TCM Pick O’ The Day: Tuesday, February 3rd
by John Nolte
5pm PST – The More the Merrier, The (1943) – The World War II housing shortage brings three people together for an unlikely romance. Cast: Jean Arthur, Joel McCrea, Charles Coburn, Richard Gaines Dir: George Stevens BW-104 mins, TV-G
The logline may sound simplistic and a lot like a bad sitcom, but the execution was smart enough to win Oscar nominations for screenplay, actress (Jean Arthur), and director George Stevens. Fittingly, however, it was character actor Charles Coburn who went home a winner for his warm and hilarious support work.
The real star of this underrated screwball gem is the intense sexual chemistry fired off between Joel McCrea and Arthur. Watch close for a scene where they walk down the street together and he can’t keep his hands off her. When it comes to heating up the screen with pure desire, this little stroll ranks right along with Donna Reed and Jimmy Stewart sharing a telephone in “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
Sex is so much sexier in the subtext.
That’s not to say today’s pick isn’t absolutely, laugh-out-loud hilarious, and brilliantly so. The choreography in some of the early scenes will take your breath away and rivals the best of the “Pink Panther“ series. Had “The More the Merrier” starred Cary Grant, Stewart, Gary Cooper or Spencer Tracy it would enjoy the reputation it deserves. Unfortunately, we live in an unfair world where a superb leading man like Joel McCrea (though valued by the likes of Hitchcock, Stevens, and Preston Sturges) doesn’t enjoy the reputation he deserves, either.
Were I clothing and feeding reality and MTV-addicted teenagers desperately needing a gateway drug into something that doesn’t teach narcissism as a value, this would be it. Hand to heart: One of the best comedies of the 1940s (which is saying a lot) awaits your discovery.
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18 Comments
I have this movie on DVD. Great stuff…and pretty racy for its time.
Joel McCrea is a name I’ve seen a hundred times in listings but don’t know who he is/was. Gonna set this to record and make sure to watch.
Thanks, JNolte, I look forward to and appreciate these daily TCM picks.
I love this movie. Should be required viewing for every director who thinks you need to show skin to have sexual chemistry. George Stevens (along with Michael Curtiz) don’t really get the credit they deserve for the many different types of movies they directed. Almost as good is the movie Stevens did the year before (with Cary Grant and Jean Arthur and the oh so gorgeous Ronald Coleman) THE TALK OF THE TOWN.
Osweet, you are in for a treat; McCrea was wonderful at comedy and adept at drama, and also great in westerns.
On a personal note, married the beautiful actress Frances Dee in 1933 and stayed with her until he died over sixty years later.
McCrea could always be counted on, like his contemporaries Cooper, Grant and Stewart, to deliver—and as someone posted on another thread, you could definitely tell these four apart, unlike today’s leading men. I always get Damon and DiCaprio mixed up, and those Ocean movies….is it Pitt and Damon both; or are they the same person? Hard to tell…
GT: it may be that certain words are flagged that you are not using inappropriately, but when used in a certain context… I don’t know for certain, but an example might be “black,” “Jewish” or the like to weed out any racist comments.
Jean Arthur is someone that I can watch all day long. She had me the first time I heard her voice in Only Angels Have Wings. She lit up the screen and topped Cary Grant, Rita Hayworth & Thomas Mitchell – not an easy thing to do. If she were filmed reading the yellow pages I’d watch.
I’ve really grown to appreciate Joel McCrea. He’s really quite good.
And Doug, you don’t consider Father Goose to be great?
Carolyn: Those comments are all reviewed and then approved if they meet the guidelines of the site.
It’s a “filter” not a blocker.
Stars are great- we wouldn’t have movies withour ‘em- but man, do I love character actors. And just like movie stars today, it seems like the supporting players of the past were more individual than the ones we have now.
Maybe society is getting more homogenized, or interesting roles aren’t being written for them.
This is such a super movie.
Oh, and “Ace in the Hole/Big Carnival”? I’m speechless.
LOVE the pick! One of my all-time favorites. “You’ve shushed your last shush!” Also proof that movies don’t need porn to curl your toes.
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