Main Cast: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Gail Patrick, Jack Carson, Florence Bates
Release Year: 1941
Country: US
Run Time: 99 minutes
Plot
William Powell and Myrna Loy re-team for this (literally) crazy screwball comedy about a happily married couple who, thanks to a visit from mother, find their marriage on the rocks and the husband committed to a mental institution. Poised to celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary, Steven (William Powell) and Susan Ireland (Myrna Loy) find their domestic bliss shattered by a visit from Susan's mother (Florence Bates). Susan's mother sprains her ankle and extends her visit, just in time to draw the wrong conclusions when her son-in-law pays a friendly visit to his old girlfriend Isobel (Gail Patrick). Susan's mother eavesdrops and reports it all to Susan, who in a jealous rage tries to make Steven jealous. But she winds up being chased through the hallway of her apartment building by half-naked archery enthusiast Ward Willoughby (Jack Carson). The couple agree on a divorce, but Steven then has second thoughts. On the advice of his lawyer, George Renny (Sidney Blackmer), Steven pretends he is insane, since the law prohibits Susan from divorcing him if Steven is mentally ill. Unfortunately, Susan is wise to his charade and has him committed to an asylum. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
Review
Love Crazy is one of William Powell and Myrna Loy's most enjoyable films -- one that deserves to be much better known than it is. The premise is ridiculous but delicious, and the filmmakers take care to ensure that, as silly as the premise is, it is treated earnestly and believably. They also do a fine job of setting things up during the opening moments, telling little details that add to our enjoyment and understanding of the main characters. The screenwriters have also taken great care with the structure of their work, and each piece follows the preceding one logically and inevitably. And, of course, they've given Crazy the requisite snappy dialogue and reversals that are so important to a good screwball comedy. Jack Conway has directed with a light but very assured hand, keeping things moving at a peppy pace, and he gives his splendid stars plenty of room to maneuver. By this point, Powell and Loy could easily have coasted along on sheer chemistry, but they play the material for all it is worth, aided greatly by the delightfully malicious Florence Bates, a shrewdly played Gail Patrick and a Jack Carson, who for once manages to be an oaf without being annoying and obnoxious. Crazy does have a few faults: a couple places where the jokes don't quite land the way they're intended to; but overall, it's a treat. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Love Crazy is a 1941screwball comedy film pairing William Powell and Myrna Loy as a couple whose marriage is on the verge of being broken up by the husband's old girlfriend and the wife's disapproving mother.
Plot
Architect Steve Ireland (William Powell) and his wife Susan (Myrna Loy) eagerly look forward to their fourth wedding anniversary, but her mother Mrs. Cooper (Florence Bates) shows up and puts a damper on their plans for the evening. She sends Steve downstairs to mail her insurance premium.
He runs into his old girlfriend Isobel Kimble Grayson (Gail Patrick) and learns that she has just moved into the apartment building, just one floor below. On the way up, the elevator gets stuck. While they are getting out, Steve is struck several times in the head and becomes woozy. Isobel takes him to her apartment to recover. Though she is now also married, she makes it clear that she would not mind renewing their relationship, but Steve is hopelessly in love with his wife.
When he returns to his apartment, he neglects to mention his encounter with Isobel, but Mrs. Cooper finds out and tells her daughter, putting Steve in an awkward spot. For revenge, Susan calls Isobel's husband 'Pinky' (Donald MacBride) and suggests that they pretend that they are seeing each other. He agrees, but Susan goes to the wrong apartment, that of world champion archer Ward Willoughby (Jack Carson). He is puzzled, but has no objection to being romanced by a beautiful woman. When Susan learns her mistake, she has difficulty extricating herself from Willoughby's apartment. They are seen by Steve and Isobel, resulting in much confusion. Things are finally cleared up, but then Susan is led to believe that Steve was alone with Isobel in her apartment while she was out running an errand for her mother.
Susan decides to get a divorce, despite Steve's pleas. She hides in Arizona with her meddling mother. WIlloughby follows, to better his acquaintance with Susan.
The night before the divorce hearing, Steve's lawyer, George Renny (Sidney Blackmer), spots Susan at a party and tells his client. Steve crashes the gathering, but is unable to change Susan's mind. A chance remark by Steve gives Renny an idea - a divorce can be delayed if one of the parties is insane. Steve does his best to act nutty, even pushing his mother-in-law into the pool. However, he had been so eccentric in the past, that everyone (with the exception of one older man) just believes he is drunk. Nonetheless, Renny gets the divorce judge to agree to a thirty-day delay to have Steve examined by the city lunacy commission. When he realizes that he has gone too far, Steve tries to convince the members that he is sane, but the head of the board, Dr. Klugle (Vladimir Sokoloff), turns out to be the only person Steve hoodwinked at the party. As a result, he is committed to a sanitarium.
Steve escapes by tricking the head of the rest home, Dr. Wuthering (Sig Ruman). He returns to his apartment building one step ahead of the police, who now consider him a homicidal maniac. Steve dodges Willoughby and hides with Isobel's help. He then disguises himself as his "sister" by putting on some of Isobel's clothes and shaving his mustache. He finally reaches Susan, only to have Mrs. Cooper and Willoughby show up soon afterwards. When Mrs. Cooper inadvertently confirms Steve just talked to Isobel at a cafe, Susan finally believes her husband.
