When working class secretary Lucille Ball encounters wealthy Edmund O'Brien at the opera, sparks fly, and so does a purse. Ball's family have somehow ended up with O'Brien's usual opera box tickets and both parties create a huge disturbance that ends with Ball's purse flying out of her hands and onto O'Brien's head when he's (heaven forbid!) seated in the orchestra. The next thing Ball knows, she's been recruited to become O'Brien's secretary and initial hatred turns into an unlikely friendship. O'Brien has an obnoxious socialite fiancée (Marguerite Chapman) who keeps on walking in on Ball and O'Brien at awkward times and creates all sorts of misunderstandings. Ball is engaged to a sailor (George Murphy) who befriends O'Brien and takes him under his wing. O'Brien finds he likes Ball's rowdy family more than his social circle, and Ball finds that while she adores Murphy, her feelings for O'Brien cannot be denied.There are some really funny moments in this film, including an incident with a naval pal of Murphy's who literally can grow four inches at will simply by stretching his neck, back and leg muscles (and apparently shrink back to his normal height). This creates a scene in front of sniffy Franklin Pangborn's pet supply store and brings on typical comic havoc. O'Brien, later a dependable tough guy, is different here than anything he did later on, so that makes for an interesting twist. However, great comic moments don't make a great film, and this ultimately is missing the flour that makes the cake rise. None of Ball's later wackiness is apparent in this one. I must also point out that eccentrically obnoxious isn't always amusing to watch, and that describes Ball's family here to the tea.

HAROLD LLOYD produced this alleged comedy. Whatever he did right in the Silent Era and in his fine comedies of the 1930s' he must of forgotten in this production. This film telegraph's its entire plot within the first fifth-teen (15) minutes. It is as predictable as sand running through a 'Egg-Timer' and the 'timer' is more interesting.A GIRL (Lucille Ball), A GUY (Edmond O'Brien) AND A GOB (George Murphy) form the 'love triangle'. Each wanting to do what they think is in each others best interests. All are wrong and in the end, who you thought should be together, end up together. Like we did not know that from the get go! The supporting cast also just punches their clock and collects their checks. No doubt being grateful for a short shoot! Realizing how 'unfunny' this film really is.For some reason RKO kept featuring Mr. O'Brien in a series of mediocre comedies. Fortunetly after WWII he found his true niche as a character actor. Finally rewarded with the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA (1954). He continued his professionalism too the end of his career. Like-wise Mr. Murphy after success, mostly at M.G.M. also did alright, in the U.S. Senate. Ms. Ball, never a real front rank Star in Cinema, found the accomplishment and $$$ she craved in the new medium of Television. Which was more forgiving of her rather ordinary looks and slap-stick style of humor. In the 1950s' with limited competition and few channels to select from, you could be great or just the lessor of other evils too be popular.

Lucille Ball was much more restrained in this 1941 comedy with Edmond O'Brien and George Murphy.O'Brien appears so young and dashing in this film. He plays an upper class businessman who meets and finds love with secretary Ball. Murphy plays her sailor boyfriend. To me, the biggest question in the film was who would Murphy wind up with?The comedy here is tedious. O'Brien has a snobbish girlfriend with a high society mother to the bargain.Ball comes from a real common family where the brother finds opera tickets that belong to O'Brien. By the next scene, Ball is going to apply for a job where O'Brien is the owner. How coincidental can we get?

A couple of years ago one of our video rental stores went out of business. They sold off their stock. I knew that they had a good selection of movies from the 30's and 40's so I invested in about 20 of them. I just realized last week that I had overlooked viewing some of them. One of these was a 1941 flick called "A Girl, A Guy and a Gob" which I watched this evening. It starred Lucille Ball, George Murphy and Edmund O'Brien and was released in 1941.Much to my surprise it was very entertaining. The Producer was none other than Harold Lloyd of silent film fame. Evidently he produced 2 movies for RKO and they were both successful...don't know why the collaboration did not continue. "A Girl, A Guy and A Gob" has touches of silent film comedy and is also reminiscent in places of "You Can't Take It With You" since it deals with a similar "crazy" family. The principal stars look unbelievably young, especially O'Brien who later in his career became rather heavy. In this movie he looked somewhat like Franchot Tone. George Murphy also looks youthful and even does a bit of dancing although this is not a musical. Lucille Ball restrains herself in her comedy bits and mostly leaves the horseplay to Murphy (the Gob) and a fine cast of supporting players. So if you only like Lucy at her most outrageous you might be a little disappointed, but forget your disappointment because this is really a funny movie. The writing is good and the simple story line makes sense and the characters come through as believable. I attribute this to the involvement of Harold Lloyd who was really a comedy genius. I actually laughed out loud several times, something I don't often do for a Hollywood comedy. Try it, you might like it too.