Once Upon a Honeymoon (McCarey, 1942): BFI Southbank, NFT2, 6.10pm
This film, screening as part of the BFI's Screwball! season, also screens on Sunday Jan 27. Details here.
Paul Harrill writes at the Senses of Cinema website: 'Of the greatest directors of the Classic Hollywood era, Leo McCarey’s
work and reputation are today among the most popularly and critically
neglected. McCarey was a giant in his time. His films were often hugely
successful with audiences, and his colleagues admired his work (three
Oscars and 36 nominations for his films, fan letters reportedly from
Chaplin and Capra, etc). Jean Renoir expressed a once widely held
sentiment when he remarked, “McCarey understands people better perhaps
than anyone else in Hollywood”.'
If you want to read something more detailed on this movie then Robin Wood, who has written extensively on this director, has an article entitled Democracy and Shpontanuity in the Film Comment issue of Jan-Feb 1976.
Chicago Reader review:
'Leo McCarey's astonishing attempt to blend screwball
comedy and wartime propaganda—even more astonishing because, by and
large, it works. Ginger Rogers is an American gold digger who marries
Nazi Walter Slezak on the eve of the war; it's the job of radio
correspondent Cary Grant to get her working for our side. Despite some
windy passages, the film's equation of true love and the democratic
ideal is irresistible, quintessential Leo McCarey.'
Dave Kehr
Here is a clip.
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