Model Wife *** (1941, Joan Blondell, Dick Powell, Charles Ruggles, Lucile Watson, Billy Gilbert, Ruth Donnelly, Lee Bowman) – Classic Movie Review 11,559

Producer-director Leigh Jason’s 1941 American film Model Wife stars Joan Blondell and Dick Powell in a likeable, hard-working comedy about a young couple, Joan and Fred Chambers (Blondell and Powell), who have to keep their marriage under cover so as not to lose their jobs.

The film, which also stars Charles Ruggles [Charlie Ruggles], Lee Bowman, Lucile Watson, Ruth Donnelly and Billy Gilbert, was released on 18 April 1941 by Universal Pictures.

Model Wife is a pacey, always amusing and often very funny comedy, thanks to the energetic playing by the genial performers and to the good script packed with inventive situations and gags.

Jason also provides the story for the screenplay by Charles Kaufman, Horace Jackson and Grant Garett.

Fred and Joan are a married pair working at a department store where Mrs J J Benson (Lucile Watson) bans married employees, so they have to keep it a secret. But then Mrs Benson decides to install her wastrel son Ralph (Lee Bowman) in the store and Joan is picked as his secretary. Unfortunately, next, Joan is asked to model dresses for a late customer.

It runs 78 minutes.

Dick Powell and Joan Blondell were married in real life, from 1936 to 1944.

Joan Blondell in Topper Returns.

The cast are Joan Blondell as Joan Keating Chambers, Dick Powell as Fred Chambers, Charlie Ruggles as Milo Everett, Lee Bowman as Ralph Benson, Lucile Watson as J.J. Benson, Ruth Donnelly as Mrs Milo Everett, Billy Gilbert as Dominic, John Qualen as The Janitor, Lorraine Krueger as Jitterbug, Glen Turnbull as Jitterbug, Kathryn Adams, Frank Faylen, Dale Winter, Mary Kelly, Ferdinand Munier, George Chandler, and Vera Lewis.

Model Wife is directed by Leigh Jason, runs 78 minutes, is made and released by Universal Pictures, is written by Charles Kaufman, Horace Jackson and Grant Garett, based on a story by Leigh Jason, is shot in black and white by Norbert Brodine, is produced by Leigh Jason, and is scored by Hans J Salter.

Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,559

Link to Derek Winnert’s home page for more reviews: http://derekwinnert.com/

Dick Powell stars as Fred Chambers.