Suddenly It’s Spring ** (1947, Paulette Goddard, Fred MacMurray, Macdonald Carey) – Classic Movie Review 9974

Director Mitchell Leisen’s 1947 comedy Suddenly It’s Spring stars Paulette Goddard, Fred MacMurray, Macdonald Carey and Arleen Whelan, and is based on the story Sentimental Journey by P J Wolfson.

In an interesting gender-swap plotline, World War Two soldier Captain Mary Morley (Goddard) returns from the war and finds that her lawyer husband Peter (MacMurray) wants a divorce to marry Gloria Fay (Whelan), while Goddard now has her eyes on Jack Lindsay (Carey).

The stars and co-writer Claude Binyon’s production are fine, with the ideally teamed Goddard and MacMurray giving sprightly performances. It is the strangely poorly-developed screenplay and shortage of funny comic talent in the support cast that mostly do it in.

However, director Leisen keeps it as bright as possible in the breezily short running time (it runs 87 minutes), so at least it is never boring.

Also in the cast are Lillian Fontaine, Frank Faylen, Frances Robinson, Victoria Horne, George Backus, Jean Ruth, Roberta Jonay, Willie Best, John Kellogg, Paul Lees, James Millican, Patrick McVey, Eddie Acuff, Stanley Blystone, Griff Barnett, Isabel Withers, Archie Twitchell and George Lynn.

Suddenly It’s Spring is directed by Mitchell Leisen, runs 87 minutes, is made and released by Paramount, is written by Claude Binyon and P J Wolfson, based on the story Sentimental Journey by P J Wolfson, is shot in black and white by Daniel L Fapp, is produced by Claude Binyon, is scored by Victor Young, and is designed by Hans Dreier and John Meehan.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9974

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