Affectionately Yours

For me the brightest spots of this movie are Rita Hayworth and Dennis Morgan. The love triangle, which also includes Merle Oberon, is complicated by interference from Ralph Bellamy and others (at times it's difficult to be sure whose side Rita is on.) Standing by are Hattie McDaniel and Butterfly McQueen, who are rooting for Morgan all the way. The backdrop of the newspaper business - as well as the presence of Ralph Bellamy - reminds one slightly of "His Girl Friday." Not a terrifically funny comedy, but worthwhile, especially for fans of any of the cast members.

It's Rita Hayworth day on TCM! the cast list is just a roll call of great stars at Warner Brothers. Here, she's Irene, dancing in a nightclub in Lisbon, with Rick Mayberry (Dennis Morgan). trouble is, he's married. but at least Rick is honest, and tells Irene he's already married. released in May 1941, so a couple months BEFORE WW II breaks out. we were still happy and upbeat. even two guys dancing together, in the club. progressive, for 1941 ! Irene is ALSO on the plane home, so that will probably complicate things. Hattie McDaniel and Butterfly McQueen work for Susan (Merle Oberon, aka MRS. Mayberry !) McDaniel and McQueen had BOTH just had huge roles in Gone with the Wind. Ralph Bellamy is Owen Wright (Mister Right, of course) Susan's new boyfriend. they got chummy while Rick was traveling the world, getting chummy with Irene! George Tobias was a master of accents, and here, he's Rick's photographer. we all know him better as Abner, the next door neighbor on Bewitched. James Gleason is his boss back home, and doesn't help matters any. the bottom line here is that Susan can't seem to really decide if she's still in love with Rick, and strings both guys along to see if Rick still loves her. gets annoying after a while. and everyone is in on the act. so many shenanigans. does she still love him or not?? Directed by Lloyd Bacon. no oscars, but made some great films. this one was a bit too silly and overdone for me. i enjoyed the scene where Hattie McDaniel ends up with the bouquet and starts walking down the aisle. funny, considering it was filmed in 1941. different times.

In the late 1930s and into the 1940s, Ralph Bellamy had a peculiar niche in films. He was cast as the boyfriend who will lose the leading lady by the end of the film in approximately 48230 films (give or take). Again and again, you KNOW by the end of the movie he'll be left alone, so when I saw him dating Dennis Morgan's ex-wife (Merle Oberon) in this movie, I knew he'd be a miserable loser eventually!

The film begins with Morgan learning that his wife's divorce is final and he connives to get her back--though she's now with Bellamy(!) of all people! So, he's off to get her...and pretty Rita Hayworth is following, as she wants him and is thrilled that he's now divorced. While all of this is reasonably enjoyable, I couldn't help thinking that I've seen similar films many times--and often the other films were a bit better. After all, while Moran and Oberon were fine, the likes of Cary Grant, Irene Dunne or Rosalind Russell simply were better. My advice is see "The Awful Truth", "His Girl Friday"

or "My Favorite Wife" instead. The plots are rather similar (and some even feature Bellamy as the sap) and are just better--better written, acted and directed.

The verdict--a good film but nothing especially new.

Another reviewer used the word "trite" to characterize the plot of this film. Amen to that! As for the film as a whole? How about lame? Really lame!

Since this was a 1940s Warner Brothers production featuring several of that studio's stalwart players, I had high hopes when I saw it for the first, and almost certainly ONLY, time. But, really, this is a silly story that is hardly ever funny and simply makes everyone involved look foolish. (Butterfly McQueen absolutely sobs her way through this movie. Makes you wish someone had taken her apron and gagged her with it!)

I love the WB product of the 1940s, but this is really a let down. Don't expect anything like "Christmas in Connecticut"!

Dennis Morgan, Merle Oberon, Rita Hayworth, and Ralph Bellamy are "Affectionately Yours" in this 1941 comedy. Morgan is a newspaper reporter who travels constantly.

His current amour is Malcolm (Hayworth), and he gives her the same story he's given all of them - his wife (Oberon) won't divorce him.

However, he receives a telegram stating that she has, and he panics. He rushes home to New York, with Malcolm right behind him, and tries to woo her back. She's planning to marry Mr. Wright (Bellamy), who is more than disturbed by the fact that she still seems interested in her husband.

This is a fairly trite comedy with some very funny slapstick and, of course, two of the screen's most beautiful women, Oberon and Hayworth.

This film was made just before Hayworth broke through into big stardom, and she's delicious. She has the best role in the film. It always amuses me to see her so vivacious and talkative on screen.

According to one of her biographers, when the kids from the old neighborhood saw her on screen for the first time, they were shocked at how much she was talking. She never talked as a young girl.

Though she didn't really like movie stardom, the screen was where she could let herself go and be someone else. Morgan is attractive and just right as the errant husband.

Bellamy is in his usual role as the man who doesn't get the girl, and he does beleaguered very well.

Oberon lends sophistication and class to the film. Someone commented here that she looked plump. I don't know what they're talking about.

This is a good movie to see for the stars. The story isn't much.