"That Wonderful Urge" is a remake of the 1937 hit comedy, "Love is News," that starred Loretta Young and Tyrone Power. And, as others have noted, it's very unusual for a same lead to star in a remake. But, Power is again the male lead in this film - 11 years later. Playing opposite him in the female lead is Gene Tierney. Most of the same characters of the original plot are here - all but one with different names. This isn't nearly as good as the original, but it's still a very good comedy. A big twist in the plot provides some new humor.
The supporting cast is also very good, but not quite on the level of the first film. Reginald Gardiner has a larger role as Count André de Guyon. Lloyd Gough plays Duffy, in a much smaller role than that of Don Ameche. Lucile Watson plays Aunt Cornelia Farley, replacing Uncle Cyrus. Chill Wills plays a Justice of the Peace and Arleen Whelan plays reporter Jessica Woods. Two more new characters are Gene Lockhart as Judge Parker, who's the judge in a court trial; and Porter Hall is Tom's attorney, Ketchell..
The major twist in this film is that the reporter and heiress are supposed to be married, instead of engaged. So she tells the press -except for Tom's paper, of course.
The film opens in Sun Valley, Idaho, where Power's Tom Tyler has gone to dig out more on Sara Farley. He is incognito as Tom Thomas, who meets Aunt Farley who then introduces him to Sara at lunch. The next day, they go dog-sledding and Tom hits his head on a tree branch and is knocked unconscious for a short time. They then stay in an emergency ski cabin until rescued.
The next day, the local paper has an article about the former war correspondent, Tyler, being in Sun Valley, with his photo. So, he quickly checks out and catches the train to return to New York. Sara then sees the article and Tom's photo, and the same day the nearby county courthouse is burned to the ground. So, the marriage records were all destroyed. The one little hole in this, of course, is that a couple usually gets a certificate of marriage. The irony, as this story implies, is that the people believe what the press says. So, when Sara says she is married, they all believe her -- including the reporters. No one, Tom included, asks about seeing a marriage certificate as proof of their marriage. Nor does that ever come up even in the trial.
Two more big twists take place in this revised story. When no one believes him, Tom decides to play the married partner role. He arrives at her home, the butler has read of her marriage and doesn't know otherwise, so he lets him in, and then Tom gives the whole staff the night off. The second big twist is when the paper sues Sara for libel. This provides many laughs as Tom's acting the role turns back on him. The butler, store clerks, people from the Whitson's party and others testify that Tom had said he was her husband. Tom's showing up at the Whitson's party that Sara was attending, and acting like a hillbilly is the best part of this film for lots of laughs.
Here are the best lines from this film.
Aunt Cornelia Farley, "He's nice, don't you think?" Count André de Guyon, "I do not. I think he's trying to take the bread right out of my mouth."
Count Guyon, "He's stalking her now - my pigeon. I can tell by the look on his face."
Sara, "The great reading public isn't interested in normal human beings. They want freaks, served up with all the trimmings."
Tom Tyler, "Mrs. Whitson, this seems like a wonderful party. I always have wanted to mingle with the filthy rich."
Tom, "You know, it's funny. Ma always use to say, 'Marry a rich girl.' Feather your nest, she said. It can't hurt. She was right. Guess she must still be watchin' over me."
Mrs. Whitson, "Has your mother passed on, Mr. Tyler?" Tom, "Oh, no, no, no. She's still up there in the cabin on the mountain. 'The old Widdy of Mount Baldy,' they call her."
Tom, "Why, she chews tobacco just like dad, only better. She can drown a beetle at 20 paces."
Tom, "Ma was quite a shot when she was sober."
Tom, "Well, Uncle Porter - he's my half-wit uncle with the hives. Uncle Porter was heatin' up the mash and starting in to sweat out about a 40 gallon of the prettiest mountain dew that ever invited snakes to a picnic."
Tom, to Sara, "I live here. I'm Mr. Farley, or you're Mrs. Tyler - remember?"
Marriage license clerk, "I can't be a party to a conspiracy to commit bigamy. You got any proof that you're not married to Sara Farley?" Tom, "Well, you know no one can prove that they're not married. Nobody issues certificates of non-marriage."
Attorney Ketchell, "Who're we suing this morning?" Findlay, "Sara Farley." Ketchell, "Why? Didn't she give him his allowance?" Tom, "Oh, ho, very funny."
Tom, "This morning an old lady came up to me on the street and hit me on the head with an umbrella." Duffy, "What for?" Tom, "She said she was doing it in the name of womanhood."
Sara, on the witness stand, "He's the only man I've ever met who really isn't interested in my money."
Tom, on the witness stand, to Sara's attorney, "And I resent your attempts to make me appear an idiot. Your honor, do I have to stand for this?" Judge Parker, "Uh, the matter of who is or who is not an idiot has not been brought into this action. The witness will answer the questions."
