Glenn Ford is a "Young Man with Ideas" in this 1952 comedy directed by Mitchell Leisen and also starring Ruth Roman, Nina Foch, and Denise Darcel.
Ford is attorney Max Webster, living in Montana. He does the grunt work for the law office where he works -- research, writes summaries, etc., all things that the partners take credit for. His wife Julie (Roman) pushes him to ask for a partnership. He is rejected, so he quits, and the family moves to Los Angeles. There he crams for the bar with an attractive fellow student (Foch), who also gets him a job at a collection agency, something he is ill-suited for. Not only can't he collect, but he ends up paying part of a singer's (Darcel) bill.
But the Websters have much bigger problems than Max's failure at the collection agency. Their house was a gambling joint for bookies, and people keep calling and placing bets. Though they keep telling the callers that "Mike" has moved away and they have the wrong number, one day, Julie, in disgust, takes a $10 bet for Kimo, who comes in at 80 to 1. The caller on the other end wants his money.
Amusing comedy that could have been uproarious, but Leisen, who did such great work in the '40s, was a fallen star by then. Glenn Ford was always a very charming and attractive actor, and while his comedy talent was limited, he still manages to be likable. Still, we have two stars who usually do dramatic roles -- three really, if you count Foch -- in a comedy. They probably had to make the film to fulfill their contracts.
Cute but ultimately disappointing. The story had some fun things in it, including Glenn Ford trying to sing "Mother," and Mary Wickes having her son show off his acting expressions. It wouldn't have taken much to make this much better. but it needed a Leo McCarey or a Howard Hawks in the director's chair.
Ford is attorney Max Webster, living in Montana. He does the grunt work for the law office where he works -- research, writes summaries, etc., all things that the partners take credit for. His wife Julie (Roman) pushes him to ask for a partnership. He is rejected, so he quits, and the family moves to Los Angeles. There he crams for the bar with an attractive fellow student (Foch), who also gets him a job at a collection agency, something he is ill-suited for. Not only can't he collect, but he ends up paying part of a singer's (Darcel) bill.
But the Websters have much bigger problems than Max's failure at the collection agency. Their house was a gambling joint for bookies, and people keep calling and placing bets. Though they keep telling the callers that "Mike" has moved away and they have the wrong number, one day, Julie, in disgust, takes a $10 bet for Kimo, who comes in at 80 to 1. The caller on the other end wants his money.
Amusing comedy that could have been uproarious, but Leisen, who did such great work in the '40s, was a fallen star by then. Glenn Ford was always a very charming and attractive actor, and while his comedy talent was limited, he still manages to be likable. Still, we have two stars who usually do dramatic roles -- three really, if you count Foch -- in a comedy. They probably had to make the film to fulfill their contracts.
Cute but ultimately disappointing. The story had some fun things in it, including Glenn Ford trying to sing "Mother," and Mary Wickes having her son show off his acting expressions. It wouldn't have taken much to make this much better. but it needed a Leo McCarey or a Howard Hawks in the director's chair.