Dick Foran (Christopher) is happily married to Claudette Colbert (Mary) but will do anything for pal Don Ameche (Joe). Ameche needs a wife to impress his boss and so Chris lends him Mary. Hilarity ensues. Or does it? I'll answer that right now – no it doesn't. This is a weak and boring comedy. I fell asleep because it was so dull. Foran is a complete duffus that you can't relate to and Colbert plays it as a silly schoolgirl acting out juvenile frolics. The relationship between Foran and Ameche is based on some kind of retarded fraternity bonding whereby they play immature games with each other for one-upmanship – a kibble. We are subjected to this stupid notion of a kibble on several occasions and it really wound me up. There are rare moments of comedy that actually work but it's all under par given the cast. Pretty boring stuff.

I find it interesting that whenever something like this crops up on television (as this has just done) we tend to over appreciate it because of what it is up against in terms of contemporary film-making. Thus, compared to the insipid still water that masquerades as romantic comedy today this entry from 1945 sparkles like vintage champagne whereas in its own time it was just one of dozens of similar quality and may well have got lost in the shuffle. Colbert and Ameche were old hands at pretending to be married, they did it in Midnight in 1939 and what's more they did it to a Billy Wilder screenplay which even Mitchell Liesen couldn't ruin, a screenplay that leaves this one dead in the water but, as noted, so starved are we in the oughties for even half decent sophistication we are in danger of mistaking bling for a Faberge egg. Colbert steals it, of course, going away, Ameche is competent and since presumably Ralph Bellamy was working elsewhere Dick Foran makes a reasonable fist out of the Bellamy role as the 'nice' husband who allows Ameche to 'borrow' his wife in order to convince his (Ameche's) boss that he is, in fact, married. In Midnight pretend marriage led to real nuptials and it's a nice twist that here Colbert and Foran ride into the sunset together. Highly entertaining.

Married couple Chris and Mary are about to set out for a second honeymoon whenever Chris's old friend Joe comes to town. Mary doesn't like Joe because he always brings trouble and this time is no exception. It seems that Joe has been using a fictional wife to improve his job prospects – even sending pictures of his wife and letters from her to his boss to impress upon him what a great guy he is (in the eyes of his fictional wife). However when his employers request the presence of Mrs Parker in New York, Joe has to ask Mary to stand in. Being a good friend Chris says yes and, with him stuck in town, Mary and Joe head off together, apparently oblivious of the sheer amount of problems that they will create.The basic idea behind this plot means that it is the Mary and Joe that have the best chemistry and spend the most time together on screen, this is a risk that it takes because it means the audience could have felt more for them as a couple rather than Chris as Mary's husband. This would have been a disaster (particularly at the time of release) but the film manages to keep it fresh and keep us engaged in the marriage while also enjoying the sparks between Joe and Mary. It cleverly makes a game to excuse the chemistry and stops us worrying about whether real love is blossoming or not. By doing this it keeps it light and enjoyable, consistently amusing and occasionally laugh out loud funny thanks to some sharp lines and jokes.The cast match this effortlessly. Colbert has great fun with an increasingly playful role that shapes the film and the other characters; she is the lead and her comic performance is great. Ameche also changes across the whole film as well, going from playboy to "rabbit in headlights" easily and convincingly. Foran has the hardest role in terms of engaging the audience but he does pretty well with a rather simple lug of a character. Support from people like Dingle, Mitchell, Bacon and others in minor roles all help the generally comic air come over consistently.Overall this is a bit of a balancing act and it is to its credit that it manages to pull it off and keep the audience onside. It is all light, fluffy stuff of course but it is surprising just how enjoyable it is if you are in the mood for it. If you're looking for something inconsequential and fun then you could do a lot worse than trying this film.

Don Ameche steals the show in this black and white romantic comedy. Don Ameche is in wonderful form. He not only delivers his lines with perfection but his use of his eyes makes his character, Joe, come to life. This movie promises many laughs. Claudette Colbert also offers up a good performance as Mary, the wife that Joe borrows from his best friend Chris.