Love Crazy
Encyclopedia
Love Crazy is a 1941
screwball comedy film
pairing William Powell
and Myrna Loy
as a couple whose marriage is on the verge of being broken up by the husband's old girlfriend and the wife's disapproving mother.
) shows up and puts a damper on their plans for the evening. She sends Steve downstairs to mail her insurance premium.
He runs into his old girlfriend Isobel Kimble Grayson (Gail Patrick
) and learns that she has just moved into the apartment building, just one floor below. On the way up, the elevator gets stuck. While they are getting out, Steve is struck several times in the head and becomes woozy. Isobel takes him to her apartment to recover. Though she is now also married, she makes it clear that she would not mind renewing their relationship, but Steve is hopelessly in love with his wife.
When he returns to his apartment, he neglects to mention his encounter with Isobel, but Mrs. Cooper finds out and tells her daughter, putting Steve in an awkward spot. For revenge, Susan calls Isobel's husband 'Pinky' (Donald MacBride
) and suggests that they pretend that they are seeing each other. He agrees, but Susan goes to the wrong apartment, that of world champion archer Ward Willoughby (Jack Carson
). He is puzzled, but has no objection to being romanced by a beautiful woman. When Susan learns her mistake, she has difficulty extricating herself from Willoughby's apartment. They are seen by Steve and Isobel, resulting in much confusion. Things are finally cleared up, but then Susan is led to believe that Steve was alone with Isobel in her apartment while she was out running an errand for her mother.
Susan decides to get a divorce, despite Steve's pleas. She hides in Arizona with her meddling mother. Willoughby follows, to better his acquaintance with Susan. The night before the divorce hearing, Steve's lawyer, George Renny (Sidney Blackmer
), spots Susan at a party and tells his client. Steve crashes the gathering, but is unable to change Susan's mind. A chance remark by Steve gives Renny an idea - a divorce can be delayed if one of the parties is insane. Steve does his best to act nutty, even pushing his mother-in-law into the pool. However, he had been so eccentric in the past, that everyone (with the exception of one older man) just believes he is drunk.
Nonetheless, Renny gets the divorce judge to agree to a thirty-day delay to have Steve examined by the city lunacy commission. When he realizes that he has gone too far, Steve tries to convince the members that he is sane, but the head of the board, Dr. Klugle (Vladimir Sokoloff
), turns out to be the only person Steve hoodwinked at the party. As a result, he is committed to a sanitarium.
Steve escapes by tricking the head of the rest home, Dr. Wuthering (Sig Ruman
). He returns to his apartment building one step ahead of the police, who now consider him a homicidal maniac. Steve dodges Willoughby and hides with Isobel's help. He then disguises himself as his "sister" by putting on some of Isobel's clothes and shaving his mustache. He finally reaches Susan, only to have Mrs. Cooper and Willoughby show up soon afterwards. When Mrs. Cooper inadvertently confirms Steve just talked to Isobel at a cafe, Susan finally believes her husband.
1941 in film
The year 1941 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Citizen Kane, consistently rated as one of the greatest films of all time, was released in 1941.-Top grossing films :-Academy Awards:...
screwball comedy film
Screwball comedy film
The screwball comedy is a principally American genre of comedy film that became popular during the Great Depression, originating in the early 1930s and thriving until the early 1940s. It is characterized by fast-paced repartee, farcical situations, escapist themes, and plot lines involving...
pairing William Powell
William Powell
William Horatio Powell was an American actor.A major star at MGM, he was paired with Myrna Loy in 14 films, including the popular Thin Man series in which Powell and Loy played Nick and Nora Charles...
and Myrna Loy
Myrna Loy
Myrna Loy was an American actress. Trained as a dancer, she devoted herself fully to an acting career following a few minor roles in silent films. Originally typecast in exotic roles, often as a vamp or a woman of Asian descent, her career prospects improved following her portrayal of Nora Charles...
as a couple whose marriage is on the verge of being broken up by the husband's old girlfriend and the wife's disapproving mother.
Plot
Architect Steve Ireland (William Powell) and his wife Susan (Myrna Loy) eagerly look forward to their fourth wedding anniversary, but her mother Mrs. Cooper (Florence BatesFlorence Bates
Florence Bates was an American character actress who often played grande dame characters in her films.Born Florence Rabe in San Antonio, Texas, the second child of Jewish immigrants, Bates showed musical talent as a child, but a hand injury inhibited her from continuing her piano studies...
) shows up and puts a damper on their plans for the evening. She sends Steve downstairs to mail her insurance premium.
He runs into his old girlfriend Isobel Kimble Grayson (Gail Patrick
Gail Patrick
Gail Patrick was an American film actress.Born Margaret LaVelle Fitzpatrick, she appeared in 62 movies between 1932 and 1948, usually as the leading lady's extremely formidable rival; some of these roles include the second wife in My Favorite Wife with Irene Dunne and Cary Grant, Anna May Wong's...
) and learns that she has just moved into the apartment building, just one floor below. On the way up, the elevator gets stuck. While they are getting out, Steve is struck several times in the head and becomes woozy. Isobel takes him to her apartment to recover. Though she is now also married, she makes it clear that she would not mind renewing their relationship, but Steve is hopelessly in love with his wife.
When he returns to his apartment, he neglects to mention his encounter with Isobel, but Mrs. Cooper finds out and tells her daughter, putting Steve in an awkward spot. For revenge, Susan calls Isobel's husband 'Pinky' (Donald MacBride
Donald MacBride
Donald MacBride was an American character actor on stage, in films and on TV who launched his career as a teenage singer in vaudeville and went on to be an actor on Broadway. He appeared in nearly 140 films between 1914 and 1955...
) and suggests that they pretend that they are seeing each other. He agrees, but Susan goes to the wrong apartment, that of world champion archer Ward Willoughby (Jack Carson
Jack Carson
John Elmer "Jack" Carson was a Canadian-born U.S.-based film actor.Jack Carson was one of the most popular character actors during the 'golden age of Hollywood', with a film career spanning the 1930s, '40s and '50s...
). He is puzzled, but has no objection to being romanced by a beautiful woman. When Susan learns her mistake, she has difficulty extricating herself from Willoughby's apartment. They are seen by Steve and Isobel, resulting in much confusion. Things are finally cleared up, but then Susan is led to believe that Steve was alone with Isobel in her apartment while she was out running an errand for her mother.
Susan decides to get a divorce, despite Steve's pleas. She hides in Arizona with her meddling mother. Willoughby follows, to better his acquaintance with Susan. The night before the divorce hearing, Steve's lawyer, George Renny (Sidney Blackmer
Sidney Blackmer
Sidney Alderman Blackmer was an American actor.Blackmer was born and raised in Salisbury, North Carolina. He started off in an insurance and financial business but gave up on it. While working as a builder's laborer on a new building, he saw a Pearl White serial being filmed and immediately...
), spots Susan at a party and tells his client. Steve crashes the gathering, but is unable to change Susan's mind. A chance remark by Steve gives Renny an idea - a divorce can be delayed if one of the parties is insane. Steve does his best to act nutty, even pushing his mother-in-law into the pool. However, he had been so eccentric in the past, that everyone (with the exception of one older man) just believes he is drunk.
Nonetheless, Renny gets the divorce judge to agree to a thirty-day delay to have Steve examined by the city lunacy commission. When he realizes that he has gone too far, Steve tries to convince the members that he is sane, but the head of the board, Dr. Klugle (Vladimir Sokoloff
Vladimir Sokoloff
-Biography:Sokoloff was born in Moscow, Russia. He became an actor and assistant director with the Moscow Art Theatre, before emigrating to Berlin in 1923...
), turns out to be the only person Steve hoodwinked at the party. As a result, he is committed to a sanitarium.
Steve escapes by tricking the head of the rest home, Dr. Wuthering (Sig Ruman
Sig Ruman
Sig Ruman was a German-American actor known for his comic portrayals of pompous villains.-Life and career:...
). He returns to his apartment building one step ahead of the police, who now consider him a homicidal maniac. Steve dodges Willoughby and hides with Isobel's help. He then disguises himself as his "sister" by putting on some of Isobel's clothes and shaving his mustache. He finally reaches Susan, only to have Mrs. Cooper and Willoughby show up soon afterwards. When Mrs. Cooper inadvertently confirms Steve just talked to Isobel at a cafe, Susan finally believes her husband.
Cast
- William PowellWilliam PowellWilliam Horatio Powell was an American actor.A major star at MGM, he was paired with Myrna Loy in 14 films, including the popular Thin Man series in which Powell and Loy played Nick and Nora Charles...
as Steve Ireland - Myrna LoyMyrna LoyMyrna Loy was an American actress. Trained as a dancer, she devoted herself fully to an acting career following a few minor roles in silent films. Originally typecast in exotic roles, often as a vamp or a woman of Asian descent, her career prospects improved following her portrayal of Nora Charles...
as Susan Ireland - Gail PatrickGail PatrickGail Patrick was an American film actress.Born Margaret LaVelle Fitzpatrick, she appeared in 62 movies between 1932 and 1948, usually as the leading lady's extremely formidable rival; some of these roles include the second wife in My Favorite Wife with Irene Dunne and Cary Grant, Anna May Wong's...
as Isobel Kimble Grayson - Jack CarsonJack CarsonJohn Elmer "Jack" Carson was a Canadian-born U.S.-based film actor.Jack Carson was one of the most popular character actors during the 'golden age of Hollywood', with a film career spanning the 1930s, '40s and '50s...
as Ward Willoughby - Florence BatesFlorence BatesFlorence Bates was an American character actress who often played grande dame characters in her films.Born Florence Rabe in San Antonio, Texas, the second child of Jewish immigrants, Bates showed musical talent as a child, but a hand injury inhibited her from continuing her piano studies...
as Mrs. Cooper - Sidney BlackmerSidney BlackmerSidney Alderman Blackmer was an American actor.Blackmer was born and raised in Salisbury, North Carolina. He started off in an insurance and financial business but gave up on it. While working as a builder's laborer on a new building, he saw a Pearl White serial being filmed and immediately...
as George Renny - Sig RumanSig RumanSig Ruman was a German-American actor known for his comic portrayals of pompous villains.-Life and career:...
as Dr. Wuthering, the head of the sanitarium (as Sig Rumann) - Vladimir SokoloffVladimir Sokoloff-Biography:Sokoloff was born in Moscow, Russia. He became an actor and assistant director with the Moscow Art Theatre, before emigrating to Berlin in 1923...
as Dr. David Klugle - Donald MacBrideDonald MacBrideDonald MacBride was an American character actor on stage, in films and on TV who launched his career as a teenage singer in vaudeville and went on to be an actor on Broadway. He appeared in nearly 140 films between 1914 and 1955...
as 'Pinky' Grayson - Sara HadenSara HadenSara Haden was a character actress in Hollywood films of the 1930s through the 1950s.She was born Sarah Haden on November 17, 1899 in Galveston, Texas. Haden was the daughter of another character actress, Charlotte Walker, who was active in silent films and early talkies...
as Cecilia Landis - Kathleen LockhartKathleen LockhartKathleen Lockhart was an English-born stage actress.She was born Kathleen Arthur in Southsea, Hampshire in England. An actress and musician, Kathleen got her start on the stage in England and then immigrated to the United States in 1924, upon her marriage to Canadian-born actor Gene Lockhart...
as Mrs. Bristol - Fern EmmettFern EmmettFern Emmett was an American film actress. She appeared in 212 films between 1930 and 1946.-Selected filmography:The following were with John Wayne:* Riders of Destiny...
as Martha, the Irelands' maid - Elisha Cook, Jr. as Elevator Operator