Wedding Present *** (1936, Joan Bennett, Cary Grant, George Bancroft) – Classic Movie Review 7183

Director Richard Wallace’s 1936 amusing Paramount Pictures black and white media screwball comedy Wedding Present re-teams charismatic stars Cary Grant and Joan Bennett (fresh from Big Brown Eyes) as romancing reporters in a The Front Page-style scenario, not unlike Grant’s later His Girl Friday (1940).

Charlie Mason (Grant) is promoted from carefree reporter to tough city editor, but, when ace reporter Rusty Fleming (Bennett) resolves to wed someone more dependable, he wrecks the wedding and makes off with her.

The charming stars have appealing chemistry and Joseph Anthony’s witty screenplay (from Paul Gallico’s story) allows them to show off their charm and their screwball skills, while there is plenty of amusing comedy from the character support.

Wedding Present also features George Bancroft, Conrad Nagel, Gene Lockhart, William Demarest, Inez Courtney, Edward Brophy, Purnell Pratt, Douglas Wood, George Meeker, Lois Wilson, Torben Meyer, Charles Wilson, Frank Darien, George Offerman Jr,  Mary Forbes, Damon Ford and Harry Tyler.

It is one of the five discs on the Cary Grant: Screen Legend Collection [DVD] [2006] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC], along with Thirty Day Princess (1934), Wings in the Dark (1935), Big Brown Eyes (1936) and Kiss and Make-Up (1934).

It is early days for Grant, who of course went on to become the king of screwball comedy in such classics as The Awful Truth, Bringing Up Baby, Holiday and My Favorite Wife.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7183

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