Although unheralded and unidentified as a screen team Fred MacMurray and Claudette Colbert were teamed a lot in the 20s and 40s. They did five films together mostly for Paramount.
One of the lesser ones was Practically Yours which cast MacMurray as a war hero pilot who crashes his ship into a Japanese aircraft carrier. It was the kind of scene you normally find at the end of a film. His last transmission is recorded for posterity where he says goodbye to his dog Piggy. Only it's garbled and the world thinks it's Peggy. And Claudette Colbert who worked with him in civilian life thinks he means her.
The rest of the film involves these two keeping up appearances all for the war effort. It's a Liberty Valance like conundrum.
According to Charles Tranberg's biography of Fred MacMurray., Fred, Claudette, and director Mitchell Leisen didn't think much of the film. MacMurray thought he and Claudette were too old for the leads.
I think this could have used a lighter touch. The premise was there, someone like Preston Sturges could hav made another Hail The Conquering Hero from this.
I wonder if it was offered to Sturges?
One of the lesser ones was Practically Yours which cast MacMurray as a war hero pilot who crashes his ship into a Japanese aircraft carrier. It was the kind of scene you normally find at the end of a film. His last transmission is recorded for posterity where he says goodbye to his dog Piggy. Only it's garbled and the world thinks it's Peggy. And Claudette Colbert who worked with him in civilian life thinks he means her.
The rest of the film involves these two keeping up appearances all for the war effort. It's a Liberty Valance like conundrum.
According to Charles Tranberg's biography of Fred MacMurray., Fred, Claudette, and director Mitchell Leisen didn't think much of the film. MacMurray thought he and Claudette were too old for the leads.
I think this could have used a lighter touch. The premise was there, someone like Preston Sturges could hav made another Hail The Conquering Hero from this.
I wonder if it was offered to Sturges?