The Mating Season *** (1951, Gene Tierney, John Lund, Miriam Hopkins, Thelma Ritter, Jan Sterling) – Classic Movie Review 5707

Director Mitchell Leisen’s 1951 comedy stars Gene Tierney, John Lund, Miriam Hopkins and Thelma Ritter.

Irritatingly dull performances from leads Lund and Tierney nearly sink a comedy story of the working-class boy named Val McNulty and the ambassador’s daughter called Maggie Carleton he weds. Dull they may be, but the film doesn’t have to be dull because in to the rescue comes hilarious Ritter as Ellen McNulty, Lund’s frank-speaking mom, who pays a surprise visit to her son and his new bride.

Maggie mistakes Ellen for the maid she has hired for her big party in the couple’s house and Ellen simply masquerades as the maid and, after endless complications, eventually completes their wedded bliss.

Following All About Eve (1950), Ritter garnered her second of six Best Supporting Actress Oscar nominations, followed by With a Song in My Heart (1952), Pickup on South Street (1953) Pillow Talk (1959) and Birdman of Alcatraz (1962). She never won, and surprisingly there was no nomination for Hitchcock’s Rear Window (1954).

Hopkins certainly helps the movie too as Tierney’s mother and Jan Sterling is also very welcome as Betsy.

Also in the cast are Larry Keating, James Lorimer, Gladys Hurlbut, Cora Witherspoon, Malcolm Keen, Ellen Corby, Billie Bird, Samuel Colt, Grayce Hampton, Stapleton Kent, Bob Kortman, Franklyn Farnum, Jimmy Hunt and Bess Flowers.

The screenplay by Walter Reisch, Richard L Breen and producer Charles Brackett is based on the play by Caesar Dunn. It is OK but not exactly the ‘Thousand LAFF-RIOT’ of the adverts. But, then again, when did you last have 1,000 laughs during a movie?

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5707

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