Once Upon a Honeymoon *** (1942, Cary Grant, Ginger Rogers, Albert Dekker, Harry Shannon, Albert Bassermann, Ferike Boros, Hans Conried) – Classic Movie Review 1,309

Leo McCarey’s 1942 wartime comedy drama film Once Upon a Honeymoon stars Ginger Rogers as a showgirl who gets married to an Austrian Baron (Walter Slezak). Cary Grant also stars as a wireless personality who suspects the Baron is a secret Nazi.

Co-writer/producer/director Leo McCarey’s 1942 wartime comedy drama film Once Upon a Honeymoon stars Ginger Rogers as a social-climbing Brooklyn burlesque showgirl named Katie O’Hara, who is masquerading as American socialite she calls ‘Katherine Butt-Smith’.

It is just before World War Two, and she gets married to the Austrian Baron Franz Von Luber (played by Walter Slezak), but, though she does not know it yet, he is a secret Nazi.

Cary Grant also stars as foreign correspondent Pat O’Toole, a wireless personality commenting for the American public from Europe. He suspects Von Luber of being a Nazi sympathiser and tries unsuccessfully to get information from Katie by deceit, but is warned off by Von Luber. O’Toole follows Katie across Europe after a good story, but he gradually falls in love with her and eventually of course comes to Katie’s rescue.

She learns her husband is in fact a Nazi, fakes her own death, and runs off with O’Toole. In Paris, Katie is recruited to spy for the allies and O’Toole uses a radio broadcast to portray Von Luber and the Nazis as idiots.

With the story and screenplay written by McCarey with Sheridan Gibney, Once Upon a Honeymoon is an intriguing attempt to merge screwball humour with wartime thrills, romance and a propaganda message. It is not a total success but it certainly works in stretches thanks to the polished writing and direction by McCarey and the expert, sparky and sincere performances.

The effortlessly polished Rogers and Grant make the comedy and the romance work smoothly, but the dated serious scenes are too drawn out and far less effective, and they have aged less well. The film remains a fascinating, and mostly entertaining curio, though.

Berlin-born Natasha Lytess, who plays a small role as the Jewish hotel maid Anna, was Marilyn Monroe’s acting coach and friend for many years.

Albert Dekker, Harry Shannon, Albert Bassermann, Ferike Boros, Hans Conried, John Banner, Peter Seal, Bert Roach, Emory Parnell and Fred Niblo also appear.

The films of Cary Grant: All 72 Cary Grant movies.