I think Screwball Comedies are an acquired taste, and I wish I had acquired one. Here is an example of a highly acclaimed screwball comedy, and I have to say I missed much of the humor. In keeping with the genre within a genre, I found much of the story preposterous (on purpose, I suppose) and the humor was often forced. I always appreciated Irene Dunne in anything she was in, and she doesn't disappoint here. I found Melvyn Douglas' presence irritating and his performance grating, but I guess that's part of the charm of these comedies. The characters that inhabit them are always too accommodating and compliant in the face of outrageous behavior, rendering them less believable to the viewer (me). It's just my opinion, but count me out.Star rating is in the heading. The website no longer prints mine.

It was 1936. Irene Dunne had just finished being the lead in the popular Kern masterpiece: "Showboat". In it, she had shown off her wondrous singing voice. One song required her to do a bit of comedy in blackface. This looked promising enough to recommend her for a lead in a straight comedy. This film is what they came up with. Apparently, it was quite popular in it's day. But I submit that it hasn't aged particularly well.The plot revolves around a scandalous novel, "The Sinners", written by a small town young woman: Theodora Lynn, who has adopted the pseudonym Caroline Adams, to hide her identity from her 2 elderly aunts she lives with, in particular, and the people in her town, especially the conservative Literary Circle. Thanks to the very conservative views of the town, Theodore has lived a very sheltered life, hardly having been beyond the borders of her town. As her illustrator Michael Grant(Melvyn Douglas)remarks, in her book, she imagines many of the things she would like to do, but is afraid of disapproval. Theodora seems to agree with this. Michael has acquired the ambition to help get Theodora out of her shell, and live some of the things she has written about. Initially, Theodora is hesitant, refusing to tell him where she lives(he finds out anyway), and panicking when he makes advances on her in his NYC apartment. For some reason, during his brief stay at Theodora's home, he irritates everyone by whistling tunes.. Theodora retaliates by playing and singing "Be Still My Heart". After finished, Michael whistles again, inducing Theodora to bang on the piano and muss her hair, her aunts to slam the door, breaking the glass portion and causing the cat to scream from having it's tail caught in the door. That should wake up the dozing audience! Then, Michael hitches his adopted dog to the front of the hand mower, as if he is pulling it, singing "Get Along Little Dogie" Again, this irritates the aunts. Against her objections, Michael finally induces Theodora to go berry picking in the woods with him, and go fishing with him, where they get further acquainted. Finally, Theodora gets the nerve to tell off the members of the Literary Circle, including her aunts, but good. She starts wearing very frilly evening gowns, and gets drunk to show she's not afraid of an occasional drink. "Theodora's gone wild" say the women in her circle. Eventually, she tells reporters that she is Caroline Adams, creating a sensation in her hometown. Michael, estranged from his wife, tries to dissociate himself from Theodora, fearing scandal relating to her will include himself, and embarrass his politically important father....I leave the finale for you to see. Available at YouTube.Thomas Mitchel does a good job making the town newspaper editor interesting, with limited screen time. ..Spring Byington is the most prominent of the Literary Circle, and has a surprise waiting for her at the end worth fainting for. ...Thornton Hall serves as Theodora's publisher and friend, and long shares her secret.

One of the best screwball comedies giving Irene Dunne still another losing Oscar nomination.This comedy tests values, traditions and brings the small town living versus the big city in plenty of view.Dunne is equally matched with fine chemistry between her and Melvyn Douglas. The film also boasts a tremendous supporting cast with Spring Byington, Thomas Mitchell, Thurston Hall and Elisabeth Risdon at their very best.When a small-town writer writes a racy book under an assumed name, all hell breaks loose in the town when excerpts of the book are run by the non-stuffy Thomas Mitchell.While in N.Y., Dunne, the writer, meets the illustrator. He follows her back to the small town and eventually she turns the tables on him. In fact, she is eventually making the same demands that he made on her.The film is enhanced by town gossip, and the strict social conservative mores of rural America. The writing is sharp and the dialogue is crisp. We also see that when possible scandal hits home, the spinster conservative aunt shall defend her niece and that the gossip will get hers in the end as well. This applies to Risdon and Byington, respectively.

I have tried to watch this film twice with the identical outcome: I turned it off before it ended. I should add I am a devoted fan of Irene Dunne and slightly less so of Melvyn Douglas but I can't see how these two professionals could have stomached this drivel. It's supposed to be a comedy but there's really nothing funny about it and nobody comes off well. The Lynnfield residents are portrayed as provincial and small-minded while the New Yorkers are portrayed as pushy and inconsiderate alcoholics. Melvyn Douglas is at his most annoying here. There's nothing to redeem him. His character throws himself at Irene Dunne's character and when she flees in terror his reaction is to grin, no leer, as he watches her flight. The only character I found likable was Thomas Mitchell's newspaperman whose attempt to open his fellow citizens' minds is the departure point for this exercise in aggravation. Watch at your own risk.