Long before the Disney family body-swap feature "Freaky Friday" in the 70's, there was this little-known wartime Hollywood movie on the same subject, which I suppose would make it "Freaky Thursday". The odd thing here, well one of the many odd things, is that the switching couple change voices too, meaning there's an awful lot of lip-syncing with John Hubbard and Carole Landis speaking the other's lines once they've traded places.
For the first half hour of its short running time, there's very little indication of the role-switching to come other than establishing Hubbard as a well-off, go-ahead "Mad Man" advertising executive, with a penchant for keep-fit and a devotion to his massive pet dog while Landis is his lazy, empty-headed wife who likes nothing better than going out spending money on fripperies with her two chums, the similarly-minded (or should that be simply-minded) wives of hubby's business partners.
The turnabout of the title then comes into play as we're suddenly made aware of a creepy bust they keep in their bedroom which comes to life one night and duly grants their joint wish to change places with each other. From there, we're treated, if that's the right word, for the rest of the film, to the duo taking on the other's appearance and voice without either being properly aware of it and chaotically trying to get through a normal day in the life of their partner in their altered state.
It really is a strange little film, particularly seeing Hubbard camp it up in Landis's frocks and Landis butching it up, wearing trousers under a long dress. As if to acknowledge the shortcomings of the plot, there's also horseplay with a pet bear cub and the afore-mentioned dog while everyone in support, including well-known faces like Donald Meek, Adolphe Menjou and Mary Astor seems to have been directed to overact at will. Perhaps the weirdest thing of all is the last line of the film which takes the title a tad too far.
While Hubbard and Landis try hard, this madcap, all-over-the place would-be screwball comedy would tax Grant and Hepburn and I found it just too far out-there (no pun intended) to turn my frown about I'm sorry to say.
For the first half hour of its short running time, there's very little indication of the role-switching to come other than establishing Hubbard as a well-off, go-ahead "Mad Man" advertising executive, with a penchant for keep-fit and a devotion to his massive pet dog while Landis is his lazy, empty-headed wife who likes nothing better than going out spending money on fripperies with her two chums, the similarly-minded (or should that be simply-minded) wives of hubby's business partners.
The turnabout of the title then comes into play as we're suddenly made aware of a creepy bust they keep in their bedroom which comes to life one night and duly grants their joint wish to change places with each other. From there, we're treated, if that's the right word, for the rest of the film, to the duo taking on the other's appearance and voice without either being properly aware of it and chaotically trying to get through a normal day in the life of their partner in their altered state.
It really is a strange little film, particularly seeing Hubbard camp it up in Landis's frocks and Landis butching it up, wearing trousers under a long dress. As if to acknowledge the shortcomings of the plot, there's also horseplay with a pet bear cub and the afore-mentioned dog while everyone in support, including well-known faces like Donald Meek, Adolphe Menjou and Mary Astor seems to have been directed to overact at will. Perhaps the weirdest thing of all is the last line of the film which takes the title a tad too far.
While Hubbard and Landis try hard, this madcap, all-over-the place would-be screwball comedy would tax Grant and Hepburn and I found it just too far out-there (no pun intended) to turn my frown about I'm sorry to say.