Meet the Stewarts

As I sat and watched "Meet the Stewarts", I couldn't help but feel annoyed. So much of the story revolves around a spoiled rich girl who is simply annoying--at least that's how my wife and I felt as we watched.

The film begins with a love-struck young man, Michael (William Holden) approaching Candace's father (Grant Mitchell) to ask his permission to marry her. However, the father is NOT happy to give his blessing and vows to cut off his daughter (Frances Dee) from her very extravagant lifestyle if she marries Michael. Well, she marries anyway--knowing full well that she'll have to economize and live like a normal person. However, throughout the film, this spoiled housewife continually overspends and simply ignores their financial situation. As for Michael, he's an idiot, as although he lectures her about economizing, every time she cries he simply gives in to her. This sort of thing is supposed to be funny. I found it grating and a bit insulting since the US had just come out of the Depression. Also grating was that Candace could do NOTHING right when it came to housework--nothing. Again, it was supposed to be funny but wore thin after a while.

If you haven't guessed, I didn't like this film at all. It's a waste of several talented actors--particularly Holden who, oddly, has the screen presence of a zucchini. Making a film about a rich lady giving it all up to marry a working class guy could have worked--but making the wife THIS vacuous, selfish and ineffectual strained credibility well beyond the breaking point. Candace is unlikable to the point where I wanted to see Michael belt her!! No, I am NOT endorsing spousal abuse--though the film DOES late in the picture! Finally, I agree with several of the other reviewers who felt this plot was more like a TV episode stretched to movie length. Overall, an annoying film with little to commend it.