User Reviews

Louise Randall Pierson lived a wonderful life. Mrs. Pierson was a woman ahead of her times. Her biggest accomplishment was a total dedication to her family. The film, based on her own autobiography, clearly shows why this woman was so unique. Michael Curtiz directed with his usual flair.

Louise Randall Pierson went from a childhood of privilege to almost poverty after her father died when she was still a girl. Louise pursues a career as a typist and joins a firm where no women had been employed. Her friendship with Alice Abbott brings her to New Haven where she meets and marries a man that never amounts to anything, but who leaves her for another woman without any qualms, leaving Louise to do whatever she can with four small children.

At this point in her life, she meets Harold Pierson, a lovable man who had big visions, but who never was able to have the recognition he deserved. Louise and Harold were made for one another. Their love will get them through some rough patches, but they manage to keep their spirits and give all the children careers of their own.

Rosalind Russell makes this film come alive. Ms. Russell was such a lovable actress that no matter what she appeared in, she always managed to please us. Jack Carson, an underrated actor, was perfect as her second husband Harold Pierson. Mr. Carson and Ms. Russell seem to be having a great time while making the movie. Ann Doran is the loyal friend Alice and Ann Todd plays the young Louise.

"Roughly Speaking" is one of the most positive films that came out of Hollywood in the forties because it shows us a determined woman with a great heart who raises above of what life gave her.

A long but pleasantly sentimental journey. This delightfully odd-ball film is based on the real-life story of one Louise Randall Pierson, an eccentric free-spirited woman who was ahead of her time in her thinking and actions. This lady didn't need the assistance of women's liberation movement! The film opens in 1912 and ends during WWII. In between are many amusing episodes. Louise's first failed marriage, her daughter who suffered infantile paralysis and her introduction to her future second husband (Jack Carson) - in a fish pond while dressed up for a costume party linger in the memory. Rosalind Russell is superb as Ms Randall-Pierson, and although the film is a mite long at 117 minutes, it is expertly directed by Michael Curtiz, the dramatic and comical aspects being cleverly balanced. Highly recommended as a fine example of a forgotten fine movie to remember.

Rosalind Russell plays Louise Randall Pierson (someone I've never heard of, but this is based on her autobiography). Directed by Michael Curtiz, it showcases Russell and the often underrated Jack Carson as they face financial feast and famine and an ever-expanding family. Russell is tough, and unapologetic, and Carson is her equal. The film, coming from 1945, has a strange cliff hanging effect, as it ends with the beginning of World War II, and you wonder what will happen next. At the time it must have hit home for a lot of families with men (and women) fighting overseas. But I would strongly recommend it as a movie to watch before the films "Since You Went Away", with Claudette Colbert which chronicles life at home during the war, and "Best Years of Their Lives", which is probably the best coming-home-from-war film ever made. The three would make a great sequential view of life from the turn of the century to post WWII America. 8.5 out of 10.

Based on a true story, someone had the genius over at the Brothers Warner to shell some bucks out for the services of Rosalind Russell for the lead. She really is so right for the part of Louise Randall Pierson a woman who through time and circumstance is forever reinventing herself. A little like Mame Dennis who lives to the fullest and like Molly Brown, she maybe down, but she ain't licked.

From Donald Woods she gets her four kids, but they are incompatible and divorce. She then marries Jack Carson who has ideas, but he's content to be a Vice President with his dad's flower nursery firm. Roz kick starts the ambition in him and their lives are quite the rollercoaster, but they are happy. And the kids are completely accepting of him

The image we have of Jack Carson in most of his roles is the lovable blowhard. But he had a really never appreciated talent for taking it down however many pegs necessary to achieve a great serious performances in a lot of serious roles. He and Russell work well together in Roughly Speaking.

There's a nice epic quality to Roughly Speaking. Coming out as it did at the nd of World War Ii it exudes a cheerful optimism about America and its people. The kind of stuff people wanted to hear in 1945.

It still holds up well as good entertainment.

"Roughly Speaking" is a story taken from Louise Randall Pierson's autobiography. It tells the story of this unusual woman and her life. And, it features a lot of ups and downs in her life.

According to the IMDB trivia section, this movie was radically trimmed and lost 33 minutes. Well, to me, this seemed pretty obvious as the story was awfully episodic...and felt incomplete. Despite this, it is enjoyable and the acting is decent....though exactly WHAT the story is trying to say is also difficult to determine. Overall, a decent time-passer but it just comes up a bit short and could have been better.

Rosalind Russell was just right for this movie. Bette was a great actress, but I cannot imagine her as Auntie Mame. Same with the heroin of Roughly Speaking. Russell played it just right, with a touch of laughter and a touch of pathos. It is about a woman who lives through: Divorce, polio, the Depression, one monetary failure after another, and finally seeing her sons off to fight in WWII. However, you see that it makes her family stronger, they learn to fight thru their problems and come out better for it. It is this movie that made me fall in love with Jack Carson. Jack Carson never really made it as a top, top star. In fact in most of his movies he played a buffoon or a jerk. But in Rougly Speaking he plays the kind of man most women wish we were married to. It is my opinion that he pretty much played himself. I recommend it: It comes on TCM regularly, if you have not seen it you are in for a real treat. Watch out for Roughly Speaking you will love it.

Having lived throughout the depression and the Presidency of F D R, I was pleasantly surprised when I happened upon Roughly Speaking on T C M last week. Somehow,in all these years of movie going and viewing,I never had a clue about this moving film.

The author expertly weaves into the plot glimpses of those bygone days.. The early airplanes,the the struggle to ride out the lean times.

The staid mother's daughter having fought the same crippling disease as had the President,the stock market crash the early war years.

Her heart wrenching scene watching all three sons go off to war.

Although the movie depicted the triumph over adversity women of the thirties/forties achieved, the young women of today are the daughters and grand daughters of the multi taskers of my mother's day

I wholeheartedly recommend this movie to all American women. Edouarto.

A wonderful Rosalind Russell vehicle with Jack Carson in fine form as her 2nd husband.

It tells us of a woman's determination to survive this world-despite deaths in the family, a heel of a husband, (Donald Woods),illness, and the Great Depression.

Russell throws her usual zest for this type of commanding woman in the film and succeeds. Though out of his league as the usual grade B actor, Woods succeeds here in the part of the first husband, who walks out on Russell after 10 years of marriage, 4 children and a life of hard times.

The film is definitely a slice of Americana and the idea of hard work and accomplishment. It also very well deals with adversity just as things are going so well. Isn't that so true of life itself? That's why the film succeeds and is quite memorable.

Maybe if you're doing a bio pic of a strong woman and mother it'd be a good idea not to have the screenplay penned by the mother's daughter! Perhaps that way you could extract what was potentially interesting about Louise Randall Pierson...her less than satisfying first marriage to a stuffed shirt, male chauvinist banker...and jettison what was certain to be rather dull...the whole second half where she meets the love of her life (Jack Carson) and lives happily ever yadda yadda. Also, The Mad Hungarian (i.e. director Michael Curtiz) should have told Roz to soft peddle the perky and punch up the sardonic, always a good idea with this actress whose skill at delivering a cynical line is her main calling card. Not that there are many sharp bits of dialogue in Louise Jr's rather treacly script. Give it a C plus.

Until I happened to catch it on the Turner Classic Movies channel, I'd never heard of Roughly Speaking. It turns out to be a charming and genuinely funny romantic comedy, set during the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, and the 1939-40 New York World's Fair. Roz Russell and Jack Carson, as a married couple raising a family, keep us wondering what crazy scheme they will cook up next in order to survive hard times. Their optimism is contagious. This family laughs a lot, especially when everything is going wrong, and it's real laughter--the kind that makes me laugh along with them. The ending seemed kind of abrupt, but apart from that, I found this movie great fun and often quite touching.

Roughly Speaking was a pleasant little surprise when I caught it recently, like a lot of others I had never heard of it before. Russell is her always competent self and there is a bit of her future role of Auntie Mame in this performance. I have come to appreciate Jack Carson much more than I used to now that I am seeing a larger body of his work thanks to TCM and he is terrific in this playing against his usual type. IMHO it's his best performance at Warner's, just squeaking out his in The Hard Way.

There is chemistry galore between Roz and Jack and that's what makes the picture work. They do indeed seem to be enjoying it and without Carson this could have been a boring weeper. Supporting cast is excellent, particularly the great Ray Collins. The only exception is Robert Hutton as the Son. Mr. Hutton was always hampered by the fact that he couldn't act.

I think it rates a solid 7.5 Lastly, is it me, or does this film decidedly not feel like a Michael Curtiz helmed picture? Someone else tried to contrast it to Mildred Pierce which is wholly unfair...they are distinctly different types of films.

Some big, fun hollywood names in this one, once we get there. This opens with the funeral of "Dad", and we see a bit of him in flashbacks. Rosalind Russell is "Louise", who grows up with Mother and sis. The awesome Alan Hale is in here for about a minute, as "Lew", the big boss. (Hale died at 57, a couple years after this, but wow, what a career.) Louise is a firecracker, and her (first) husband doesn't like it, although they DID manage to raise a litter of kids before he bailed. THEN... Louise met Harold (Jack Carson), and it was Love at first sight. A biography that moves right along. Apparently the son Frank was a writer/director, and had won an oscar for best screenplay. Perfect casting with Russell, as she was also the fast talking reporter in "His Girl Friday". It's pretty good. A little dated, but its fun to watch Russell and Carson do their stuff. Directed by the "pro", Michael Curtiz, about the same time as Mildred Pierce, Life with Father, and Night and Day. Oddly enough, this was written by Louise Pierson, so clearly this is the story of her own life!

'Roughly Speaking' sounded really interesting. Really like to love a vast majority of Michael Curtiz's films and even his lesser output is watchable, with him directing two of my favourite films of all times. Rosalind Russell was always well worth watching, many of her performances full of grace and wit. Usually see Jack Carson in more comedic roles and he was usually in support rather than lead, so a relative change of pace was always welcome. The story on paper intrigued.

As did the film overall. It is not quite perfect, but there is very little wrong and what doesn't quite come off is pretty minor. The good things are many and the best of them are done brilliantly. It's adapted from the personal life of a very eccentric person and it is a very colourful personal life, the person in question being Louise Randall Pierson who also adapts her own autobiography that 'Roughly Speaking' is adapted from. Making for a very good film overall that should be seen more.

Maybe 'Roughly Speaking' is slightly overlong by about 15-20 minutes and tries to include too much. The film never stops being interesting and a lot is covered, all interesting but with Pierson wanting to include as much as she could the "not knowing when to stop" approach was occasionally an undoing when it sometimes felt on the overstuffed side.

So much is great though in 'Roughly Speaking'. Russell is both gritty and charming, a truly great performance and manages to make an eccentric and potentially caricaturish person in the wrong hands likeable and interesting. Carson shows that he is equally at home in dramatic roles and also that he was not out of his depth as a lead like some predominently supporting actors/actresses in lead roles have been before and since. All the performances are fine, apart from dull Robert Hutton.

Curtiz directs with skill, both visually and in how he approaches the material. 'Roughly Speaking' is beautifully shot and is never over-elaborate or static while also being handsomely and evocatively designed. The film balances comedy and drama very, very well. Both are very well handled individually, the comedy having bite and sparkling wit and the drama being genuinely moving without going overboard on the bathos. The balance is just right with one not being favoured over the other and any tonal shifts don't feel jerky, abrupt or random.

The story is always compelling and a lot happens, too much admittedly at times, in a way that's fun, moving and truthful. It is easy to relate to what happens too. Max Steiner's score is quite charming and lush without being excessive. While Pierson is the most colourful of the characters, the characters still feel like real people with real human conflicts and such.

Overall, very, very good. 8/10

This was a real surprise. I found it hard to switch channels once I started watching the movie. The dialogue was witting and the whole movie charming. The movements between segments of the movie were abrupt but everything else I liked a lot.

Based on a book released in 1943 about the life story of Louise Randall Pearson, perhaps this would have been better received as a film had it been released in the middle of the war too, because by January 1945 the war's outcome was not really in doubt as it had been two years before, and there was no real need for a tale about the resilience of the human spirit, which is what this film is.

The film starts out showing the kind of home Louise grew up in. She adored her father who gave lavish parties, lavish gifts, and spared no expense. Then he dies suddenly when she is about 10 and he leaves behind nothing but debts. The family has very little income from the residual of his estate, but somehow manage to pull enough together for Louise to attend Beecher College - where women learn to earn their own way. In 1910 this means typing and shorthand. No math. No science. No medicine. At midlife Louise mentions that she was the one who set out to set the world on fire. But you cant set fires when the men keep all of the matches and only give you ( a woman) two sticks to rub together. But I digress.

Louise (Rosalind Russell) lands a job at Yale and meets a stiff fellow, Rodney Crane (Donald Woods) and they marry - because. I could never figure that out. They have nothing in common. Rodney becomes a banker. And because Rodney remains a stiff fellow, Louise tends to run both their lives. You can tell by his facial expressions he's horrified at the direction they are going, but he is just too stiff to complain. Until the day that he leaves and then he say s plenty, but it's too late.

Louise's second husband is the opposite of Rodney - Harold (Jack Carson) says plenty all of the time and really has no direction. He's willing to try anything. And they do - twice it ends in financial disaster, not because of a lack of industry on their part, the first is a glut on the market in the 20s, the second is the Crash of 1929 which dries up all markets. Will these two stick it out, at least to the end of the film? Watch and find out.

I have to hand it to director Michael Curtiz. He got one of the few three dimensional performances I've seen from the wooden Donald Woods. When he said something you pay attention, when he makes a horrified or puzzled expression you have no doubt what he's thinking. This was a good role for Jack Carson too. For once he's not playing the guy who would like to be the villain if only he was smart enough to do so. Instead this is a very complex role. He knows he's a flawed character, is not quite sure how he feels about all of the responsibility he is taking on when he marries Louise, but his sense of adventure and good intentions continually propel him forward.

I'd recommend this one. Michael Curtiz may not have directed all of my favorite films, but he has certainly directed some of the films I find most interesting.

Granted, this movie is somewhat entertaining. Russell & Carson perform admirably, but there is something definitely missing in the screenplay. Perhaps depth of character. I never feel that I really understand the people portrayed in the film. The same year, the fantastic "Mildred Pierce" was released, also directed by Curtiz, and that film provides its leads with some of the "meatiest" roles of that year. Carson excels in that film, whereas his "Speaking" character just appears to drift in a one-note fashion, from one set piece to the next.

Russell's "Louise" is stalwart, to be sure, but also somewhat blindly perky, and hardly an early women's rights activist, as some would declare.

I suggest renting both "Pierce" and "Speaking" as a Curtiz double-feature, and witness just how essential strong source material is, in producing a truly successful film.

Roughly Speaking is a Warner Brothers picture that has a feel-good quality to it. And in some ways it functions as propaganda, convincing the average viewer that life is full of ups and downs and that she can muster the courage to continue, despite the odds.

Rosalind Russell is the star of this film, and her character learns the hard way about men- marriage-and-love. Jack Carson is the big lug she identifies as her main squeeze. Their undeniable chemistry leads one to wonder why they hadn't been paired on screen before.

Not so delicately but roughly speaking the script could have withstood some revisions. There is an amusing vacuum cleaner demonstration scene, but some of the comic episodes do not exactly lead anywhere. And just what is the theme of this movie? That a woman can find love again? Or that her family must brace for difficulty and war?