I Love You Again

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 six film series. The first film Powell and Loy appeared in together was Manhattan Melodrama, in 1934, out of fourteen films together.[1]

I Love You Again
Theatrical release poster
Directed byW.S. Van Dyke
Produced byLawrence Weingarten
Screenplay byCharles Lederer
George Oppenheimer
Harry Kurnitz
Story byLeon Gordon
Maurine Watkins
Based onI Love You Again
1937 novel
by Octavus Roy Cohen
StarringWilliam Powell
Myrna Loy
Frank McHugh
Music byFranz Waxman
CinematographyOliver T. Marsh
Edited byGene Ruggiero
Production
company
Distributed byLoews Inc.
Release date
  • September 9, 1940 (1940-09-09)
Running time
99 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

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 however 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. George, whose other persona is a celebrated woodsman and scout-leader, ends up leading a troop of boyscouts cross country through the lot and getting the sons of the prominent local businessmen covered in oil. This gets back to their fathers who step up with an offer on the land.

In the end having decided to remain with Kay who now loves him as George, 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 acts as Larry once more. Duke leaves in disgust but having hooked the biggest scammer of the honest citizens in a side-deal. When Doc muses that one knock on the head reversed the effect of another, Kay, who knows all and wants George back, picks up a vase. Before she can bring it down on his head, "Larry" proves that he was only faking to get rid of Duke, by cooing like a love-struck pigeon.

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."[2] 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."

Other critics agreed. Laura Lee, critic for the Philadelphia Bulletin, wrote, "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).[3]

References
  1. https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title_type=feature,tv_episode,video,tv_movie,tv_special,tv_miniseries,documentary,video_game,short&roles=nm0001635,nm0001485&sort=year,asc
  2. 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.
  3. "I Love You Again (1940): Notes". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
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