Hitchcock Day 3 - Mr. and Mrs. Smith (1941)

JUNE 3

Mr. and Mrs. Smith (1941)

Robert Montgomery, Carole Lombard

The words “Alfred Hitchcock” and “screwball comedy” should never be used in the same sentence. Montgomery and Lombard play a free-spirited husand and wife, Lombard asks if Montgomery could do it all over again, would he still marry her. Montgomery says no, he liked his bachelor life, only to find out that same day that their marriage certificate was no good. Hijinx ensue, drawing the couple far apart and then back together at the end.

It’s memorable as being the penultimate Carole Lombard film. Lombard died on TWA Flight 3 in January 1942.

If you want a screwball comedy from the 40’s, try His Girl Friday, much better dialogue and Cary Grant. If you want a better husband/wife film, see the 1934 adaptation of Dashiell Hammett’s The Thin Man:

“Is he working on a case?”

“Yes, he is.”

“What case?”

“A case of scotch. Pitch in and help him.”

Makes me that much more excited to get on to the next film of 1941, Suspicion.