Let's Do It Again

In 1937, director directed a clever romantic-comedy, "The Awful Truth". It starred Cary Grand and Irene Dunne and the film was often wonderful--one of the better films of its type in the 1930s. Now, in 1953, the much less famous director Alexander Hall is given the unenviable task of doing the remake--with lesser actors in the leads and a lot of unnecessary singing and dancing tossed into the mix. Is there any possible way he could even come close to the original in quality or laughs? Well, the answer is an obvious NO--and I pretty much figured this out before the movie began. After all, the only reason to remake a movie is if the original was somehow seriously flawed and the remake corrected this. But the original was awfully good, so polished and featured amazing actors at their best--so how could Ray Milland and Jane Wyman hope to recapture the magic. Plus, the new script certainly isn't any better-in fact it's much worse (the film just didn't know when to end--and the final song by Wyman was god-awful). It seems that the one relatively minor flaw I saw in the original was still in this one...that the wife really did have reason to divorce because it's implied that the husband really WAS cheating on her. And, cheating is certainly NOT a subject that makes a film romantic. Now a misunderstanding causing the divorce, that probably would have worked better.

The bottom line is see the original and only see this remake if you are bored and there's nothing better on the television. Not a bad film--just an unnecessary one.

Jane Wyman and Ray Milland star in this breezy musical comedy remake of the Cary Grant and Irene Dunne film, The Awful Truth. When Ray Milland tells his wife, he's going out of town, he's really playing the drums in dives all around town and jamming all night. But when he comes home early one morning (supposedly from Chicago) he finds her not there to greet him. She took the opportunity to teach him a lesson by going out and staying all night with a guy who has plans of his own. When she tells him the car broke down and they stayed at the Shady Nook motel in Feathersville, he doesn't buy it and suspects dilly-dallying. When the argument ensued and the trust was doubted, a divorce was settled on to end the marriage. Doesn't sound like a comedy, does it? Well, there are some songs, too, and Jane really puts on a show, while doing it. Even if her voice was dubbed, she was pretty convincing. I admit it's no classic like the original, but I enjoyed it and had some good belly laughs with its silliness towards the end. It seems a bit uneven with meandering here and there, but ultimately I think you will like its modest attempt of updating The Awful Truth with music.

Hey, people ! Lighten up ! Here are 2 dramatic stars giving more than serviceable performances in admittedly classic roles. But the bonus for me is a whole bunch of songs that I have loved for years. I don't understand how people can't like this tuneful score. I especially love "Takin' A Slow Burn" and "It was Great While It Lasted", but I love the whole score. Can you imagine a full batch of good, original tunes in a movie TODAY ??? Those days are gone forever, so I'll continue to enjoy pleasures like this one. Jane does indeed look gorgeous in her luxurious wardrobe, and that '50s pseudo art-deco apartment is great. Jane's "spastic gall bladder " scene is priceless, and Milland & Helmore in the closet with the hats (no, not THAT closet !) is a delightful bit of business. I'll take this flick any day instead of all these "blowin' up stuff" movies we can't seem to get away from.

It's an agreeable novelty to see Jane Wyman and the young Aldo Ray dressed up to the nines in Technicolor in this otherwise ghastly fifties version with songs and sledgehammer musical cues of Arthur Richman's 1923 play (updated with jazz and references to uranium). But the initial shot of Ray Milland mugging furiously as he plays the drums at a jazz club doesn't bode well; and Milland looks understandably embarrassed throughout.

One's hopes are momentarily restored when an uncharacteristically glamorous Jane Wyman makes her first appearance poured into a sparkly Jean Louis gown with Gavin Elster on her arm; but are promptly dashed (and remain dashed) when she first bursts into song, excruciatingly followed a few minutes later by Milland!

And there's still over an hour to go; with just Valerie Bettis' exotic dancing worth staying awake for...

"Let's Do It Again" is a 1953 loose remake of "The Awful Truth," this time starring Jane Wyman, Ray Milland, Aldo Ray and Valerie Bettis. Milland plays Gary Stuart, a songwriter who occasionally takes off, saying he's going to Chicago or wherever, when all the while he's playing with nightclub bands in town. To make him jealous, knowing full well he's lying to her, his ex-performer wife Connie (Wyman) pretends she spent the night with a friend, Courtney Craig (Tom Helmore). Husband and wife have both carried their games too far and get a divorce, though they're still in love.

The comments on this site are a bit surprising regarding Wyman. People seem to forget that before Johnny Belinda, Wyman was a stunning blonde who did plenty of comedy. I never understood the brown hair and the short do, but she played the role of Connie well and did her own singing. Despite comments to the contrary, I thought she looked quite beautiful. Her clothes were nothing short of sensational in this Technicolor production. Milland does a good job as Gary. Aldo Ray looks quite handsome and is okay as Connie's wealthy suitor. Valerie Bettis is on hand to do some sexy dancing. The music in this film is bad.

It's no "Awful Truth," lacking in just about every department except maybe gowns. If you forget it's a remake of that classic, you should enjoy it for what it is - light fluff.