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This is a film in which the parts are definitely greater than the sum. I understand it was a remake of a Buster Keaton silent feature,so the slapstick is pretty funny. Also entertaining are Miss Powell's dance numbers (even if two of them were lifted from previous films) and the musical numbers by Hazel Scott and Lena Horne. Red Skelton is his usual bumbling, confused,but lovable self. But the film as a whole is just goofy. Besides the whole "mistaken identity" plot,there is a subplot about Nazi saboteurs,which is just stupid and some really bad spoof of "Gone With the Wind" as the play that Powell's character is starring in. I guess that during wartime, anything light hearted was quickly put together and rushed into theaters as a diversion. This film looks it.

I made it a point to watch this film because I read that it was Gloria Grahame's first film and I am a huge Grahame fan. Like most people I am most familiar with her work in the noir genre. I had assumed that "It's a Wonderful Life "was her first film, since that is where she actually garnered her first public attention, but clearly I was wrong. At any rate it wasn't bad for a first effort from her.

Mary Astor is good as the long suffering wife of a philandering husband with a gambling problem as well. Astor always rose above whatever material she was given and here is no exception. This film is lightweight wartime fluff. I would think that most people forgot about it the minute they left the theater.

Marshall Thompson, who is also making his film debut is appropriately goofy and yet charming as the boyfriend competing for the wandering attentions of Ms. Grahame's Sally.

Phillip Dorn is not an actor I'm that familiar with, but he's okay here as the husband , Mr.Donay, with the wandering eye (and lips, hands, etc.).

This is no masterpiece of fine film craftsmanship, but it is harmless if dated, as most women today wouldn't put up with Mr.Donay's nonsense and Ms. Grahame's character would have been looking for another job.

One other thing. People always talk about what a superior studio MGM was, but realistically they put out as much junk as the others. The difference was that they spent a ton of money on their huge musicals and big star vehicles, but their "B" pictures were as crappy as everybody else's.

So, as a lot of posters have already noted, there are a lot of improbable situations that pop up in this film and all of them work to the main character's advantage. As unrealistic as that is, it is what it is and no amount of complaining will change it.That being said, this is still a wonderful example of the noir genre for several reasons. The way the San Francisco locale is used so that the city itself is a character in the film, the terrific performances of the supporting cast, especially Agnes Moorehead, and the settings and costumes give the film a distinctive look that few films, noir or otherwise can match. This was the third pairing of Bogart and Bacall and by now their legions of fans were willing to forgive a few plot contrivances in order to watch the glamorous pair at work. Lauren Bacall as beautiful artist Irene Jansen glows every time the camera is on her. Although this is far from Mr. Bogart's best work, even his mediocre is better than a lot of actors' best. The real reason to watch is Agnes Moorehead as Madge Rapf, the jealous, vindictive, ex girlfriend of Vincent Parry, Bogart's character. She's the one that framed him and she's not through doing nasty things ,as we find out as the film progresses. She is magnificent as a truly vicious woman that will stop at nothing to get what and who she wants. Woe to anyone that gets in this dame's way! A word about the sets and wardrobe. As mentioned earlier in this review, San Francisco, its neighborhoods, landmarks and general atmosphere are used to full advantage in a way that was rare in the 1940's, as most studios preferred to do everything on a sound stage and backlots rather than shoot on location. 1947 was actually a big year for location shooting as Naked City was filmed entirely in New York City that same year. The wardrobe for this picture was wonderful as well. Watch Madge as she shows up unannounced at Irene's apartment, dressed to the nines in a leopard print dress with a matching hat. No question she was on the prowl. Of course, Ms.Bacall is stunning in every frame whether wearing a satin jacket and flowing pants or a casual plaid jacket and woolen slacks. Her experience as a model served her and her costumers well . The other supporting players were fantastic here as well, especially Tom D' Andrea as the cabbie that puts Vincent in touch with the plastic surgeon. All in all, this is a very good film, even if some of the plot contrivances are a bit unbelievable.