If it was only for the celebrated bar room brawl sequence in this delightful picture and nothing else it would still be remembered as one of the great comedies of the 1940s. But, of course, there's much more.
Produced by star Jean Arthur, whose performance in it is nothing short of excellent, A LADY TAKES A CHANCE is a real pip of a movie. The writing is first rate and the direction by that old master, William A Seiter (who goes back to the silent days) couldn't be better. The supporting players are all from the top drawer, too. Really, this is perhaps one of those rare, near-perfect films where everything works.
Seiter's jokes are mostly visual here, as in the aforementioned brawl scene, which in this writer's view is about the funniest one ever put on film, but also in many other moments. He was an extremely witty man and his flair for screen comedy can be well-observed here.
John Wayne is great as the somewhat dense but lovable lout who is "tamed" by the spunky Miss Arthur. He here displays a knack for comedy which, when under careful direction, could really shine.
I could go on and on but just sit down and watch it. Get yourself a big bowl of popcorn or some other favorite snack and enjoy this one with everybody in the family. You're in for a treat.
Produced by star Jean Arthur, whose performance in it is nothing short of excellent, A LADY TAKES A CHANCE is a real pip of a movie. The writing is first rate and the direction by that old master, William A Seiter (who goes back to the silent days) couldn't be better. The supporting players are all from the top drawer, too. Really, this is perhaps one of those rare, near-perfect films where everything works.
Seiter's jokes are mostly visual here, as in the aforementioned brawl scene, which in this writer's view is about the funniest one ever put on film, but also in many other moments. He was an extremely witty man and his flair for screen comedy can be well-observed here.
John Wayne is great as the somewhat dense but lovable lout who is "tamed" by the spunky Miss Arthur. He here displays a knack for comedy which, when under careful direction, could really shine.
I could go on and on but just sit down and watch it. Get yourself a big bowl of popcorn or some other favorite snack and enjoy this one with everybody in the family. You're in for a treat.