Review of Joy of Living

Lovely Irene Dunne plays Maggie, a popular Broadway musical-comedy star saddled with a possessive, extravagant and selfishly-annoying family. Maggie would like to rest or leave the house once in a while to experience "real life," but her parents (Alice Brady, Guy Kibbee), former entertainers themselves, worry that they'll lose their meal ticket and stand in her way. Dan (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.), a handsome stage-door Johnny, is the Prince Charming who wants to rescue Maggie from her relatives. Dan teaches the repressed Maggie how to have fun on little to no money by taking her roller-skating and to a German restaurant where she takes the lesson to heart and gets drunk on cheap beer. SPOILERS: Dan gallantly sneaks the lady home and then falls asleep on the couch outside her bedroom. When he is discovered in the morning by her shocked family, Maggie is forced to choose between her new leading man or her old cast of hangers-on. Will true love win? Fairbanks and Dunn are first rate as is the supporting cast: Lucille Ball, Billy Gilbert, Jean Dixon, Guy Kibbee, Eric Blore and Franklin Pangborn.