Un genio in famiglia

"So Goes My Love" is a film that one wishes had been better than it is. It's a fictional biopic about Hiram S. Maxim who invented a machine gun, curling iron and other things. The film is based on a story by his son, Hiram Percy Maxim, who was himself a prolific inventor. Maxim's inventions get little attention in this film. Instead, it's more about his personal life, meeting his first wife, and their family. It's supposed to be a comedy, drama and biopic.

However humorless Hiram senior may have been, Hollywood surely could infuse enough energy and humor into his character to make the story more interesting. With Myrna Loy and Don Ameche in the leads, and a good idea for a plot, this film had potential. But, unfortunately, it turns out to be slow and just so-so for entertaining. I think the fault lies in a weak script, poor direction, and a lame acting job by Don Ameche.

Some pep shots of humor in the script would have put life into the screenplay. And, a pep pill for breakfast each day of shooting for Ameche might have brought his character to life. I understand that his Hiram Maxim is supposed to be a deadpan character. But that doesn't mean that he has to move about as though he were a robot with a recorder playing his lines. He underplays the part so much that it stretches the credibility of the audience to think that Loy's character could see anything in the man.

Ameche could act and could do comedy very well. He was absolutely hilarious at Tibor Czerny, a deadpan role opposite Claudette Colbert in "Midnight" of 1939. One can imagine Fred MacMurray in the part of Maxim. He was among the best – if not the number one leading man in deadpan comedy. And, he played a number of roles as a tinkerer.

The only thing that earns this film my six stars is Myrna Loy's Jane Budden Maxim. Her knowing glances, looks of polite shock and other expressions are priceless. These are the things that made her a perfect film companion in so many wonderful comedies with William Powell. The camera catches them here, but unfortunately, the rest of the film is quite flat. It's too bad some of Jane's energy and enthusiasm didn't wear off on Ameche's Hiram.