Mary, Mary

Jean Kerr, whose husband, Walter, was a preeminent New York theater critic, enjoyed quite a success on Broadway with the play on which Richard L. Breen's tidy little script is based. (Jean had previously had a big best-seller with her "Please Don't Eat the Daisies!", a highly fictionalized tale of her married life, filmed at M-G-M in 1960, starring Doris Day and, in my view, a miscast David Niven. M-G-M's coffers enjoyed a handsome refilling when that audience-pleaser rang boxoffice bells.) It was said that a negative word from Mr. Kerr sounded the death knell for a play that had made its way to the Great White Way, and a glowing review under his byline was jubilantly good news for a show's backers. He, no doubt, passed on reviewing "Mary, Mary" when it came to Broadway, but his wife's sophisticated, for its day, comedy-of-manners didn't need his praise.

When Warner Brothers gave Mervyn LeRoy the directorial reigns on their Burbank soundstages, Debbie Reynolds was awarded the title role, co-starring with Barry Nelson who had appeared in the stage version. It was always the way, when the studio system still held sway, that the obvious and only choice was a bonafide Hollywood movie star to headline a project such as this, and so the very appealing Barbara Bel Geddes, who had played Mary McKellaway on the stage to excellent notices, was not to repeat her role before the Technicolor cameras. Debbie, as she had in her previous M-G-M starring roles, didn't disappoint, however, and she was ably supported by Mr. Nelson, the gorgeous Diane McBain, and, in a witty turn (and a departure from the usually more serious roles assigned to him), Michael Rennie.

An acquaintance of mine worked in the sound editing department at Warner Brothers when this was being filmed and he confided to me that Ms. Reynolds played an anxious visit to a screening/editing room during filming, somewhat concerned that her performance wouldn't strike just the right comical note. I seem to recall that she was reassured by that technician and his coworkers and the reviewers and the film's audiences were eventually in agreement.

Yes, it is obviously based on a play. Director Leroy has made no attempt to open it up, but this adds to it's effectiveness. It concentrates on the characters and the very witty dialogue. It's greatest strength lies in the outstanding performance by Debbie Reynolds in the title role. It is unlike anything she had done before and combines intelligence, wit and an amazing vocal technique. She tosses off great one-liners with relish and proves an admirable partner for co-star Barry Nelson. He had been in the original Broadway cast, and brings his own brand of understated comic playing to the role. Michael Rennie has a lovely time, sending himself, (and Hollywood), up. Wit is sadly in short supply in today's comedy movies so it is a pleasure to see this beauty again. The play's author Jean Kerr, was reportedly very happy with with this adaptation. Thanks to Miss Reynolds and company, so should you. That is, if you like the adult, witty approach to comedy!

Although Mary Mary could have used a bit of editing, it's about a half hour too long in its running time, the wit of Jean Kerr's Broadway hit is kept over for the film version. The major player cast of five starts running on fumes at the 3/4 pole.

Playwright Jean Kerr was married to Walter Kerr the New York Herald Tribune drama critic and their married life was told in Please Don't Eat The Daisies. What can be better than a writer married to a critic. You can always get expert help to smooth over the rough spots. And you are guaranteed a good review in the Herald Tribune.

Mary Mary hadn't finished its Broadway run of 1564 performances when it was filmed and released. Barry Nelson who repeats his role from Broadway is a publisher who has divorced his first wife and about to marry rich debutante Diane McBain. He may be divorced in the eyes of God and the divorce court, but getting untangled tax wise is another matter. He's in a huddle with his accountant Hiram Sherman who took the liberty of inviting ex-wife Debbie Reynolds for help in separating their finances and figuring out the proper deductions.

Also arriving is Hollywood actor Michael Rennie who's taken an interest in Debbie. Nothing like that to get the ex-husband jealous even though he's the publisher of Rennie's spicy memoirs. I think Rennie is somewhat based on the late Errol Flynn. Certainly his memoirs might also have been called My Wicked Wicked Ways. Rennie also repeats his role from Broadway.

Mervyn LeRoy gets the best he can from his cast and certainly no complaints here about replacing Barbara Bel Geddes from Broadway with Debbie Reynolds for some box office insurance. Debbie is at her perkiest and matches wits with the rest of the cast including her rival McBain.

Though it's not mentioned it's no accident that Nelson is ready to marry McBain who comes off like a rich younger version of Debbie Reynolds. Might have been nice to have a musical number for Debbie in the film.

Not a great film, but Mary Mary is good version of an early 60s Broadway hit.

The merit of this film is that it preserves for posterity one of Broadway's longest running comedies, with only minimal changes from the stage version. That is not an insubstantial contribution, and the movie deserves credit for letting us experience much of what 1,572 Broadway audiences witnessed.

That said, there is something impenetrable about watching Debbie Reynolds looking positively gorgeous as she tells Michael Rennie of the trials and tribulations of being a "plain" girl and woman. The part of Mary was written for Barbara Bel Geddes, who fit that dialogue perfectly (see her Midge in "Vertigo"). Debbie, on the other hand, was simply too radiant to give credibility to a character who supposedly compensated for insecurity about her looks with unceasing wit.

At a (then) genuinely astounding 1,572 performances (March 8, 1961 - December 12, 1964 at the Helen Hayes and Morosco Theatres), Jean Kerr's MARY, MARY was one of the most successful boulevard comedies of all time. The all too seldom seen movie version is as nearly perfect a transfer from stage to screen as we ever had, preserving not only all the witty charm and stylish banter of the stage hit, but most of the sharp stage performances that made it a hit as well!

Of course, we know that charming Barry Nelson and suave Michael Rennie repeated their stage roles. Given his long list of screen roles as the perfect British detective, it's amazing John Cromwell didn't repeat his stage role as Oscar Nelson, the accountant who brings the formerly married but still fond Bob and Mary (Nelson and...we'll get to that) together to go over tax matters. Presumably Cromwell was busy, because the film makers went with his first stage replacement, Hiram Sherman (who did the role on Broadway from May 13 to September 1, 1963).

Diane McBain didn't do her role on Broadway, but was excellent as the deceptively pretty but self aware young thing Bob is currently dating.

The film's unappreciated coup sprang from the Hollywood gimmick of insisting on a MOVIE name to help with the box office. In this case it was the oft' over praised Debbie Reynolds, and she was just fine as the brittle but brilliant Mary.

What made it a "coup" was that Reynolds was a far better mimic than she was (based on Hollywood outings in things like THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN or BUNDLE OF JOY or her Broadway fumble in IRENE) actress. It wasn't until I saw Barbara Bel Geddes, the original Broadway Mary, years later in another Jean Kerr play on stage that I realized that what Reynolds had given us in this delightful film was Bel Geddes' original Broadway performance - very movement, gesture and vocal inflection - letter perfect!

An intimate, five character, wonderfully written comedy, and with "three and a half" of the Broadway cast. One might say "no wonder it worked so well," but also credit film producer/director Mervyn Leroy who got the appropriate screen performances (performances don't always transfer intact - stage star Stockard Channing, while fine in SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION, isn't nearly as effective on screen as she had been on stage with better direction) and Harry Stradling's perfect cinematography for never allowing the piece to seen static, confined or "stagey."

Thank heavens for films like this that once kept mature, literate audiences both young and old coming back to the movies all the time.Modern movie fans accustomed to expect nothing but action, titillation and pratt falls in a "comedy" may be amazed how good a film can be when dialogue matters - whether in a little gem like this or in lavish, big films like MOONSTRUCK or Shakespeare IN LOVE!

To quote Bob and Mary: "Mmmm. That's good coffee!"