Wife, Husband and Friend
Encyclopedia
Wife, Husband and Friend is a 1939 comedy
film starring Loretta Young
, Warner Baxter
and Binnie Barnes
in the three title roles.
The film, directed by Gregory Ratoff
from a script by Nunnally Johnson
, tells the story of a contractor and his wife, and how their musical ambitions result in marital tensions and a romantic triangle with a professional singer.
The film was remade as Everybody Does It
(1949), starring Paul Douglas
as the contractor, Celeste Holm
as his wife and Linda Darnell
as the singer.
).
Doris prepares for a recital that Leonard supports, hoping that will get singing "out of her system." The performance is witnessed by opera singer Cecil Carver (Barnes), who is attracted to Leonard and believes that Doris lacks sufficient talent to become a pro. Cecil accidentally discovers that Leonard ironically does have a great operatic voice, and offers to train him.
Leonard goes along, egged on by Cecil, who believes that this will allow him to finally be on Doris' social level. While Doris' singing career flounders, Leonard's career as "Logan Bennett" meets with critical success in a tour with Cecil.
After returning to New York in preparation for a national tour, Leonard finds Doris has become ill because she was booed off the stage in her professional debut. He does not join Cecil on the tour. That night, Doris is confronted by Cecil at a party. Leonard claims innocence to adultery, and performs "On the Road to Mandalay" to prove his musical talent. Doris becomes despondent, and she and Leonard split up.
Leonard is cajoled by Cecil to perform the lead in an opera. But Leonard makes a fool of himself, and that leads to a reconciliation with Doris. Cecil is outraged and vows never to see him again. Leonard returns to the contracting business and gives up singing.
for Binnie Barnes and Tamara Shavrova for Loretta Young. None received screen credit.
(1947).
The working titles for this film were Women Are Dangerous and Career in C Major.
Myrna Loy
was originally cast in the role eventually played by Loretta Young, with Lionel Atwill
considered for the part of Hertz, Ed Brophy for the part of Jaffe, and Eily Malyon
for the part of Mrs. Craig. The story was performed by the Lux Radio Theatre on April 28, 1941 starring George Brent
, Priscilla Lane and Gail Patrick
.
James M. Cain
, noted mainly for his mystery novels, was paid $8,000 for the film rights to his story "Two Can Sing".
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
film starring Loretta Young
Loretta Young
Loretta Young was an American actress. Starting as a child actress, she had a long and varied career in film from 1917 to 1953...
, Warner Baxter
Warner Baxter
Warner Leroy Baxter was an American actor, known for his role as The Cisco Kid in In Old Arizona , for which he won the second Academy Award for Best Actor in the 1928–1929 Academy Awards. Warner Baxter started his movie career in silent movies...
and Binnie Barnes
Binnie Barnes
Gertrude Maud "Binnie" Barnes was an English-American actress. She was born in Islington to a Jewish father and an Italian mother and was brought up Jewish, although she converted to Catholicism later in life....
in the three title roles.
The film, directed by Gregory Ratoff
Gregory Ratoff
Gregory Ratoff was a Russian-born American film director, actor and producer. His most famous role as an actor was as producer Max Fabian who feuds with star Margo Channing in All About Eve ....
from a script by Nunnally Johnson
Nunnally Johnson
Nunnally Hunter Johnson was an American filmmaker who wrote, produced, and directed motion pictures.Johnson was born in Columbus, Georgia. He began his career as a journalist, writing for the Columbus Enquirer Sun, the Savannah Press, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, and the New York Herald Tribune...
, tells the story of a contractor and his wife, and how their musical ambitions result in marital tensions and a romantic triangle with a professional singer.
The film was remade as Everybody Does It
Everybody Does It
Everybody Does It is a 1949 comedy film starring Paul Douglas, Linda Darnell and Celeste Holm.In the film, a businessman's wife tries to become an opera star, failing miserably due to her lack of talent...
(1949), starring Paul Douglas
Paul Douglas
Paul Howard Douglas was an liberal American politician and University of Chicago economist. A war hero, he was elected as a Democratic U.S. Senator from Illinois from in the 1948 landslide, serving until his defeat in 1966...
as the contractor, Celeste Holm
Celeste Holm
Celeste Holm is an American stage, film, and television actress, known for her Academy Award-winning performance in Gentleman's Agreement , as well as for her Oscar-nominated performances in Come to the Stable and All About Eve...
as his wife and Linda Darnell
Linda Darnell
Linda Darnell was an American film actress.Darnell was a model as a child, and progressed to theater and film acting as an adolescent. At the encouragement of her mother, she made her first film in 1939, and appeared in supporting roles in big budget films for 20th Century Fox throughout the 1940s...
as the singer.
Plot summary
The opera season has opened in New York City, and building contractor Leonard Borland (Baxter), who comes from a working class background, is coping with the musical ambitions of his wife Doris (Young), who is from a socially prominent family. Despite his misgivings that she has no talent, she is being trained for a career in singing by the voice teacher Hugo (Cesar RomeroCesar Romero
Cesar Julio Romero, Jr. was an American film and television actor who was active in film, radio, and television for almost sixty years...
).
Doris prepares for a recital that Leonard supports, hoping that will get singing "out of her system." The performance is witnessed by opera singer Cecil Carver (Barnes), who is attracted to Leonard and believes that Doris lacks sufficient talent to become a pro. Cecil accidentally discovers that Leonard ironically does have a great operatic voice, and offers to train him.
Leonard goes along, egged on by Cecil, who believes that this will allow him to finally be on Doris' social level. While Doris' singing career flounders, Leonard's career as "Logan Bennett" meets with critical success in a tour with Cecil.
After returning to New York in preparation for a national tour, Leonard finds Doris has become ill because she was booed off the stage in her professional debut. He does not join Cecil on the tour. That night, Doris is confronted by Cecil at a party. Leonard claims innocence to adultery, and performs "On the Road to Mandalay" to prove his musical talent. Doris becomes despondent, and she and Leonard split up.
Leonard is cajoled by Cecil to perform the lead in an opera. But Leonard makes a fool of himself, and that leads to a reconciliation with Doris. Cecil is outraged and vows never to see him again. Leonard returns to the contracting business and gives up singing.
Cast notes
Emery D'Arcy was the voice double for Warner Baxter, Nina KoshetzNina Koshetz
Nina Koshetz ; December 30, 1891 - May 14, 1965) was a Ukrainian, later American, soprano opera and recital singer.Her father, a famous opera singer Pavel Koshetz , committed suicide. She was then 12 years....
for Binnie Barnes and Tamara Shavrova for Loretta Young. None received screen credit.
Production notes
Wife, Husband and Friend was one of the last films made by Loretta Young under contract with 20th-Century-Fox. She declined to sign again with Fox or any other studio, in the belief that this would put her at the mercy of studio bosses. Despite predictions that her career would be hurt, she subsequently won an Academy Award for The Farmer's WifeThe Farmer's Wife
The Farmer’s Wife is a silent film, directed by Alfred Hitchcock.It was based on a play of the same name by British novelist, poet and playwright Eden Phillpotts, best known for a series of novels based on Dartmoor, in Devon.-Synopsis:...
(1947).
The working titles for this film were Women Are Dangerous and Career in C Major.
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...
was originally cast in the role eventually played by Loretta Young, with Lionel Atwill
Lionel Atwill
Lionel Atwill was an English stage and film actor born in Croydon, London, England.He studied architecture before his stage debut at the Garrick Theatre, London in 1904. He become a star in Broadway theatre by 1918, and made his screen debut in 1919. He acted on the stage in Australia but was most...
considered for the part of Hertz, Ed Brophy for the part of Jaffe, and Eily Malyon
Eily Malyon
Eily Malyon was an English character actress in the 1930s and 1940s.Born as Eily Sophie Lees-Craston in London in 1878 or 1879. Her mother, Agnes Thomas, was also an actress...
for the part of Mrs. Craig. The story was performed by the Lux Radio Theatre on April 28, 1941 starring George Brent
George Brent
George Brent was an Irish film and television actor in American cinema.-Early life:He was born George Brendan Nolan in Raharabeg, County Roscommon on the opposite bank of the River Shannon from the town of Shannonbridge, County Offaly, Ireland, the son of a British Army officer.During the Irish...
, Priscilla Lane and 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...
.
James M. Cain
James M. Cain
James Mallahan Cain was an American author and journalist. Although Cain himself vehemently opposed labeling, he is usually associated with the hardboiled school of American crime fiction and seen as one of the creators of the roman noir...
, noted mainly for his mystery novels, was paid $8,000 for the film rights to his story "Two Can Sing".