Ronald Reagan was usually not at his best in comedy, but here he was excellent, possibly with help from director David Butler.
Some people have complained of Patricia Neal's performance, saying she didn't fit, but she was supposed to be the daughter of a rich couple and I thought she was perfect. In fact, I liked her better as Mary than as any other character I've seen.
Jack Carson could have been toned down a little; on the other hand, Wayne Morris gave one of his best performances, with just the right shading.
Oh, and Paul Harvey (NOT the radio announcer), as the general, was utterly charming, one of his best roles and performances out of hundreds. Interestingly, one of his first movie roles was as a colonel.
The whole cast, in fact, was great.
The story was cute, and there were some really funny moments, although I was fidgeting occasionally when it seemed on-screen delays were about to get everybody caught and in worse trouble.
That problem came from the stage origin. It didn't work perfectly in this film adaptation, but, heck, how much in life is perfect? All in all, "John Loves Mary" is a very good movie, with wonderful players in a generally enjoyable script. I recommend it.
Some people have complained of Patricia Neal's performance, saying she didn't fit, but she was supposed to be the daughter of a rich couple and I thought she was perfect. In fact, I liked her better as Mary than as any other character I've seen.
Jack Carson could have been toned down a little; on the other hand, Wayne Morris gave one of his best performances, with just the right shading.
Oh, and Paul Harvey (NOT the radio announcer), as the general, was utterly charming, one of his best roles and performances out of hundreds. Interestingly, one of his first movie roles was as a colonel.
The whole cast, in fact, was great.
The story was cute, and there were some really funny moments, although I was fidgeting occasionally when it seemed on-screen delays were about to get everybody caught and in worse trouble.
That problem came from the stage origin. It didn't work perfectly in this film adaptation, but, heck, how much in life is perfect? All in all, "John Loves Mary" is a very good movie, with wonderful players in a generally enjoyable script. I recommend it.
