I Love You Again

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I Love You Again
Theatrical release poster
Directed byW.S. Van Dyke
Screenplay byCharles Lederer
George Oppenheimer
Harry Kurnitz
Story byLeon Gordon
Maurine Watkins
Produced byLawrence Weingarten
StarringWilliam Powell
Myrna Loy
Frank McHugh
CinematographyOliver T. Marsh
Edited byGene Ruggiero
Music byFranz Waxman
Production
company
Distributed byLoews Inc.
Release date
  • September 9, 1940 (1940-09-09)
Running time
99 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

I Love You Again is an MGM comedy released in 1940. It was directed by W.S. Van Dyke and starred William Powell and Myrna Loy, all three of whom were prominently involved in the Thin Man series. (The first film Powell and Loy appeared in together in was Manhattan Melodrama, 1934).

Plot

In 1940, while on a cruise, stodgy, overly frugal businessman Larry Wilson (William Powell) gets hit on the head with an oar while rescuing a drunk 'Doc' Ryan (Frank McHugh) from the water. He wakes up and remembers that he is actually a suave conman named George Carey. George's last memory is of going to place a large bet in 1931.

When the ship docks at New York, he is met by Kay (Myrna Loy), whom he discovers is his wife. She is in the process of divorcing him to marry Herbert (Donald Douglas). They go home to the small town of Habersville, Pennsylvania. George talks Doc (who is also a con artist) into masquerading as a physician treating him, partly out of curiosity, but mostly because of greed, after seeing the enormous balance in his checking account. That turns out to be a dead end (the money is only held in trust for the Community Chest), so he decides to swindle people using his alter ego's sterling reputation. He sends for Duke Sheldon (Edmund Lowe), who plants oil on a lot George owns.

A complication arises when he falls in love with Kay a second time. She however wants nothing further to do with her boring cheapskate of a husband. George attempts to win back Kay's affections while simultaneously trying to sell the worthless land to several greedy leading citizens of the town.

In the end, he decides to abort the swindle, but Duke will not let him. They fight, and George is knocked out by a punch. When he comes to, he is Larry once more. Duke leaves in disgust. When Doc notes that one knock on the head reversed the effect of another, Kay picks up a vase, but before she can use it, "Larry" proves that he was only faking to get rid of Duke.

Cast

Reception

Reviews of the film were generally positive. New York Times critic Bosley Crowther praised the film writing: "Mr. Powell and Miss Loy, no matter what their names, are one of our most versatile and frisky connubial comedy teams, and, given a script as daffy as the one here in evidence, they can make an hour and a half spin like a roulette wheel."[1] W.S from Motion Picture Daily stated that the audience was in "continuous laughter and applause throughout the film" and claimed that “M-G-M has made the funniest motion picture this industry has seen in 10 years."

Local critics agreed: Laura Lee, critic for the Philadelphia Bulletin, claimed “Too ridiculous for words, but ‘I Love You Again’ is extremely funny. You may feel silly for laughing but laugh you must." Gilbert Kanour of the Baltimore Evening Sun said: “William Powell and Myrna Loy have lost none of their skill in provoking laughter...a witty and inventive plot.”

According to Motion Picture Daily, the film did above average business at the box office during its first two weeks.

Radio adaptations

Lux Radio Theatre adapted the film twice, first in 1941 with Loy and Cary Grant, then in 1948 with Powell and Ann Sothern (Loy was supposed to reprise her film role in this adaptation, but had to drop out due to retakes on a film).[2]

References

  1. ^ Bosley Crowther (August 16, 1940). "I Love You Again (1940) THE SCREEN; William Powell and Myrna Loy Back Together in 'I Love You Again,' at the Capitol". The New York Times.
  2. ^ "I Love You Again (1940): Notes". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved November 10, 2015.

External links

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