The Lady Says No ** (1951, Joan Caulfield, David Niven, James Robertson Justice) – Classic Movie Review 11,995

Forgotten film The Lady Says No (1951). Forgotten star Joan Caulfield. Not too much to remember.

Producer-director Frank Ross’s 1951 American comedy film The Lady Says No stars Joan Caulfield, David Niven and James Robertson Justice.

Caulfield plays Dorinda Hatch, the best-selling writer lady who can’t say ‘yes’ to matrimony, in this flighty Fifties farce. Niven plays Bill Shelby, the devil-may-care photojournalist who is sent by Life magazine to cover her new anti-men book launch story. When Bill meets the author of the title book The Lady Says ‘No’, he is surprised to find an attractive young blonde woman instead of the dour spinster he imagined.

This light-as-air romantic comedy soufflé is unfortunately stodgily written by Robert Russell, but is is pleasingly played and neatly directed by people who know what they are doing. If only the script were anything like as good as its execution.

Niven does wonder little wonders, and James Robertson Justice and Henry Jones are assets as Matthew Hatch and Potsy.

David Niven and Joan Caulfield in the film’s dream sequence.

Also in the cast are Lenore Lonergan, Henry Jones, Frances Bavier, Peggy Maley, Jeff York, George Davis, Robert Williams and Mary Lawrence.

Ross was married to Caulfield from 1950 to 1960, and they had a son. Caulfield was a Republican

Lawrence was the wife of film director Delmer Daves.

It is shot by James Wong Howe, partly at Fort Ord, Pebble Beach and Carmel, California.

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 11,995

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com