailor whom Colbert observes having his wallet stolen, Max Baer Sr. as a wrestling champion whom Colbert makes the mistake of throwing lily's to, and Hans Conreid as a befuddled jewelry clerk offer amusing characterizations. Minor characterizations of Brent and Colbert's various clients and various co-workers have funny brief appearances. This rarely seen screwball comedy could have been a classic had Colbert's character not have been husband hunting, but has plenty of amusing moments to provide plenty of laughs. Colbert may not be the career woman of the year thanks to her goals, but I'd go fish flinging with her any day!

Funny Late Screwball

[boblipton · 7/10 · 4 June 2022]

George Brent is a tax consultant, and his best man has quit to go into competition with him. His staff is demoralized, but he has hired, sight unseen, an Army colonel who's just being let go. It turns out to be Claudette Colbert. At first he's skeptical, but in a few months she has the office running like clockwork. At first he's concerned she's going to stay with him just long enough to learn the ins and outs, then go into competition. When she disabuses him of that idea, he decides she's going to marry some trust-fund knucklehead. So he works up a gag with old college buddy Robert Young, a trust-funder and field archeologist, to woo her quickly, make her miserable, and leave her convinced that a spinster's life is the one for her.

At this point we have the first date, and it's a very funny one, with smoking frozen drinks, sailors being rolled, a wrestling match, and a fight in a fish market. After that, the plot settles in, with Young and Brent putting in their claims. It becomes standard at that point, but there's enough lingering good will from the first date to carry it on through. Max Baer has a good supporting bit, and Gus Schilling, as a sailor, is as funny as I've ever seen him.

Good Lord what a terrible plot

[rdoyle29 · 6/10 · 10 October 2017]

George Brent owns a tax accounting business. His office is disorganized, so he hires a former army major to run his office. This turns out to be Claudette Colbert. He's not convinced that a woman can do the job, but he gives her a chance and she turns out to be the best office manager he has ever had. Perhaps too good. Afraid that she intends to leave and set up her own firm, taking all his clients with her, he confronts her. She confesses that working for a living has just been an elaborate ruse to find a husband. (Yes, this really happens.) She explains that all she wants is a wealthy homebody to call her own, and having access to a man's tax records gives her the insight she needs to pick a husband. Not wanting to lose his office manager, Brent decides to teach her a lesson and get his buddy Robert Young to pose as a wealthy museum curator with fake tax records to back him up. He is to lure Colbert in, get her to fall in love with him, and then dump her cold, teaching her that tax records can't tell you everything about a man. I am generally not one to slag a movie for having outdated, regressive beliefs, but it's actually pretty hard to set aside the abominable plot of this film. It definitely has it's charms. Colbert is always a joy to watch, and there are some great supporting turns, Max Baer in particular. However, this film ends up with both Brent and Young competing for Colbert's hand in marriage and you can't help but feel that she'd be better off without either of them.

Lavishly produced, crowd-pleasing romantic comedy with a top-notch cast!

[JohnHowardReid · 9/10 · 29 April 2016]

I'm astonished to find myself alone here in IMDb. "Bride for Sale" was an extremely successful movie in its day, and it holds up rather well. Basically, it's one of those romantic comedies that make use of the old triangle plot, namely two men (here it's Robert Young and George Brent) pursuing one girl (the super charismatic Claudette Colbert). Which man will she choose? The support cast is also first rate, although few of the huge roster of popular players assembled here receive much in the way of opportunities. One glorious exception is Charles Arnt, who plays Brent's chief clerk. Here, Arnt can be seen in a larger and better role than his usual lot - and boy! - does he make the most of it! As for Claudette, she sparkles most delightfully - even if she is at times - especially in the scene in which she shops for an engagement ring - inclined to over-act. The direction is credited to William D. Russell, though I would not be surprised to discover that Russell was not alone. At times, the direction is agreeable fast and inventive and actually sparkles. Fluid camera-work is right on the menu. But there are also a few scenes that needed jazzing up but are slow and routine. All told, however, "Bride for Sale" is a joyous experience and a real crowd- pleaser,

Deservedly Forgotten

[richardchatten · 3/10 · 15 July 2017]

Although a star vehicle for one of Hollywood's grandest divas of all time, 'Bride for Sale' is a deservedly obscure romantic potboiler whose title and assumptions about working women would be offensive if one could be bothered to take them seriously.

Claudette Colbert is as unconvincing as an alpha female ex-Wac major turned super-efficient office manager of an income tax and accounting firm as Robert Young is as an archaeologist she sets her cap at in the belief that he's loaded and can keep her in the style to which she intends to become accustomed. The usual garrulous, drably-photographed shenanigans duly ensue, occasionally enlivened by cameos from the likes of Max Baer, Gus Schilling and Hans Conried.

With a cast like this, I expected much more.

[planktonrules · 3/10 · 23 February 2018]

The script for "Bride for Sale" isn't particularly good, and it's a shame as it wastes a decent cast.

When the story begins, a very grouchy boss brings in a retired military guy to whip the office into shape. What he doesn't realize is that the military guy is a gal! Nora (Claudette Colbert) turns out to be fantastic for the company...but the boss (George Brent) is shocked when he learns she's looking to get married and settle into the life of a housewife...and he enlists the help of a friend (Robert Young) to try to change her mind.

This film simply tries too hard at times. The scenes with Colbert, Young and the fish is particularly so. Add a few overdone scenes to the confusing plot and you've got a disappointment for most viewers. Not a terrible film but it sure as heck should have been better...and funnier.

What price happine$$?

[jarrodmcdonald-1 · 31 October 2022]

At this point in her screen career, Claudette Colbert was freelancing after ending a 15-year association with Paramount Pictures. During her tenure at Paramount she appeared in a variety of movies, but achieved her greatest success in the romantic comedy genre. It's not surprising that as a freelancer, she'd choose these kinds of scripts since she had a guaranteed audience for such frivolity.

BRIDE FOR SALE is a catchy title that almost suggests gold digging. It's an independent production released through RKO. Miss Colbert is playing a career woman, an accountant who works for George Brent's income tax firm. Colbert and Brent had previously costarred in TOMORROW IS FOREVER, so the two bring familiarity with each other's acting styles to this endeavor.

For his part, Mr. Brent is cast as a tyrannical office boss who drives his employees up a wall. He exhibits more than a bit of chauvinism around the women, so he is not well-liked by much of his staff. Colbert is hired on to serve as a buffer, plus she is good with figures and her tax strategies save clients money which reflects well on the company.

Since Colbert proves so indispensable, Brent has to tolerate her even if he doesn't entirely respect her. This is complicated by the fact that he finds her attractive, even if she isn't initially interested in him this way. The main plot kicks into gear when Colbert's character, getting a bit long in the tooth, realizes it's time to find a husband.

For years, she's put her job ahead of romance. But that's about to change. In a silly twist, she decides a rich husband is to her liking, so she scans the files of male clients whose annual returns indicate how much dough they have, and if they're single.

Brent finds out what she's up to, and he becomes bent out of shape. This is because has feelings for the fair maiden, and because she's using client information in a somewhat questionable way. She doesn't deny what she's angling for, which adds to the amusing interplay between them when he confronts her. The dialogue is quite funny, and these two pros have a field day. One line has Brent exclaim: 'You can't add up a bunch of numbers and marry the total!'

However, that's exactly what she plans to do. Seeing fit to teach her a lesson, Brent looks up an old pal (Robert Young) to enlist his aid in the hopes of putting Colbert in her place. Young is a museum curator who goes on archaeological expeditions. He's back in town, single, and available for a few dates. Brent tells Young all about Colbert, and Young agrees to play a heel and cross her up. Then she'll learn it's no good to have an adding machine for a heart!

As things progress, of course Young really does fall for Colbert. Meanwhile, Brent is still pining away with unresolved feelings for her and regrets bringing Young into the equation. What's great about this film is that the triangle is not predictable, since she could go either way. The scenarists capitalize on the premise by having her get engaged to both guys at the same time, which creates a lot of chaos/comedy.

Notable sequences include a night at a boxing match for Colbert and Young, as well as a fight with some locals at an outdoor fish market that involves a lot of slapstick. There is also an amusing bit near the end of the film where Brent stops his car in the middle of a busy street to chase after Colbert and prevent her from leaving town with Young. I won't tell you which one she winds up with, but I will tell you that this is an enjoyable romp.