Movies:
Love Crazy
- Rating:
- Genre: Comedy
- Movie Type: Screwball Comedy, Farce
- Themes: Foibles of Marriage
- Director: Jack Conway
- 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 GuideReview
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 GuideCast
- William Powell - Steven Ireland
- Myrna Loy - Susan Ireland
- Gail Patrick - Isobel Grayson
- Jack Carson - Ward Willoughby
- Florence Bates - Mrs. Cooper
Sidney Blackmer - George Hennie; Sig Rumann - Dr. Wuthering; Vladimir Sokoloff - Dr. Kugle; Donald MacBride - "Pinky" Grayson; Sara Haden - Cecilia Landis; Kathleen Lockhart - Mrs. Bristol; Fern Emmett - Martha; Joseph Crehan - Judge; George Meeker - DeWest; Clarence Muse - Robert; Elisha Cook, Jr. - Elevator Boy; Richard Allan; Jimmy Ames - Taxi Driver; Fay Bainter; Joan Barclay - Telephone Operator; Barbara Bedford - Secretary; Wade Boteler - Captain of Detectives; Aldrich Bowker - Doorman; Ralph Bushman - Guard; Ken Christy - Guard; Jay Eaton; Roy Gordon; Jesse Graves - Butler; Eddie Hart; George Irving - Doctor; Selmar Jackson - Doctor; George Magrill; Philo McCullough; Charles McMurphy; James McNamara; James Millican; Jack Mulhall - Court Clerk; Broderick O'Farrell - Guest; Edward Peil Sr.; Lee Phelps; James Pierce; Larry Steers; Harry Strang - Sergeant; Edward Van Sloan; Emmett Vogan; Ian Wolfe; Douglas Wood; William Tannen - Attendant; George Guhl; Harry Fleischmann - Driver; Richard Kipling; Bill Lally; George Lollier; Byron Shores; Paul Palmer; Rudolf Steinbeck - Detective; Pat Gleason
