Melvin Bush (Moore) is so excited to start his new position as Justice of the Peace, that he marries six couples before his appointment begins. No one catches the mistake until one couple wants a divorce and find out they aren't really married.
To avoid a lawsuit, they send letters to the remaining five couples...
- First are the Gladwyns, Steve (Allen) and Ramona (Rogers), who got married to get their own plush radio show. They barely speak at home and fight before every show.
- Next are the Norris', Jeff (Wayne) and Annabel (Monroe), she is a beauty pageant winner trying to get sponsors for the "Mrs. USA" circuit, while he stays home and takes care of their son. She is never around and he is frustrated.
- The Woodruff's, Hector (Douglas) and Katie (Arden), used to talk about everything, but now they have nothing to say to each other and their lives are boring. He fantasizes about life as a single man.
- The Melrose's, Freddie (Calhern) and Eve (Gabor), are preparing for a divorce. He is an incredibly wealthy oil tycoon, and she is planning to take it all in their divorce.
- And finally the Fisher's, Willie (Bracken) and Patsy (Gaynor), are saying goodbye. He is going into active military duty overseas, and she is expecting a little surprise.
An interesting concept and an exceptional cast... and somehow, this film doesn't live up to it's potential.
The filmmakers chose to show each couple separately, with commentary from the judge about the start of their marriage and then showing the current status. Each couple is a mini show / episode that ties back to the main theme: they aren't actually married and what future will they choose. And while it's interesting to see the changes in the relationships over the 2 years since their fateful wedding, they could do some things better. For example, is it really necessary to show each couple reading the letter and then showing the audience the same portion. We still know what the letter says, we don't need to see it 5 times. And perhaps it would be more interesting to do more flipping between couples, or at least have something that ties them together besides the judge... they wouldn't have to know each other, they could pass on the street or eat in the same restaurant, to provide more continuity between storylines.
Within each sequence there are aspects that do and do not work. The Fred Allen & Ginger Rogers story bookends the film, and they receive top billing. Their story works, but drags on too long. Do we really need to see their entire morning routine to avoid each other? A shorter sequence of their home life, followed by their fights at the station sets up their relationship, we don't need more. The commercials for their show are funny, but drag on a bit. Their story also has the best transition from the couple to the judge and his wife.
The David & Marilyn Monroe story works well and does not drag. They have an interesting chemistry and play off each other well. It is interesting to see a young, less bombshell, version of Monroe. A good sequence. The Louis Calhern & Zsa Zsa Gabor story also works, with Calhern doing the heavy lifting, but drags on too much. The scenes at their home and at the hotel work well, but once they are in Calhern's office it drags. It could be shortened and still pack the same punch. The Paul Douglas & Eve Arden storyline should have been scrapped or revamped. It isn't interesting. There was potential, but nothing ever happens... and the sequence with Douglas imaging his life as a single man is too long. It might be realistic, but it was unnecessary. The Eddie Bracken & Mitzi Gaynor story is a good story to end on. It focuses more on Bracken and his usual shtick, but it works.
While I enjoyed the ending, if you are going to show the final decisions of the couples, you need to show all the couples. Yes, the big finale shows the new, official weddings, but what about the people who do not choose to marry again? It would still work to show them, since you are invested in all the storylines.
A good film... some scenes feel progressive for the 1950s time period, but none of the characters are shown sleeping in the same bed... Interesting to see ten truly talented actors, but not their best work
We're Not Married! (1952) 86 minutes
Director: Edmund Goulding
Starring: Ginger Rogers as Ramona Gladwyn
Fred Allen as Steve Gladwyn
Marilyn Monroe as Annabel Jones Norris
David Wayne as Jeff Norris
Eve Arden as Katie Woodruff
Paul Douglas as Hector Woodruff
Eddie Bracken as Willie Fisher
Mitzi Gaynor as Patsy Reynolds Fisher
Louis Calhern as Freddie Melrose
Zsa Zsa Gabor as Eve Melrose
Victor Moore as Justice of the Peace Melvin Bush
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