Come Live With Me

directed by Clarence Brown
Category: "Comedy"
Year of Release:1941
Date Added:04/10/2008
Date Watched:03/28/2006
Description:Johnny Jones (Hedy Lamarr) is about to be deported unless she gets married. She pays Bill Smith (James Stewart) to be her husband of convenience, but Bill isn't satified with that.
My Rating:7

Reviews for Come Live With Me

Review - Come Live With Me

Why I watched the movie: I wasn't planning on it, but I happened to wander through the family room just as Sally started watching it on TCM. When I saw that it included Jimmy Stewart and Hedy Lamarr, I sat down.

What the movie was about: Johnny Jones is an Austrian showgirl in love with Barton Kendrick, a publisher. She's about to be deported back to war-torn Europe unless she marries an American citizen. She can't marry Kendrick because he's already married. She happens upon Bill Smith, a starving writer, and makes a deal with him — if he'll marry her, she'll pay his living expenses until he gets on his feet. In desperation, he agrees.

Bill only sees Johnny once a week when she brings his check, but he falls in love with her. He begins to write a novel about a starving writer who marries a showgirl so she can carry on an affair and not be deported. He puts his feelings for Johnny into the novel and writes like he's never written before. When he gives the almost-completed novel to the publisher, Kendrick realizes who Bill is. But so does Kendrick's wife. She insists that Bill gets a $500 bonus so he can try to convince Johnny to love him.

Bill takes Johnny to his grandmother's farm. Johnny is charmed by the scenery and by Bill's grandmother. Kendrick shows up to rescue her but Johnny has decided she loves Bill.

What I liked about the movie: Hedy Lamarr and Jimmy Stewart. What's not to like?

What I didn't like about the movie: The plot was predictable from the first three minutes. (But that's not to say it didn't have charm.)

Recommendation: I gave it a 7. It was corny but enjoyable. I especially liked Grandma's conversation with Johnny on dealing with trials in life and her pre-dinner prayer with its clear mention of Jesus Christ. The past is a different planet.
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