Standing Room Only

Paulette Goddard and Fred MacMurray are faced with "Standing Room Only" in this 1944 film.

Jane Rogers (Goddard) works on an assembly line at a toy factory, but her chattering and inattention lead to her being sent to the head office, ostensibly for dismissal, since this is her third offense.

While there, due to some sneaky work on her part, she finagles a trip to Washington D.C. with with one of the managers, Lee Stevens. He is promised half the firm if he can win an important government contract for the company. Though he's engaged to the boss' daughter, the other women in the firm find him very attractive, and Jane is no exception.

She starts messing up right away. She leaves important papers in the cab; when she gets to the hotel she doesn't like the rooms so she cancels them, leaving both of them without accommodation. Anything set in Washington during the war shows a complete madhouse. After spending a night outside, Jane escorts Lee to their new digs, a private home. She doesn't mention that they've been hired as maid and butler.

Hilarious story with the vivacious, beautiful Goddard and stalwart MacMurray coming up against the randy male of the house (Roland Young) and his major wife (Anne Revere) who has left him to run their home while she's working with paratroopers.

Snappy dialogue and crazy situations abound as well as wonderful performances from all involved. I have to single out Anne Revere here - what an actress she was, playing the mother in National Velvet and this, among many other roles. Though blacklisted, she continued to work on stage until returning to Hollywood.

Goddard and MacMurray were a great combination, he a sort of everyman and the sparkling Goddard, both of whom had were excellent in comedy.

Highly recommended.